Trump Withdraws U.S. From UNESCO

On October 12th, the Trump White House announced the U.S. would withdraw from UNESCO, the United Nations cultural organization.  Due to the sheer volume of terrible things Trump's people are doing every day, this action didn't even make it through the day before moving out of the news cycle.  So let's briefly address what UNESCO is and then why withdrawal by the U.S. is noteworthy.

UNESCO works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. It is through this dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO’S mission and activities.... 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.

An organization filled with people seeking to improve our world and our future.  The mission detailed above is a noble and difficult one making it unsurprising the organization has run into issues over time angering different countries at various times.  Withdrawal of the most powerful nation in the world, however, was not expected.

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it would withdraw from Unesco, the United Nations cultural organization.... Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization popularly known for its designation of World Heritage sites, is a global development agency with missions that include promoting sex education, literacy, clean water and equality for women. 

Irina Bokova, Unesco’s director general, argued that Unesco is “so relevant to the political agenda of the American government it’s incredible,” citing its work on trying to prevent violent extremism through educational and cultural programs in the developing world. Unesco’s largest literacy program is in Afghanistan, she said, and Unesco is also working in Libya and Iraq to train teachers and preserve cultural heritage in liberated areas. It has always worked against anti-Semitism and to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, Ms. Bokova said.

Withdrawing from the organization is a significant escalation by the United States in its criticism of United Nations bodies.  “This is another example of the Trump’s administration’s profound ambivalence and concern about the way the U.N. is structured and behaves,” said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator and adviser in Republican and Democratic administrations.

Cultural organizations in the United States criticized the decision, saying Unesco played a key role in preserving vital cultural heritage worldwide.  “Although Unesco may be an imperfect organization, it has been an important leader and steadfast partner in this crucial work,” said Daniel H. Weiss, the president and chief executive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/12/us/politics/trump-unesco-withdrawal.html

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/introducing-unesco/