A Short History of UNESCO
Headquartered in Paris and with field offices around the world, UNESCO is composed of 194 Member States and 12 associated member countries. Threats to peace and global cooperation have taken new forms since UNESCO was founded. Cultural diversity and identities are under steady attack, and new forms of intolerance and threats to freedom of expression challenge peace and human rights. Misinformation and distrust in science threaten the foundations of world peace and order built over decades of international cooperation. These movements endanger the world’s progress towards stability and equity.
In response, UNESCO continues to champion equity, peace, democracy and sustainable development. This work is strongly supported through national commissions for UNESCO. Established as part of UNESCO’s founding constitution, they coordinate UNESCO-related activities and promote its values locally. There are currently 200 National Commissions for UNESCO around the world, and they constitute a truly global family.
National commissions act as bridges between UNESCO and the governments, educational institutions, cultural organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society in their respective countries.
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Canada Council for the Arts
In 1957, the Canada Council1 was established by an act of Parliament based on recommendations from the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences (known as the Massey Commission). Its mandate was to protect and promote Canadian culture and support Canadian artists, writers and intellectuals in the arts, humanities and social sciences.2 This reflected a post-World War II desire to nurture a distinct Canadian identity, especially in the face of strong external influences from the United States. Today, the Canada Council contributes to the vibrancy of a creative and diverse arts and literary scene through strategic initiatives, partnerships, grants, services, prizes and payments to artists and arts organizations across the country.
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) falls under the Canada Council’s legislative mandate. The CCUNESCO’s strategic directions and activities are overseen by an executive committee made up of:
- representatives appointed by the Board of the Canada Council for the Arts;
- representatives appointed by Canadian Heritage, Global Affairs Canada, the Government of Quebec and the Council of Ministers of Education;
- representatives from civil society elected during the CCUNESCO’s Annual General Meeting, with a dedicated seat for a youth representative; and
- ex-officio members—that is, the Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Secretary General of the CCUNESCO.
As a UNESCO Member State, Canada is represented by the Permanent Delegation of Canada located in Paris, France, which operates under the leadership of Global Affairs Canada. The Delegation is led by an ambassador appointed by Global Affairs Canada, and in accordance with the 2006 Canada–Quebec Agreement on UNESCO, also includes a representative of the Government of Quebec.
The CCUNESCO's Strategic Plan, Priorities and Objectives
2021-2026 Strategic Plan
The CCUNESCO’s 2021–2026 Strategic Plan—which includes three strategic objectives and four cross-cutting priorities—aligns with UNESCO’s medium-term strategy and supports the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other key UN instruments.
The plan was developed against the backdrop of long-standing and pressing social challenges that came into sharper focus in 2020–21—including systemic racism, Indigenous rights, the climate crisis and the ongoing struggle for gender equity. Its three strategic objectives are:
- advancing education, culture, freedom of expression and anti-racism to build an inclusive, just and peaceful society;
- supporting science, technology, education and culture to contribute to sustainable development; and
- collaborating on government and civil society initiatives to safeguard natural, cultural and documentary heritage for future generations.
The plan’s cross-cutting priorities are to:
- implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to support Truth and Reconciliation;
- promote gender equity and justice;
- mainstream youth leadership; and
- fight racism.
The rest of this report highlights the key initiatives undertaken by the Commission in fiscal year 2024–2025 to advance its strategic objectives and serve its cross-cutting priorities. The activities have been organized under their respective objectives.
Strategic Objective no.1: Education, culture, freedom of expression and anti-racism for an inclusive, just, and peaceful society
Africville: Canada’s first UNESCO Place of History and Memory linked to Enslavement and the Slave Trade
In October 2024, UNESCO announced Africville as among the first international historic sites to receive this new designation. Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Africville was an enclave of sanctuary and cultural expression established by diasporic Africans after a wave of migration that followed the American-British War of 1812, which saw approximately 2,000 diasporic Africans arrive in the Maritimes, many of them formerly enslaved people. Over the years Africville’s population grew, becoming a place of refuge for its working-class residents, with the Seaview United Baptist Church serving as the heart of the community. However, as the city of Halifax increased its industrial and economic growth, the Africville community was unjustly destroyed, and coercive tactics were deployed to dispossess residents of their houses and land.
Africville Heritage Trust, a not-for-profit organization managed by a volunteer board primarily made up of members of the Africville community, now operates the Africville Museum, a replica of the Seaview United Baptist Church and works to educate Canadians about the anti-Black racism experienced by Africville residents and how this is connected to the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
Supporting the International Decade of Indigenous Languages
In October 2024 CCUNESCO and Supporting Indigenous Language Revitalization (SILR) at the University of Alberta published Safeguarding Your Language Through Documentation: A Toolkit for Beginners. It is a simple and easy-to-follow guide for people without formal training in linguistics, documentation or technology. The practical steps aim to support language learners, Knowledge Holders, youth and anyone else on their language documentation journeys.
The toolkit was written by Aiyana Twigg, and the knowledge shared in the toolkit draws on her personal experience in documenting and revitalizing Ktunaxa, which had only 20 fluent speakers at the time she began her work.
Fourth National Black Canadians Summit
Organized by the Michaëlle Jean Foundation and held from January 31 to February 2, 2025, in Montréal, the Fourth National Black Canadians Summit gathered more than 1,500 participants, including 600 young leaders from across Canada. Through the CCUNESCO, the Canada Council supported five young Black journalists through the Power of Youth Summit Storytelling Fellowship to create multimedia documentation of the event and promote diversity in journalism.
CCUNESCO’s Youth Advisory Group members were key participants, facilitating panel discussions and taking part in the Fellowship.
UNESCO Schools Network National Conference
In April 2024, the UNESCO Schools Network in Canada gathered in Toronto, Ontario, for a multi-day conference. Organized in partnership with Learning for a Sustainable Future, CCUNESCO welcomed approximately 150 students and teachers to the Toronto Botanical Gardens and the Royal Ontario Museum.
The students engaged in a series of keynote talks, activities and workshops on different facets of sustainability. The teachers were also involved in professional development workshops focused on connecting their learning curriculum to climate change and sustainability. The conference provided a unique opportunity to foster school-level action towards a more sustainable future.
Forum for Environmental Education Leadership
In March 2025, CCUNESCO, together with the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), co-convened the Forum for Environmental Education Leadership, in Ottawa. The forum aimed to support the strengthening of a national network of organizations, institutions and individuals working together towards the consolidation of environmental education and to provide feedback on the National Framework for Environmental Learning, to be published by ECCC.
CCUNESCO facilitated a session on Indigenous land-based education, presenting it as a pillar element of its forthcoming toolkit, Advancing Education for Sustainable Development in Canada: New Mindsets for a Better Future.
Advocating for press freedom worldwide
CCUNESCO and World Press Freedom Canada honored Canadian journalists and cartoonists at the annual award ceremony to mark UNESCO World Press Freedom Day in May 2024. This year, in addition to the press freedom, career achievement and editorial cartoon awards, a new student achievement award was introduced to honour youth journalists at Canadian post-secondary institutions whose work showed determination to publish stories in the face of challenges or obstacles to freely reporting on issues that matter to their school community. This year’s Press Freedom Prize was awarded to Melissa Martin, who spent a year in Ukraine chronicling the impact of war on civilians.
UNESCO’s Observatory of Killed Journalists tracks media workers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. During the CCUNESCO’s 2024–25 fiscal year, 88 journalists were killed worldwide. The Observatory makes UNESCO’s work on monitoring and reporting on the safety of journalists, as well as on global impunity for these crimes, publicly accessible. It forms an essential part of the implementation of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
Strategic Objective no.2: Science, technology, education and culture contribute to sustainable development
Supporting the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) is an international initiative led by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to build ocean knowledge and encourage marine conservation efforts globally. To implement this work in Canada, CCUNESCO has convened a nine-member expert working group to discuss key issues, undertake initiatives and bring forward Canadian perspectives at relevant international forums.
In April 2024, CCUNESCO’s Ocean Decade working group partnered with the New Zealand National Commission, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and the Pacific Community to deliver a panel titled “Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Community-Engaged Ocean Science” at the UN Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona. It brought together Indigenous Knowledge Holders from Canada’s three coastlines, New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands, to highlight innovative, Indigenous-led approaches to marine governance and management, and models of meaningful engagement.
Showcasing UNESCO Creative Cities
This year saw the realization of a collaborative initiative between UNESCO’s Canadian Creative Cities. Celestia, a public art installation, was co-produced by Quartier des spectacles Partnership, ExpoCité and Sankofa Square with support from CCUNESCO to tour to each of UNESCO’s Creative Cities in Canada: Montréal, Québec City, Toronto and London to highlight their UNESCO status.
Created by Studio Kleis in collaboration with poet Carolanne Foucher, Huron-Wendat storyteller Yolande Okia Picard and sound designer Jérôme Guilleaume, Celestia was designed to transform public spaces into immersive theater environments, allowing audiences to experience the seven mythic Pleiades sisters through luminous and emotional structures.
Canadian Network of UNESCO Chairs: 5th largest internationally
In March 2025 CCUNESCO hosted a meeting of the Canadian Network of UNESCO Chairs in partnership with the Fonds de recherche du Québec and the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). The gathering was a unique opportunity to strengthen links between researchers, promote the exchange of knowledge and best practices, showcase the network’s excellence and demonstrate its ability to mobilize academic research in response to current local and global challenges.
One new UNESCO Chair was appointed this year, joining the more than 950 UNESCO Chairs in universities and colleges around the world: the UNESCO Chair in Sport for Development, Peace and Environment in a Multidisciplinary and Global Perspective at the Université du Québec à Montréal.
The Canadian Network of UNESCO Chairs now counts 40 members in 31 higher education institutions, making it the 5th largest internationally, after Spain, France, Russia and Italy. Each Chair involves a team of researchers who undertake studies, share knowledge and inform public debate and policy in their area of expertise. The Chairs advance UNESCO’s goals through academic initiatives and research.
Canadian Geoparks National Gathering
This conference was hosted by Discovery Geopark in Bonavista, Newfoundland, in September 2024. It brought together participants from Canadian UNESCO Global Geoparks for the purpose of capacity building, knowledge sharing and discussing the future of the Canadian Geoparks Network. Representatives from Miakpukek First Nation, Natural Resources Canada, the Geological Survey of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador Indigenous Tourism Association, UNESCO’s International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme, the Global Geoparks Network and Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland contributed important insights and perspectives to these discussions.
Celebrating women in science
Since 2003, CCUNESCO has annually celebrated doctoral and postdoctoral researchers through the L’Oréal-UNESCO Research Excellence Fellowship, in partnership with L’Oréal Canada.
The 2024 winners were:
- Morgan Piczak, a Liber Ero and NSERC postdoctoral fellow at Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Dalhousie University, who is leading groundbreaking research on the spatial ecology of Atlantic mackerel. Her work will not only shed light on the declining Canadian mackerel population but will also offer solutions for mackerel populations globally, all while tackling the impacts of global sea warming.
- Marie-Pier Hébert, a postdoctoral fellow in Environmental sciences and Aquatic ecology at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and the University of Vermont. Marie-Pier is an environmental scientist specialized in freshwater and global change ecology. She conducts research on the ecological impacts of warmer winters and ice loss in freshwater lakes. She analyzes how these changes affect the small living beings that inhabit them and aims to predict the future of our water resources in a warming world.
Strategic Objective no.3: Governments and civil society safeguard natural, cultural and documentary heritage for future generations
Canadian Biosphere Regions: Biodiversity, sustainability, and climate action
In September 2024, the Waterton Biosphere Region in southwestern Alberta hosted the Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association National Gathering. The gathering provided a platform for knowledge exchange between Canadian Biosphere Regions, with thematic discussions focused on biodiversity, sustainable development and climate action and provided opportunities for participants to experience and learn about the Waterton Biosphere Region.
There are currently 19 UNESCO Biosphere Regions in Canada, including 4 in Quebec, and steps towards establishing a 5th UNESCO designated Biosphere Region in this province are being taken. In January 2025, Québec City submitted its application to CCUNESCO to become North America’s first urban Biosphere Region (in French).
This year CCUNESCO launched the Canadian Committee for the Man and the Biosphere Programme (CC-MAB), an advisory group that guides and governs the implementation of UNESCO’s MAB Programme in Canada. Composed of experts and key stakeholders, its mission is to govern the technical aspects of the programme and ensure that Canada’s 19 Biosphere Regions uphold excellence at all levels.
Fostering collaboration between UNESCO sites in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions
In October 2024, the Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Region and Nordic Atlantic Cooperation (NORA) hosted Sisimiut II with support from CCUNESCO and the Government of Quebec. This international conference was dedicated to strengthening the leadership of UNESCO sites in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions to advance UNESCO’s objectives in the areas of climate change adaptation, conservation, biodiversity and sustainable tourism.
UNESCO designated site managers from Canada, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Norway and Scotland connected with ministers, policy makers and other international leaders to discuss ways to support and strengthen the impact of UNESCO sites in the North. International participants had the opportunity to learn about the regional expertise, through visits to local sites including the Innu Community of Pessamit, which co-developed the unique Uapishka Station with the Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Region. During the conference, the delegates succeeded in defining the foundations of a common roadmap.
New additions to the Memory of the World Register
The Canada Memory of the World Register recognizes documentary heritage of national significance and is administered by CCUNESCO in accordance with UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme.
This year, three new archives were added:
- The archives documenting the service of Black Canadians in the No. 2 Construction Battalion (held at Library and Archives Canada): These records tell the story of Black soldiers who served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion—a segregated unit of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada during the First World War.
- The Anne of Green Gables manuscript (held at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery): The manuscript includes 475 pages on which the story is handwritten and an additional 96 pages of L.M. Montgomery’s notes, where she recorded additions and insertions to the text.
- The Canadian Women’s Movement Archives Collection (held at the University of Ottawa Library): This collection encompasses documentary materials from hundreds of women’s organizations and individuals active in the feminist movement in Canada from the 1960s to 1990s.
These additions bring the total number of inscriptions on the Canada Memory of the World Register to 34 and include a first inscription from Prince Edward Island.
The CCUNESCO's international reach
At the heart of CCUNESCO’s work are ongoing efforts to ensure that UNESCO’s priorities take root in Canada and that the perspectives and aspirations of Canadian civil society are shared at global forums.
23rd session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
CCUNESCO took part in the 23rd session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in April 2024 at the UN headquarters, in New York City. This year’s theme was “Enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination in the context of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Emphasizing the voices of Indigenous youth.”
The forum was well attended by Indigenous representatives from across the globe. The CCUNESCO delegation included members of its Youth Advisory Group, members of its Working Group on the International Decade of Indigenous Languages and other key partners.
CCUNESCO co-organized four side events with international partners, including the Norwegian government, UNESCO and Ărramăt.
Third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
In April 2024, nearly 700 participants gathered in Geneva under the theme “The Second International Decade for People of African Descent: Addressing Systemic Racism, Reparatory Justice and Sustainable Development.” Thematic discussions addressed key topics such as reparations, sustainable development and economic justice, the role of education in combatting systemic racism and historic prejudices, culture and recognition, as well as expectations and challenges of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent.
CCUNESCO’s Secretary General attended the forum alongside two members of CCUNESCO’s Youth Advisory Group, contributing to discussions and efforts to address the complex issues facing people of African descent worldwide.
EuroMAB 2024
This biennial conference gathered representatives from more than 300 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves from 53 countries across Europe and North America. A vital platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and collective action towards conservation and sustainable development, EuroMAB was held in June 2024 by the German National Commission for UNESCO in the Elbe River Landscape, Germany, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The Canadian delegation included representatives from Mount Arrowsmith, Átl’ka7tsem / Howe Sound, Fundy, Manicouagan-Uapishka, Redberry Lake and Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Regions. A major focus of discussion during the conference was youth participation in UNESCO Biosphere Regions. With three youth members in its delegation and a workshop on CCUNESCO’s recently published Toolkit for Youth Engagement in UNESCO Designated Sites and youth-led initiatives in Canadian biosphere regions, the Canadian delegation demonstrated strong commitment in this area.
UNESCO Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination
The 4th Global Forum Against Racism and Discrimination took place in Barcelona in December 2024. The forum served as a platform for global stakeholders to discuss and develop action plans aimed at combating racism and discrimination. Building on the momentum of previous forums, this edition emphasized the establishment of the Global Alliance Against Racism and Discrimination, reinforcing the importance of international collaboration in achieving a more equitable society. The event highlighted the need for sustainable partnerships between governments, civil society and other key actors to promote racial equity, justice and inclusion.
CCUNESCO attended the forum to engage in discussions, connect with key stakeholders, gain insight into global policy developments advocacy movement, as well as to hear and share perspectives on combating racism at the municipal level—the focus of the Coalition for Inclusive Municipalities in Canada.