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2. THE PROGRAMME OF UNESCO
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8. Introduction 442 sef due in the pages which follow the programme. of UNESCO is to be regarded as an enumeration of activities which the majority of its Member States considered to be suitable, and at the same time the most desirable, for international/purposes in the fields of education, action science and culture. They are moreover projects deemed to be within the limited financial resources of the Organisation or to be fit objects of national expenditure by Member States.
9. The fact that they were adopted in their present form by majority decision of the General Conference invests them with some considerable measure of authority which every Member State should respect, whether or not it found itself in a minority on any particular resolution. As far as possible therefore, Member States will be expected to aid the Secretariat and to invite the co-operation of their National Commissions in implementing the Programme.
10. The Conference at Beirut was the third opportunity Member States have had to consider and to define the Programme of the Organisation.. In the opinion of the United Kingdom Delegation it is now much improved. Nevertheless the novelty of the task before UNESCO and the short time it has had to consider it, inevitably make the Programme a working document subject to revision in the light of further experience. For were glad that the Conference adopted a recommendation that the Execu- tive Board should ensure that a careful study be made of these resolutions. to ensure greater clarity and conciseness in the Programme presented to the Fourth General Conference."
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11. The Programme Commission did not attempt to consider every item in. the Programme. It deliberately restricted itself to certain selected items. which it felt to be of special importance or which had reached a stage requiring the direction of the General Conference. In addition, of course,. it had to consider many new proposals, but there remained the difficulty that large sections of the Programme were not subject to close examination. It. was felt that these activities were for the most part of a continuing nature. which must remain in the Programme but did not need examination.
12. Furthermore we would point out that the Conference took an excep- tionally important decision in deciding that the Programme of Unesco could never be related to or be carried out within the space of any one year. It now stands, therefore, as a continuing programme for several years to come, within which each General Conference will single out year by year the objec- tives to which it wishes to give priority and funds.
13. The arrangement of the Programme differs from that of earlier years.. Largely on the advice of the United Kingdom Delegation, a more logical order of chapters has been introduced. First there is Reconstruction, which will always remain first so long as the extraordinary effects of war-devastation remain. There follow then, in the order in which the title of UNESCO itself. carries them, chapters on Education (including Fundamental Education), Natural Sciences and Social Sciences, Philosophical and Humanistic Studies and Cultural Activities (the latter including Arts, Letters, Museums, and Libraries) and finally the chapter which deals with the problems and media. common to all other activities of UNESCO, that on Communications (includ- ing Film, Radio and Press, and the Exchange of Persons).
14. The following paragraphs give short accounts of the major decisions. taken by the Conference under each chapter of the Programme.
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