It is only fair to say that Italy\u2019s activity at UNESCO is in line with its widely recognized \u201cculture and beauty superpower\u201d role. Its prestige inside the Organization has been constantly on the rise ever since its accession during the General Conference of 1947 in Mexico City (the ratification document was presented on January 27, 1948), as proven by the election of an Italian Director-General (Vittorino Veronese) in 1958.<\/p>\n

Italy\u2019s leading role at UNESCO is due to its rich cultural, artistic and natural heritage of course, but not exclusively. Our top-notch \u201chuman capital\u201d is also much appreciated all over the world. Italian experts, artisans, engineers, scholars and scientists are called to intervene at the international level in order to train experts from other countries and provide technical support for drafting UNESCO dossiers, carrying out interventions in the field and implementing cultural heritage and cultural industries related programmes. One may namely cite Italy\u2019s art conservators, who intervene in niche sectors like underwater archeology; the Carabinieri of the Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (TPC), who are champions in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. But also, our leading researches in the fields of hydrology, oceanography and seismology, or in theoretical physics within the scientific pole of Trieste.<\/p>\n

History, tradition, creativity and innovation are the foundations of our national identity, which has allowed us to reach remarkable cultural diplomacy goals. Several initiatives led by the Italian Governement have, for example, earned our country a clear leadership in the framework of UNESCO\u2019s Unite4Heritage campaign for the safeguarding of cultural heritage against massive attacks and destructions, most notably with the provision to UNESCO of the Blue Helments for Culture Task Force*.<\/p>\n

Italy is one of the 58 members of UNESCO\u2019s governing body, the Executive Board<\/a>, which are elected by the General Conference every four years. Italy has been re-elected for an additional term in 2023.<\/p>\n

Italy\u2019s yearly contribution to UNESCO\u2019s regular budget is based upon a scale of assessment which is calculated at the United Nations upon national population and GDP. For the biennium 2024-2025, we are the fourth contributor to the Organization (around 81 million dollars, i.e., 6,5% of UNESCO’s budget) but the first for voluntary funds, with over 60 million dollars for the biennium.<\/p>\n

Our country holds the record of the highest number of sites inscribed on the World Heritage List (61), plus 20 inscriptions on UNESCO\u2019s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.<\/p>\n