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On 15 April 2023 Mr David Wardrop MBE addressed a meeting of UNA Warwick District on the topic:

UNESCO – the UN’s most fascinating Agency

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organisation. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding and a more perfect knowledge of each other`s lives. Furthermore UNESCO`s programme contributes to the achievement of the UN`s Sustainable Development Goals as defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. UNESCO`s greatest contribution is the preservation of our cultural heritage.

David Wardrop has chaired the Westminster United Nations Association since 2001, having joined UN Association in 1974. In the 1990s, he led the national campaign to return the UK to membership of UNESCO. He has introduced annual events marking the UN’s work in international law and peacekeeping, and also secured the naming of United Nations Green facing Westminster Abbey and Central Hall Westminster, host to the UN’s inaugural meeting in 1946.

David has been responsible for establishment and organising the annual memorial ceremony at the Cenotaph for UN Peace-Keepers and a day conference held in partnership with UN Association Westminster and the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and UNA-UK. Westminster UN Association hosts the news service on the UN’s re-opened inquiry into the death in 1961 of the UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld. For over 50 years David has made many contributions to the UN and the UN Association.

He has been awarded the MBE for services to the United Nations and its institutions.