UNESCO

Specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1946, to promote international cooperation in education, science, and culture, with its headquarters in Paris.

The USA, contributor of 25% of UNESCO's budget, withdrew in 1984 on grounds of its ‘overpoliticization and mismanagement’. In February 1995 the US State Department recommended that it should rejoin not later than 1997. The UK withdrew from UNESCO in 1985 under the Thatcher government, claiming that it had become ‘too democratic’ to function efficiently, and rejoined in 1997.

UNESCO administers the World Heritage List. In 1999, the list held 582 sites most notable in terms of their natural and cultural heritage, in 114 countries.

Koichiro Matsuura, Japan's ambassador to France, was chosen in October 1999, at the third ballot, to be the next director-general of UNESCO.