UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialised UN Agency headquartered in Paris. Its mandate aims to promote peace through culture, education, science, communication and information.
UNESCO’s standardising work in the field of education, culture and anti-doping has had a great impact on the Flemish policy. The conventions provide an important legal instrument on a global level, for example in the fight against the illegal trade of cultural objects or against doping in sport. The conventions are translated into Flemish policy, but also into other international regulations. So, for example, the principles on cultural diversity have been adopted in international trade agreements. Flemish expertise in water management forms a valuable contribution to combatting climate change through our UNESCO Science Trust Fund. Through the Trust Fund for heritage, we contribute to cultural preservation and the development of socio-economic benefits for Africa, to marine biodiversity and conservation of the oceans, and to living world heritage cities.
Flanders is one of the largest substate donors and plays a key role in training and capacity development for marine-related data and information processing through the IODE (International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange) Office in Ostend. Read more about the Flemish UNESCO Trust Funds
To streamline the cooperation with UNESCO, Flanders has created two trust funds: the Flanders UNESCO Science Trust Fund (FUST) and the General Trust Fund (FUT).
The Flemish Commission for UNESCO (VUC) has been established to foster the bond between Flanders and UNESCO, as well as advising the Government of Flanders on UNESCO matters.
- Agreement between the Government of Flanders and UNESCO on the UNESCO/Flanders Trust Fund for the support of UNESCO'S activities in the field of heritage
- Agreement on cooperation between Flanders (Kingdom of Belgium) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
- Agreement on the Unesco/Flanders Trust Fund for the support of Unesco's activities in the field of science