Malcolm Adiseshiah
From 1 to 16 November 1945 a United Nations Conference was convened in London for the establishment of an educational and cultural organization (ECO/CONF). In the conference, a new organization was created to establish the “intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind” and thus prevent the outbreak of another world war. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded by thirty-seven countries. Its Constitution to promote collaboration between member states in the fields of education, science and culture was signed on 16 November 1945 and came into force on 4 November 1946. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India, was a former student of Adiseshiah’s father. He made a referral to Sir Julian Huxley, then Director-General of UNESCO, who invited Adiseshiah to the organization in 1948. He was posted as Deputy Director of the department of exchange of persons. In that capacity Adiseshiah signed the UNESCO Fellowship letter in 1949 to M. S. Swaminathan, eminent scientist and administrator, to pursue research at the Agricultural University in Wageningen, the Netherlands which was the starting point of his illustrious career.
National Garifuna Council NGC
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) developed an action plan that seeks to secure recognition of the Garifuna language and culture by the government of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It seeks to address the concerns of the culture a series of activities relating to land, education, language, culture, other social issues and community and economic development. UNESCO acknowledged that during this era of globalization, many areas of the Garifuna culture were disappearing, threatened by cultural standardization, conflict, armed conflict, industrialization, migration, and environmental deterioration. Thus, in 2001, UNESCO declared the Garifuna Language, Dance and Music of Belize, “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” This initiative helps The Garifuna to gain international recognition in cultural identity and promote harmonious interaction between cultures.