Canada @ UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is the United Nations' main organization responsible for culture. 2006 marks the 60th anniversary of UNESCO, which currently has 191 Member States.
Canada has been a member since UNESCO's creation in 1946, and it is proud to be among the some 174 countries with a permanent mission, which is responsible for representing our interests at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
Canada has played an active role within UNESCO in recent years, serving on UNESCO's Executive Board for a renewable term ending in 2007.
Canadian Heritage and its partners participate in UNESCO activities in close co-operation with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT), which is responsible for maintaining official relations with UNESCO, and with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCU), an independent consultative forum that advises the Government of Canada on its relations with UNESCO and coordinates UNESCO's activities in Canada. Canadian Heritage sits on the CCU Executive Committee and actively participates in the CCU's sectoral commissions.