History

The Lebanese National Commission for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) was founded in 1948 by Presidential Decree No. 12141/K. However, Lebanon was among the very first member states of UNESCO to establish its national commission under Article 7 of the Constitutive Act/charter of the Organization. At the end of 2001, the number of National Commissions for UNESCO member states amounted to 189. Since 1991, the Lebanese National Commission has been acting as the National Commission for the Arab League Organization for Education, Culture and sciences (ALECSO) and since 2002, as the Lebanese National Commission for the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

The National Commission carries out its tasks and functions through three main bodies being; the General Assembly, the Executive bureau, the General Secretariat.

The General Assembly:
Includes a number of personalities from the world of education, science and culture, designated by the Minister of Culture in his capacity as the responsible Minister. These personalities represent governmental and nongovernmental institutions involved in the area of concerns of UNESCO.
The General Assembly elects, at its first meeting, the president of the Commission as well as the members of the executive bureau by secret ballot.

The Executive Bureau:
Ensures the follow-up of activities in the period between the two sessions of the General Assembly.

The General Secretariat:
Prepares and implements the programs and projects, and serves as liaison with organizations, associations and governmental bodies and is responsible for administrative and legal issues relating to the work of the Commission. The General Secretariat is headed by a Secretary General appointed by presidential decree.

• Ensure their effective presence in the Member State institutions through education, science, culture and communication.
• Promote awareness of the three organizations’ objectives and ideals.
• Arouse the interest of local communities, intellectuals and scholars known for their contribution to the advancement of education, science, culture and communication and ensure their cooperation in the respective programs and activities of the three organizations.

The four main tasks of the National Commission as specified in its statutes, and according to Article 7 of the Constitutive Ac/charter of the UNESCO are the consultation, liaison, information, and execution.

1- Consultation:
The National Commission advises official bodies, agencies, national institutions and organizations on issues relating to UNESCO, ALECSO, ISESCO and their respective programs.

2- The liaison:
The Commission ensures communication and serves as liaison between the national bodies concerned with the spheres of education, science and culture on  one hand, and UNESCO, ALECSO and ISESCO on the other.

3- Information:
The National Commission publicizes information on the functions and the values ​​of UNESCO, ALECSO and ISESCO and raises awareness of issues within their respective competences.

4- Execution:
The National Commission, on behalf of the Lebanese state, participates in the formulation and evaluation and execution of UNESCO, ALECSO and ISESCO programs and budgets.

Furthermore, the National Commission is set to inform the public and to provide information on the activities of the UNESCO, ALESCO and ISESCO. It conveys to the media releases on the activities of the three organizations and of the international days. The commission systematically publishes information over vacancy announcements, international competitions that are organized by these organizations and scholarships that they offer in all fields.
The commission publishes as well studies, reports and seminars proceedings, conferences and celebrations that are organized each year in accordance with its main tasks.
The Library of the National Commission is the depositary library of the UNESCO, ALESCO and ISESCO. It holds an important collection of reference books and statistical data relating to the three organizations as well as a set of periodicals specialized in the fields of education, science, culture and communication and also documentary films and compact discs (CD). It houses as well documents related to the sessions of the General Conference and the Executive Council of the three organizations.
The information in the library is available to researchers on the internet.
The access to its services is free of charge to researchers, academics and students.

Activities

One of the main activities of the National Commission is to organize seminars, conferences and training sessions tackling matters in the field of education, sciences and culture. It holds as well ceremonies to celebrate events pertaining to its fields of activity and participates in book fairs that are held periodically in Lebanon.

In order to carry out its activities, the Commission cooperates with:

• The UNESCO Associated Schools Network: A set of public and private Lebanese schools, grouped in a national network that works under the principles of the UNESCO, including particularly global understanding, peace education, heritage preservation and the protection of the environment. These schools undertake educational, cultural and technical activities in cooperation with the Commission and under its aegis.
• The UNESCO Clubs: Bringing together people of all ages and from various categories, they act, within as well as outside the schools and universities, to organize social and cultural activities in accordance with the principles and ideals of the UNESCO. The Commission coordinates the activities of the UNESCO clubs at national level.
• The UNESCO Chairs: Aim to strengthen international cooperation between higher education institutions through twinning and other forms of scientific and cultural exchanges in order to develop academic unity in the world in general and in particular in developing countries. At the Lebanese University, the UNESCO Chairs are active in the fields of documentation and education, while the UNESCO-Cousteau Chair at the University of Balamand is active in the field of ecology.