UNESCO considers education, science, social science, culture and communication as the foundation to achieve the objectives of its founding charter: “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.”

UNESCO Dhaka was established in January 1996 as a national field office to Bangladesh in the South Asia Cluster. As a specialized agency of the UN system, UNESCO contributes to the building of peace, the alleviation of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through its mandates in education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.

UNESCO Dhaka works closely with the Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO line ministries and many government offices, as well as academic institutions, development partners and NGOs. Within the UNESCO family, UNESCO Dhaka has collaborated with Headquarters, the Regional Bureau in Bangkok and other field offices, as well as institutions such as the UNESCO Institute of Lifelong Learning and the UNESCO Institute of Statistics.

The broad goals and concrete objectives of the international community – as set out in the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – outline all UNESCO’s strategies and activities. Hence, UNESCO’s unique competencies in education, the sciences, culture and communication and information contribute towards the realization of those goals.

UNESCO’s mission is to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.
The Organization focuses on a number of overarching objectives:

•    Attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning
•    Mobilizing science knowledge and policy for sustainable development
•    Addressing emerging social and ethical challenges
•    Fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace
•    Building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication