'Striving to Promote Shared Values: UNESCO in the Troubled World of the 21st Century.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was created to 'contribute to peace and security' by promoting intellectual and ethical collaboration among nations. In order to realize its goals UNESCO has spent 60 years investing in Education For All as a basic human right, the development of all cultures and intercultural dialogue. It is therefore ironic that the terrorist attacks of 9/11 occurred in the year 2001 which was officially being observed as the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations. UNESCO promptly responded to these attacks by adopting a resolution 'expressing its sorrow and indignation' and asserting that while terrorism can never be justified, the world community requires a global and inclusive vision of development. This paper examines UNESCO's Medium Term Strategy - 2008-2013 which maintains continuities with the past and concern for building a just world order but is also alive to the 21st century condition - the breakdown of trust and dialogue between communities. The paper also attempts to evaluate the practical value of an organization such as UNESCO by examining its proposed Programme and Budget for 2008-2009 and ends with a comment on philosophical debates about the possibility of dialogue among civilizations and how UNESCO can promote shared values. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]