UNESCO’s Executive Board has approved the designation of eight new UNESCO Global Geoparks, which brings the number of sites participating in the Global Geoparks Network to 169 in 44 countries. UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development. The newly designated UNESCO Global Geoparks are in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy and Poland.

UNESCO’s Futures of Education initiative aims to reimagine how knowledge and learning can shape the future of humanity and the planet.

UNESCO World Art Day (15 April) reinforces the links between art and society, encourages greater diversity of expression and highlights artist contributions to sustainable development.

Together with 6 youth representatives, Dr Jane Goodall, DBE is patron of the 50th Anniversary of the UNESCO-MAB programme. UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme was created in 1971 with a vision: promote a sustainable connection between people and nature.

Following UNESCO’s Forum on Biodiversity on 24 March, the Organization has called for the mobilization of governments, citizens and civil society, including the private sector, in favour of biodiversity through the a multi-partner fund currently being set up. The aim of the mobilization is to counter the ongoing collapse affecting all living species. The United Nations is expected to invite Member States to implement a protection target of 30% of land and marine areas by 2030, at the COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to be held next October in Kunming (China).

The United Nations World Water Development Report, published by UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water, shows that the inability to recognize the value of water is the main cause of water waste and misuse.

UNESCO marked the International Day of Mathematics, 14 March, under the theme “Mathematics for a Better World."  Celebrating the beauty and relevance of mathematics, the Day highlights the essential role played by this discipline in reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

UNESCO and Guerlain have launched a state-of-the-art female beekeeping entrepreneurship programme, “Women for Bees,” with activist Angelina Jolie, helping promote its twin objectives of women’s empowerment and biodiversity conservation.

The first UNESCO scientific assessment of its World Heritage marine sites’ blue carbon ecosystems highlights the critical environmental value of these habitats in fighting climate change.

Engineering has always had an essential role in development and human welfare. Engineering has helped to shape the world for millennia and now more than ever, the world needs engineering. Ensuring that future generations of engineers and scientists will be able to design solutions for local and global challenges is critical. UNESCO proclaimed 4 March World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development to raise awareness of the role of engineering in modern life, which is essential to mitigate the impact of climate change and advance sustainable development.

UNESCO and the L'Oréal Foundation honoured five women researchers in the fields of astrophysics, mathematics, chemistry and informatics as part of the 23rd International Prize for Women in Science.  UNESCO’s global study on gender equality in scientific research, shows that although the number of women in scientific research has risen to one in three, women remain a minority. Every year women write as many scientific articles as men, but their chances of appearing in prestigious journals are lower, as are their seats on national science academies around the world.

Despite a shortage of skills in technological fields that are driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, women still only account for 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of graduates in computer science and informatics, according to the forthcoming UNESCO Science Report whose chapter on gender in

Education for children and youth affected by conflicts

Education for children and youth affected by conflicts

This 13 February, join UNESCO and thousands of stations to celebrate World Radio Day. "NEW WORLD, NEW RADIO" is the theme of this 10th edition.