Iran’s Red Crescent Society and UNESCO’s National Commission have expressed readiness to cooperate in joint projects.
UNESCO is the only United Nations agency to have a global network of national cooperating bodies known as National Commissions for UNESCO.
Set up by the respective member governments in accordance with Article VII of the UNESCO Constitution, the National Commissions operate, on a permanent basis, for the purpose of associating governmental and non-governmental bodies in education, sciences, culture and communication with the work of the UNESCO. Presently, there are 199 National Commissions for UNESCO across the world.
Speaking at a meeting with UNESCO’s National Commission staff in Iran, Amir Hussein Ziaie, head of the IRCS, suggested the formation of a joint committee comprising experts from both sides to implement joint projects drawing on each other’s knowledge and expertise.
“There are various areas of cooperation that can enhance cooperation between the IRCS and the UNESCO including in the fields of education and youth and social affairs,” he said, ILNA reported.
The UN agency has access to data that would be useful for the IRCS, which can avoid overlapping of work with other institutions, he added.
Sa’dollah Nasiri Qeidari, secretary general of the UNESCO National Commission, said cooperation with the IRCS would be in line with the United Nations’ sustainable development program that enjoins all nations to empower their societies.
“A list of projects will be given to the IRCS to identify the areas of cooperation,” he said.
The commission is pursuing seriously the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (public education for all) and is currently preparing the national document in this regard.
“The shortcomings have been diagnosed in the trial versions of the plan in the past years and the commission is determined to adopt an intersectoral approach in providing education for all.”
IRCS experts could also be involved in the educational programs, he said.
