Since its inception in 1945, UNESCO has worked to contribute to building peace, eradicating poverty, and promoting sustainable development. In particular, when the Korean War that broke out in 1950 left the country in ruins and despair, UNESCO provided emergency assistance to Korea by establishing a factory to print primary school textbooks, which contributed to Korean children’s learning.
Having achieved rapid development in the past six decades with significant help from the international community, Korea has transformed itself from a recipient country to a donor country. Now it is time for us to return the gracious aid and assistance we received back to the international community.
The Korean National Commission for UNESCO (KNCU), which was founded in 1954, has implemented various activities within Korea and abroad to contribute to realizing UNESCO’s mission. Among them are the “BRIDGE Programme” to send young volunteers to Africa, the “Sejong Project” to promote basic education in Asian and Pacific countries, and the publication of the Korea Journal to enhance academic dialogue in the field of Korean Studies.
In cooperation with UNESCO and other national commissions, KNCU will endeavor to enhance the Education For All (EFA) programmes, to strengthen activities for development cooperation, and to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).