By celebrating World Philosophy Day each year, on the third Thursday of November, UNESCO underlines the value of the development of human thought. By awakening minds to the exercise of thinking and the reasoned confrontation of opinions, philosophy helps to build a more tolerant, more respectful society. It thus helps to understand major contemporary challenges and to stimulate intercultural dialogue by creating the intellectual conditions for change. This year’s celebration titled “The Human of the Future” will take place in UNESCO, Paris, on 16-18 November and will be LIVE webcasted!

Tolerance is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe. On this International Day for Tolerance (16 November), the United Nations strengthens its commitment to strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples. 

50 UNESCO World Heritage sites are home to glaciers, representing almost 10% of the Earth’s total glacierized area. They include the highest (next to Mt. Everest), the longest (in Alaska), and the last remaining glaciers in Africa. New UNESCO data highlight the accelerated melting of glaciers in World Heritage sites, with glaciers in a third of sites set to disappear by 2050. But it is still possible to save the other two thirds, if the rise in global temperatures does not exceed 1.5°C compared to the pre-industrial period. This is a major challenge for COP27.

Known for her combativeness, generosity and commitment to equality, Rossy de Palma will contribute to disseminating and promoting UNESCO’s values and actions in favour of cultural diversity.

Audiovisual archives tell us stories about people’s lives and cultures. They represent a priceless heritage of our collective memory and a valuable source of knowledge. The 2022 World Day for Audiovisual Heritage will be celebrated in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the Memory of the World Programme. On this Day, let us remember that the world's documentary heritage belongs to all, should be fully preserved, and protected for all. Visit the UN Historical archives playlist, made up of a selection of videos digitized to make our history available to a worldwide community of users.

UNESCO and Google have begun distributing 50,000 computers to Ukrainian teachers to help them deliver distance learning. Training in digital tools will also be provided to them.

On the International Day of the Girl, a project promoting girls’ education in low-income communities in Cambodia, and a Tanzanian mentoring initiative helping girls at risk of dropout through crucial school transitions have both been awarded this year’s UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women's Education. The two laureates, selected by the international jury of the UNESCO Prize are “Room to Read Cambodia’s Girls’ Education Programme” and the “Girls' Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative” (GLAMI) from Tanzania. Each laureate will receive an endowment of US$ 50,000 to advance its work.

Around the world, artists face daily challenges when creating and sharing their work. Often, the fundamental human right to freedom of expression is threatened. UNESCO’s 2022 Global Report, Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity – Addressing culture as a global public good, draws on global data and recommendations to help better protect artists worldwide. Video credits and details available here.

In shaping the future, and in the transformation of education, teachers and educators play a central role. As seen during the pandemic, most teachers had to re-organize and adapt teaching and learning processes, but also provided socioemotional and psychological support to students and their families. In 2022, World Teachers Day highlights the support teachers need to deploy their talent and vocation, and to rethink the way ahead for the profession. UNESCO celebrates teachers through a three-day event that will include the awarding ceremony of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development.

Steven Kolber shares his knowledge with teachers around the world to help transform classrooms into interactive, inclusive learning environments.

Trusted news sources have seen a surge in demand during the COVID-19 crisis. But in many ways, they face many challenges and an uncertain future. Quality journalism costs money to produce and the financial impact of COVID-19 has led to what some have called an “extinction” of countless jobs in journalism, even leading to the closure of whole titles around the world.

Independent journalism—the kind that favours public interest over political or commercial agendas—relies on media viability. Without it, media pluralism and independence are at risk and trusted news becomes extinct. Discover why media viability matters to all of us. Learn more about how UNESCO is coordinating a global effort to ensure that information remains a public good.

At least 771 million young people and adults still lack basic literacy skills today. This year’s International Literacy Day will be celebrated worldwide under the theme “Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces” and will be an opportunity to rethink the fundamental importance of literacy learning spaces to build resilience and ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education for all.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, nearly 24 million learners might never return to formal education, out of which, 11 million are projected to be girls and young women. We need to enrich and transform the existing learning spaces through an integrated approach and enable literacy learning as lifelong learning. This year’s International Literacy Day is an opportunity to rethink the importance of literacy learning spaces. How to build resilience and ensure quality, equitable, and inclusive education for all, will be discussed at the two-day hybrid event on 8- 9 September 2022.

The Jury of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny-UNESCO Peace Prize awarded the 2022 Prize to Ms Angela Merkel, former Federal Chancellor of Germany, in recognition of her efforts to welcome refugees.

In 2022, the World Heritage Convention marks its 50th anniversary. The 1,154 natural and cultural heritage sites in over 160 countries are the testament to the universal appreciation and achievement of this groundbreaking legal framework. UNESCO has launched a year-long programme to galvanize profound reflections on the future of heritage titled “The Next 50: World Heritage as a source of resilience, humanity and innovation.” The Next 50 culminates in Florence, Italy, with a major conference in November in tribute to the adoption of the Convention on 16 November 1972.