What is UNESCO
The acronym stands for United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. From its inception in 1945, UNESCO became the International Institute of Intellectual Co-operation or simply the Intellectual wing of the United Nations. It is not a funding agency like all the other wings of the UN. It is merely a beacon of ideas whose main aim is to generate ideas and share them for the good of humanity through education, science, culture and communication. These ideas are supposed to encourage universal respect for justice, the rule of law and human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction of race, sex, language or religion.

To fulfill its mandate, UNESCO performs five principal functions :

• Prospective Studies : what forms of education, science, culture and communication for tomorrow's world?
• The advancement, transfer and sharing of knowledge : relying primarily on research, training and teaching activities.
• Standard-setting action : the preparation and adoption of international instruments and statutory recommendations.
• Expertise : provided to Member States for their development policies and projects in the form of "technical co-operation".
• Exchange of specialized information