 COOPERATION WITH UNITED NATIONS
 EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND
 CULTURAL ORGANISATION

SECTION I

INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR COOPERATION WITH UNESCO

The Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco undertook diverse activities during 1964-65 in fulfilment of the functions assigned to it, namely to promote among the people of India an understanding of the aims and objectives of Unesco, to serve as a liaison agency between Unesco, and the institutions working in the fields of education, science and culture and to advise the Government of India on matters relating to Unesco. Some of the activities deserving mention are outlined below :

A.PROMOTION OF AIMS AND OBJECTS OF UNESCO

2. The Commission's work-plans for this assignment centred round activities like : dissemination of Unesco's publications and materials; popularising Unesco and implementation of Unesco programmes.

3. Dissemination of Unesco Publications and Materials

3.1. Unesco Publications.-The Indian National Commission, received and distributed a variety of Unesco publications-documents, books, reports on various aspects of education, science and culture and other periodicals viz., Arid Zone Newsletter, Education Abstracts, Educational Studies and Documents, International Journal of Adult and Youth Education, Museum, Orient-Occident, Unesco, Bulletin for Libraries, Unesco Chronicle and Unesco Features. In addition to these, photo, sets on different themes and other information materials about Unesco, were also widely distributed. The Commission continued to function as a sub-agency for the sale of Unesco publications in India, bringing in the sale proceeds during 1964-65 to over Rs. 20,000. Unesco's significant publications, in particular, the Unesco Courier, were publicised among the various State Governments, educational institutions, libraries and concerned organizations through the columns of the Commission's publications and ad-hoc circulars.

3.2. Publications of the Commission.-The Commission continued to bring out with Unesco's financial assistance, the Newsletter and the World In the Classroom. The Newsletter gives information about various activities of Unesco and the Commission and other national and international non-governmental organizations engaged in activities in the fields of education, science and culture. The World in the Classroom is. intended to service the Commission's expanded programme of the Associated Schools Project on Education for International Understanding. The Commission also brought out a Bibliography on Education for International Understanding. In addition, the brochure on the Indian, National Commission, its functions and organization is currently being translated into ten Indian languages.

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3.3. Translation of Unesco Publications.-The Commission continued its participation in Unesco's Mass Communication Programme under which assistance is provided to the member States for translation and publication of Unesco's research studies and other publications. Hindi version of `The Teaching of Arithmetic in Tropical Primary Schools', `The Teaching of Science in Tropical Primary Schools', `The Teaching of General Science in Tropical Secondary Schools' and `Asia, Arab States and Africa-Education in Progress', have been taken up for publication and are expected to be released shortly. Tamil version of `The Teaching of Reading and Writing' is also expected shortly.

3.4. Library.-The Commission's Library which has 33,300 books and documents and receives over 600 periodicals and official documents, is expected to be developed as a depository library for all Unesco publi- cations. The Library will also serve as a reference library for research students.

4. Popularising Unesco and Spreading the Work of the Commission

4.1. Exhibitions.-At the Sixth Conference of the National Com- mission in March 1964, the Commission arranged an exhibition of Unesco publications and visual materials on Human Rights, UN, Africa, World Health, The Rights of the Child etc. and publications on the life and culture of various countries. The Commission also arranged two Exhibitions in New Delhi, one at the Inter-University Youth Festival in November, 1964 and the other at the National Seminar on Education for the International Understanding in December, 1964.

4.2. Establishment of Unesco Centres.-Two Centres, one at the Akademy of General Education, Manipal (South India) and the other at the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Calcutta were set up. The Unesco Information Centre at the Asiatic Society, Bombay and the Unesco Centre at the Panjab University, Chandigarh, established last year continued to function. Centres are expected to adopt programmes for lectures, seminars, exhibitions etc. in support of the programmes of Unesco. From the assistance of Rs. 4,762 received from Unesco, the Commission is supplying Unesco, materials and World Art Albums to these Centres. Grants-in-aid of Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 850 were sanctioned to the Unesco Centre at Chandigarh for the organization of Seminar from November 23-25, 1964 on the Role of Teacher-Training Colleges in promoting Education for International Understanding and Mutual Cultural Appreciation and for publishing 1,000 copies of the paper, "Spirituality in the West" in a book form. The Unesco Centre at the Asiatic Society, Bombay has plans for setting up of a permanent exhi- bition of materials depicting the achievements and programme of work of Unesco. In addition, the Commission has enlisted the support of 21 Information Centres run and subsidised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which have agreed to display and maintain the publi- cations of Unesco and of the Indian National Commission that are being supplied to them on a regular basis.

5. Implementation of Unesco's Programme.-Towards the imple- mentation of Unesco's Programme in India, mention may be made of activities in the following projects:

5.1. East-West Major Project:

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5.1.1. The National Advisory Committee on Major Project "Mutual Appreciation of Eastern and Western Cultural Values".-In order to make it more effective, the National Advisory Committee on Unesco's Major Project on Mutual Appreciation of Eastern and Western Cultural Values was re-constituted with 23 members. A meeting of the reconstituted Committee was held on 20th March, 1964. The Committee was of the view that Unesco's Major Project should be continued even after 1966 when it is scheduled to come to a close and that it should continue to develop with changes in the programme to meet the new needs of the present-dayworld. It also recommended that Unesco should consider sponsoring an international meeting of eminent thinkers of the East and the West for an overall appraisal of the major projects. This recommendation which was placed before Unesco by the Indian Delegation to the Thirteen General Conference held in Paris in October November 1964, has been accepted. An international round-table dis- cussion for the purpose will be held in 1966 in India. The other recommendations made by the Committee pertained to the promotion of Latin American studies in India, production of reading and visual materials on Indian life and culture primarily for use in schools in foreign countries, encouragement to living artists by displaying their art works in public buildings, revision of text-books of history used in other countries for promoting better understanding.

5.1.2. Research Projects By the Council for Regional Cultural Studies.-The Research Council for the Regional Cultural Studies established at the India International Centre in New Delhi as one of the four Associated Institutions of Unesco for the study and presentation of cultures continued the three research projects which it had taken up in 1963, viz., (i) A Study of Opinion regarding Work, (ii) Image and International Understanding and (iii) The Tradition of Non-violence in East and West. The Research Council is also compiling a Directory of Cultural Institutions of Eastern countries with financial assistance from Unesco.

5.2. Programme for Education in International Understanding :

5.2. 1. Under a special programme undertaken by the Commission in support of the Unesco Associated Schools Project for Education in International Understanding and Cooperation, 405 schools and teacher training institutions were selected to participate in this programme. The programme aims at stimulating activities in education for international understanding centred round three main themes : learning about other agencies, teaching about United Nations and its specialised agencies; teaching about other countries; and inspiring respect for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. During the period under review the Commission continued to organize workshops for teachers of participating institutions in different States. In 1964 two such workshops were held and Ahmedabad from 20-23 February and Pondicherry from 21-24 October. The main deliberations that took place at the various workshops so far arranged and some of the experimental projects developed by the participants have been compiled and published by the Commission as a Report on Teachers Workshops on Education in International Understanding. In the implementation of this programme the Commission continued the publication of its bulletin entitled "The World in the Classroom".

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5.2.2. In order to review the progress made in the two years since inception of this programme and to consider its future development, the Commission in collaboration with Unesco, organized a National Seminar on Education for International Understanding from 14- 19 December, 1964 at the India International Centre, New Delhi. Sixtynine delegates attended the Seminar. Unesco was represented by Mr. D. V. Irvine, Chief, Section of Education for International Understanding. The publications brought out for the Seminar included the Report on Teachers Workshops and a Bibliography on Education for, International Understanding. One of the major recommendations of the Seminar was that the programme of education for international understanding should be made an integral part of the educational system at the higher secondary stage. The Seminar also recommended that the programme should be extended to the elementary stage of school education on a pilot-project basis. The Seminar suggested a number of activities for the celebration of the International Cooperation Year in 1965 and the 20th Anniversary of Unesco in 1966.

5.2.3. Study Kit an India for Use in Schools Abroad.-A study kit on India comprising photographs, posters, brochures, publications, stamps, films and filmstrips and models of sculptural and architectural master-pieces was compiled and sent to Paris in December 1963 for exhibition on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Associated Schools Project for Education in International Understanding. This was in fulfilment of a contract concluded by the Commission with Unesco, as part of Unesco's programme of assistance to member-States for the preparation of materials about their present-day life and culture for use in other countries. The Sixth Conference of the National Commission resolved that the kit should be duplicated in large numbers.

5.2.4. Celebration of UN Day.-A special appeal was made to educational institutions throughout the country to celebrate the UN Day on 24th October, 1964. in consultation and cooperation with the UN Information Centre, New Delhi pamphlets and visual materials on the United Nations and the specialised agencies were widely distributed. A grant of Rs. 7,420 was sanctioned to the Indian Federation of United Nations Association, New Delhi to bring out a special issue of their journal IFUNA NEWSLETTER on the UN Day. A grant of approximately Rs. 2,500 was also sanctioned to the UN Day Committee for celebration of United Nations Day.

5.2.5. Participation in World Freedom From Hunger Campaign Week.-A special appeal was made to approximately 400 institutions participating in the Commission's programme of education for interna- tional understanding to celebrate the World Freedom From Hunger Week during October 25-31, 1964. Pamphlets and other materials procured from the Food and Agricultural Organization were forwarded to these institutions. On the occasion, a special issue of "The World in the Classroom" was also published and distributed.

5.3. The Unesco Reading Materials Project.-This project aims at promoting and aiding in the development of reading materials in. the, countries of the South Asia region for all levels of readers. The countries covered by the Project are : Afghanistan, Ceylon, India, Iran Nepal, Pakistan and Thailand. The Commission collaborated with Unesco in the implementation of the project in India through the following activities.

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5.3.1. National Book Exhibition and Seminar.-The National Book Trust of India entered into a contract with Unesco, through the Com- mission for the organization of a National Book Exhibition and Seminar. This exhibition held at New Delhi from November 26 to December 2, 1964, displayed about 15,000 books in various Indian languages and English. Charts showing the origin and development of various Indian scripts and write-ups introducing the exhibition were also on display. During the exhibition week, a seminar and a convention of the agencies connected with the production, distribution and promotion of books in India was also held at New Delhi. Unesco gave financial assistance of Rs. 19,000 to-wards these activities.

5.3.2. National Training Course on Techniques and Methods of Cover-Design and Book Illustration.-A contract was concluded with Unesco for the conduct of a National Training Course on Techniques and Methods of Cover-Design and Book Illustration. The Course attended by 30 artists was organized by the Southern Language Book Trust, at Madras from October 20-31, 1964. The programme included demonstration by well-known artists in book illustration, practical tests, discussion with publishers and writers and visits to printing presses. Unesco gave financial assistance of $ 2,000 towards this activity.

5.3.3. Unesco Regional Seminar on Literature for Children and Juveniles.-India participated in the 5th Regional Seminar on Literature for Children held at Teheran from April 11-25, 1964 under the auspices of Unesco. The Seminar was attended by 30 specialists from Afghanistan, Ceylon, India, Iran, Pakistan, Nepal and Thailand, including a 3-member Indian delegation. The Seminar recognised the importance of the role of teachers in helping children to read the best literature available. The Seminar developed a model course to be recommended to all teacher training institutions in different countries.

5.3.4. Visits of Persons Under The Reading Materials Project.- The Commission facilitated the visit of the following persons, who visited India for a period ranging from 10 days to 3 months, on Unesco fellowships under the Project : (i) Mr. W.D.E. Bastian, a publisher of Ceylon, for studying new methods of book production and book distribution, (ii) Mr. S. N. Adhikari of Nepal, for study of bibliographical techniques, (iii) Mr. N. M. Basnyat, Adult Education Material Writer, Kathmandu, Nepal, Mr. A. G. Ahmady, Adviser to Ministry of Education, Kabul and Mr. F. M. Montazir, Director of Primary School Programmes, Kabul, Afghanistan, for studying preparation, production and distribution of educational materials and books; (iv) Mr. Husain Bani-Adami of Iran and Miss Orrawan Tangvibulpanya and Miss Suwana Aswa-Ampywong of Thailand, for training in bibliography. The Commission also arranged the programmes of the following experts and officials of Unesco who visited India under this project : (i) Mr. Antony Kamm, Technical Director of the Regional Seminar on Children's Literature held in Teheran for studying problems of literature for children and juveniles, (ii) Mrs. J. K. Sibunraung, Programme Specialist, Production of Reading Materials Section of Unesco, for studying the reading materials projects in Delhi, (iii) Mr. Will Zachau, Book Promotion Expert of the Regional Centre for Reading Materials in South Asia for acquainting himself with book promotion and distribution problems in India.

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5.4. Unesco's Exchange of Persons Programme.-The Commission provided the necessary facilities and contacts to a number of persons visiting India under Unesco's exchange of persons programme in different fields, to enable them to fulfil their specific assignments. The Commission also arranged for the study tours abroad of quite a few Indian nationals. Great importance is attached to these exchanges as they provide opportunities for visitors, who are in many cases leaders in their respective fields, to obtain accurate information about the life. and the advances made in their respective fields in the country of their visits.

5.4.1. The Commission received a number of visitors and/or arranged for the study tour abroad of Indian nationals under the following Unesco schemes

I. HUMAN RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME

Mr. Kahruddin Yunus, Research Scholar from Indonesia.

II. MAJOR PROJECT ON MUTUAL APPRECIATION OF EASTERN & WESTERN CULTURAL VALUES

(i) Regional Cultural Study Grants.-(1) Prof. Fernando Tola Mendoza, Professor of Classical and Oriental Literature at the University of San Marcos, Lima, Peru; (2) Miss Grace Elizabeth Gardner, Professor of Education, Springfield, Missouri, U.S.A.; (3) Mr. Adriano Gallia, Teacher of History, Licco Classico, Monza, Italy; (4) Mr. Henri Lenaerts, Sculptor from Belgium; (5) Miss Mesa Ceballos, Head of the Art Department, Library of Cuba; (6) Mr. Gilles Lefevre, Director-General of Musical Youth. Canada; (7) Mr. Thomas Rossner Kamke, Professor of Theatrical Costume Design, University of Chile; and Shri D. K. Sinha, Junior Keeper of Museum, Eastern Zone, Archaeological Survey of India, Sarnath.

(ii) Travel Grants for Leaders of Teachers' Organisations.- (1) Dr. Hans Bruneder, Vice- President of the International Federation of Modern Language Teachers and Director of the Austrian Bureau of the International Federation of Scholastic Exchanges and Correspondence, Austria; (2) Professor A. Hacquaert, Hony. Secretary- General, International Association of University Professors and Lecturers, Belgium.

(iii) Study and Travel Grants for Teachers and School Educational Leaders.-Shri D. D. Tewari, Principal, Central Pedagogical & Research Institute, Allahabad.