Tuesday, November 1, 2011

UNESCO and Palestine

I write this while in a UNESCO World Heritage Sight.
Most don't even understand what UNESCO is or does and just assume the UN is all they need to know. UNESCO serves to preserve and protect the natural and cultural aspects of our world. You may live in Baltimore, but you benefit from UNESCO through education and preservation.
The recent decision to allow Palestine to join UNESCO is a huge step for peace and preservation of a people that are being forced out of their lands and homes due to a UN charter allowing Israel to encroach on their lands. This UN charter, to put it simply, was created as a form of retribution for the holocaust and the retribution is justly deserved but not at the expense of others.
Now the United States in it's ever growing defense of Israel has cut funding to UNESCO for the allowance of Palestine into UNESCO. What does this mean for you and your daily life? The US funds a fifth of the UNESCO budget, therefor this cut limits the enforcement of laws in such areas as the Galapagos where poaching and destruction of the natural surroundings are happening on an hourly basis. UNESCO does little to enforce the laws and regulations of the preserves here on Galapagos and now will have even less resources to do such.
Palestine should remain a member of UNESCO, the US should look deeper into it's ties with Israel and with it's commitment to protect our environment and cultures of the world. The work UNESCO does is of world importance and goes far beyond the politics of individual countries.

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