Field Office
Havana
Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean Cluster Office to
Field Office
Ramallah
National Office to Palestine
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UNESCO and Japan Sign a New Partnership Agreement for the Development of Teachers and Students’ Skills in STEAM and Coding
On 16 February 2022 the Government of Japan and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO signed an Arrangement Letter at the Representative Office of Japan to Palestine based in Ramallah the State of Palestine to support a UNESCOled project on Improving Student Skills for Innovation and Sustainable Development through STEAM Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics and Coding in Palestinian Schools The project is aligned with the priorities of the Governments National Policy Agenda for the State of Palestine and the priorities of the Ministry of Education to provide quality education for all   UNESCO believes that STEAM and coding have a powerful role to play in helping students achieve their highest potential and talents because they integrate core contents to enhance students understanding of the material It will build on the successful results of the CapED project on Artificial Intelligence and Coding through which 500 students were reached in both West Bank and Gaza during 2021 The overall objective of the new project supported by Japan is to further empower teachers and students especially girls with skills for innovation and sustainable development through STEAM and coding in primary and secondary education In addition it is envisaged to increase the number of coding clubs in public schools in Palestine   In her remarks Ms Noha Bawazir UNESCO Head of Office and UNESCO Representative while expressing deep gratitude to the Government of Japan for the new significant contribution stated With COVID19 introducing a new set of challenges to the educational system across the world and to the Palestinian schools in particular it is anticipated that this project will provide an opportunity to improve the educational process in Palestine through proven means of equipping Palestinian youth with digital soft and technical skills demanded by the labour market   For his remarks Mr MAGOSHI Masayuki Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs Representative of Japan to Palestine stated We are impressed by the high literacy rate in Palestine that paints a positive picture of its education system However we believe the Palestinian education system is still in the middle of the path to promote innovation for the younger generation To clear the way for this end Japan has committed to providing a new package of assistance through UNESCO to help Palestinian youth excel skills for innovation and sustainable development as well as expand and promote digital learning  UNESCO is the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in education sciences and culture UNESCOs programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015 As a member of the United Nations Country Team UNCT in Palestine UNESCO contributes to the overall efforts of the UN system to ensure that its work is aligned with the Palestinian Authoritys National Policy Agenda   Since the Oslo Accords Japan has been committed to assisting the Palestinians with a view to creating a favorable environment for the achievement of peace in the Middle East and has so far provided assistance that exceeds 21 billion US dollars since 1993 Japan has continued support for the Palestinians right of selfdetermination and their desire to establish a state Japan has been working to mitigate the hardships and difficulties faced by the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and to support their economic development Japan is also determined to contribute to the capacity and institution building that is required to build a viable Palestinian state 
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Teachers’ training on educational design, technical skills, and best practice guidelines.
Ramallah November 4 Within the framework of the project Developing Digital skills and Education for Sustainable Development through Distance Learning in Palestine funded by Japan UNESCO Ramallah and the Ministry of Education launched training to produce educational videos for the Palestinian Educational TV channel The training on educational design technical skills and best practice guidelines took place at AlQuds Open University in Ramallah Hebron and Nablus from 27 October to 20 November 2021 The training targeted 75 key teachers over 30 training hours UNESCO Ramallahs Education Unit supports the Ministry of Education in achieving its distance learning goals by developing and enhancing the Educational TV channel through the provision of equipment as well as building capacities of educational supervisors teachers and TV staff to improve their digital and 21stcentury skills Bassam Tahboob Director of Education Directorate in Hebron emphasized This is an essential training as it will allow teachers to incorporate technology when developing educational lessons which will be broadcasted on the Educational TV channel
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A great meeting of thinking for a great thinker: 5th International Conference “For World Balance”
The 5th International Conference For World Balance With all and for the good of all Dialogue of Civilizations has been convened by the World Council of José Martí Project for World Solidarity and will be held in Havana from January 24 to 28 2023 The Conference will be the culmination of the International Commemoration in tribute to the 170th Anniversary of José Martís birth which is celebrated on January 28 next year In a meeting held with representatives of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Havana the Director of the Cuban Office of Martí Programme Dr Eduardo Torres Cuevas and its Deputy Director Dr Héctor Hernández Pardo together with Ambassador Teresita Vicente Sotolongo Director of Cultural and Academic Affairs of the Cuban Foreign Ministry and Ana Margarita Morejón Director of International Affairs of the Cuban Ministry of Culture urged to stimulate the presence in the conclave of academics intellectuals artists social and religious activists representatives of political parties and from governments around the world who share the view that dialogue is necessary Dr Torres Cuevas recalled that José Martí raised the need for a way of thinking that would help maintain the world balance to understand each other to dialogue in order to be able together to think about the good of humankind That aspiration has encouraged Martís followers in all parts of the world he assured and from there the idea of these international conferences was born
Story
Khitam al-Hissi, selected as a Laureate for the UNESCO-ISF “World Tales” Short Story Competition
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Cuba strengthens capacities for the management of its water resources in the face of climate change
Training Workshop for the formulation of projects in the hydraulic sector for the Green Climate Fund A group of 30 specialists linked to water management in Cuba more than half of them women and a third part made up of young people under 35 years of age strengthened their capacities in the formulation of projects related to water security in the face of climate change During two intense days leaders specialists and people dedicated to research at the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources INRH the Ministry of Science Technology and Environment CITMA and the business system of the water sector in Cuba received technical training aimed especially at the development of projects to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund GCF  
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Associate Project Officer for the Transcultura programme - Incubators and Scholarships
The UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean is implementing the joint UNESCOEuropean Union programme Transcultura Integrating Cuba the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity The Programme is built on two components the first focusing on strengthening the skills and capacities of young cultural professionals and the second on enhancing opportunities through knowledge transfer and exchanges It includes the establishment of a regional Cultural Training Hub in Cuba and will create opportunities for entrepreneurship socioeconomic projects and collaboration in the cultural and creative sectors heritage and tourism within the Caribbean region and with the European Union The programme implementation was launched at the beginning of 2020 and is expected to last until the end of 2023  The incumbent will provide support to the Programme component related to Incubators and Scholarships  
Press release
The UNESCO-EU Transcultura Programme promotes trainings for Caribbean youth in cultural entrepreneurship
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International Day of Education 2022
Education is a human right a public good and a public responsibility In Palestine educational achievement at all levels continues to be affected by the political situation and resulting conflict While Palestine has one of the highest enrollment rates in the region for students in elementary education substantial challenges to access education remain especially for students from vulnerable groups and communities COVID19 has also deeply affected education for children with no access to digital learning opportunities This divide is often present in remote and disadvantaged areas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip Many students lack internet access devices and adequate digital literacy Less than half of households with children between the ages of 1017 who are currently enrolled in schools have the desktop laptop or tablet they need for remote learning Prolonged and intermittent school closures have also resulted in learning loss only 37 of students attended educational classes during school closure and only an average of 64 of the curricula was covered during 20202021 The 11day escalation of IsraeliPalestinian hostilities in May 2021 aggravated existing vulnerabilities and affected childrens wellbeing and protection The damage to 136 schools run by the Palestinian Authority affected 121092 children worsening an existing shortage of classrooms in Gaza Sixtyfive percent of schools in Gaza operate on double or triple shifts shortening the school day sometimes to only 4 hours   Message from the Director General of UNESCO In these exceptional times business as usual is no longer an option  If we are to transform the future if we are to change course we must rethink education This means forging a new social contract for education as called for by the UNESCO report on the Futures of Education released last November  We need to repair past injustices and orient the digital transformation around inclusion and equity And we need education to fully contribute to sustainable development for instance by integrating environmental education in all curricula and by training teachers in this field Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay Director General of UNESCO on the occasion of International Day of Education 2022   On this International Day for Education I invite all stakeholders to reflect on how to strengthen education including the digital transformation as a public endeavor for the common good in and for Palestine Lynn Hastings United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory from a statement on the International Day for Education 2022 2022 Celebrations On 24 January the day will be celebrated through a platform to showcase the most important transformations that have to be nurtured to realize everyones fundamental right to education and build a more sustainable inclusive and peaceful future It will generate debate around how to strengthen education as a public endeavor and common good how to steer the digital transformation support teachers safeguard the planet and unlock the potential in every person to contribute to collective wellbeing and our shared home  In February UNESCO Ramallah will organize a webinar under the theme TVET and Digital Education Students and educators will discuss innovations digital skills and transversal competencies to make education more fit for the future and satisfy market needs
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Agreement signed between Italy, UNESCO and Palestine
The Conservation and management of Tell EsSultan ancient Jericho Agreement signed between Italy UNESCO and Palestine Ramallah 24 January 2022 The Consulate General of Italy in Jerusalem UNESCO Ramallah Office the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities MoTA and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation AICS Jerusalem celebrated the signing of the agreement between Italy and UNESCO to enable the implementation of the project The Conservation and management of Tell EsSultan Ancient Jericho This agreement is part of a larger multistakeholder partnership through which a collaboration is established between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities UNESCO the Sapienza University of Rome and the Italian Agency of Development Cooperation Jerusalem Office The project aims to ensure the effective conservation and management of the cultural resources within the area and to promote sustainable tourism development that benefits the site and the local communities Through the generous funding of Italy amounting at Euros 24 million the project partners shall leverage their respective expertise to implement the designated project interventions under the overall supervision of a steering committee chaired by MoTA   
News
Celebrating Media Development Center on winning the UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for sustainable development
Ramallah 18 January 2022 UNESCO Ramallah Prime Ministers office the Japanese Representative office Birzeit University BZU and  Media Development Center MDC celebrated in a ceremony thrown at the Prime Ministers office MDCs great achievement of winning the ESD Prize on their Media and Information Literacy for Sustainable Societies The MDC project strives to develop media and information literacy in a practical approach through dialogue In addition to that the project aims to foster societal change through youth empowerment MDC has always been committed to providing space and the necessary tools to create an environment in which press freedom can thrive in Palestine   Ms Noha Bawazir Head of office and UNESCO Representative to Palestine renewed her congratulations to MDC by saying I am encouraged by the strong recognition in Palestine of educations role in steering societal change In this case through Media and Information Literacy as we recognize the key role of MIL in the early stages of life and the importance of integrating it into the educational process  The initial Prizegiving ceremony was held online last November during the 41st session of the General Conference of UNESCO organized this year in the framework of the UNESCOs 75th Anniversary In spite of the fact that the celebrations happened virtually the speeches delivered by the winners were very moving and empowering 
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UNESCO and Bethlehem Municipality sign a partnership agreement
Bethlehem 17 January 2022 Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Palestine Ms Noha Bawazir signed an agreement with the Mayor of Bethlehem HE Mr Anton Salman The agreement aims to enhance the Cultural Creative Industries in Bethlehem The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Mr Giovanni Scepi the Head of the Culture Unit at UNESCO Ramallah as well as municipal council members This project is among UNESCOs contributions to celebrating the city of Bethlehem as the Capital of Arab Culture 2020 The signing goes in motion with the framework of the 2021 International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development UNESCO and the Municipality of Bethlehem are implementing this activity in the framework of the ReShaping Cultural Policies for the Promotion of Fundamental Freedoms and the Diversity of Cultural Expressions project that is being generously funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Sida