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About the UK National Commission To achieve its objectives UNESCO needs the support and involvement of the widest possible constituency in its Member States. To this end a network of National Commissions strongly involving civil society has been established in 189 out of 191 member states. Unique to UNESCO in the UN system, National Commissions function as essential partners to involve key national actors in the five UNESCO programme sectors. The UK National Commission for UNESCO was formally re-established by Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development, on 31st March 2004. The National Commission is working in partnership with the UK government and Devolved Administrations and in close collaboration with the UK Permanent Delegation to UNESCO in Paris. The National Commission seeks to: The National Commission is composed of a National Steering Committee, sectoral Committees widely engaging civil society community expertise, and a small Secretariat (of 3 people). The sectoral Committees give focus and vitality to the work of the National Commission. Five Committees, operating with specific expert networks and ad hoc working groups, cover UNESCO's major programme sectors - Education, Natural Sciences, Social & Human Sciences, Culture, and Communication & Information. Two inter-sectoral groups have also been established to consider how the civil society in the UK might contribute more effectively to UNESCO's programmes on Africa and on peace and security.
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