UNESCO and what it means….

UNESCO designated sites connect the world and bring out the best in our shared humanity

UNESCO, which stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, is a specialised agency of the United Nations.

Its mission is to promote peace, security, and sustainable development through international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication.

Key designations of UNESCO:

Our Shared Heritage, world wide

World Heritage Sites: UNESCO designates places of outstanding cultural or natural importance as World Heritage Sites, helping to preserve them for future generations.

Intangible Cultural Heritage - Convention in raising awareness about the diversity and richness of intangible cultural heritage and in fostering international cooperation.

Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme: This initiative aims to improve the relationship between people and their environments by promoting sustainable development based on local community efforts and sound science.

International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme – Earth Sciences offer crucial insights into our planet, its systems, and its 4.5 billion-year history. This knowledge is vital for addressing current societal challenges, including resource preservation, global warming mitigation, and geological hazard management. UNESCO, through the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme, leads in supporting Earth Sciences research and capacity-building.

Structure:

  • UNESCO's headquarters are in Paris, France.

  • It operates globally through a network of field offices and institutes.

  • The organisation is governed by the General Conference, which consists of representatives from all member states, and the Executive Board, which provides guidance and oversight.

UNESCO

Biosphere Reserves

UNESCO envisioned a reserve as a protected area where natural resources, including flora, fauna, and unique geological features, are safeguarded from extensive human exploitation.

This 'core' (in our case, a large part of the Fitzgerald River National Park) of a Biosphere reserve is strictly managed, the buffer and transition zones allow special opportunities for local residents to learn about conservation.

UNESCO believes that the direct involvement of local communities in the management of Biosphere Reserves, along with the presence of research and monitoring activities, provides the best guarantee for the long-term conservation of resources globally.

Therefore, Biosphere reserves are ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems and management of biodiversity, providing local solutions to global challenges. They can include terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems.

Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Biosphere Reserves are designated under the intergovernmental MAB Programme by the Director-General of UNESCO following the decisions of the MAB International Coordinating Council (MAB-ICC). Their status is internationally recognised. Member States can submit sites through the designation process.

A biosphere reserve is a tool to advance the well- being of human beings and nature.