ABOUT US
The UNESCO CLUB OF FLORENCE
This blog is managed by the interns for the Centro per l'UNESCO di Firenze. UNESCO clubs and centers are NGOs authorized to use the name UNESCO under the supervision of National Commissions for UNESCO. The purpose of these local clubs and centers is to promote and spread the ideals of UNESCO to local communities. Referred to as the “UNESCO of peoples,” clubs and centers stand by UNESCO in their plans and projects.
There are different levels of UNESCO Clubs and Centers, starting with the World Federation. There are also regional and country specific federations. In Italy, UNESCO clubs and centers are governed by the Italian Federation of Clubs and Centres for UNESCO. The presidency of the Italian Federation is located in Catanzaro and is made up of a president, board of directors, where representatives from the National Commission for UNESCO and of Ministeries dealing with UNESCO matters are invited. Within Italy there are three centers, two of which are recognized by UNESCO and the other only recognized by the Italian Commission for UNESCO.
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Florence is one of the centers officially recognized by UNESCO. The center in Florence was established in 1971 and is one of only 10 centers in the world recognized by UNESCO. Additionally, it is a UNESCO Associated Library. It was legitimized by UNESCO in August of 2003.
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In Florence, the center works with other organizations that manage heritage and monuments to educate the public about and protect the Florence City Center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1982, and the Medici Villas, inscribed to the World Heritage List in 2015, many of which are in or near Florence. Some of the organizations the center works closely with are the Town of Florence Heritage Office, the UNESCO Chairs at the University of Florence, the Centro Associazioni Culturali Fiorentine, and ICOMOS Italy.
'Our goal is to bring people together for the cause of peace, and knowledge of each other through culture is key to achieving this. We at the Center for UNESCO in Florence strive to promote human rights and heritage by partnering with our fellow UNESCO affiliates in the Tuscany region.'
-President Gasparrini
One of the major undertakings of the Centro per l'UNESCO di Firenze is the promotion of sustainable tourism in Florence in cooperation with the town Heritage Office. The problems Florence faces are an increase in tourist numbers, an increase in air pollution, challenges from climate change, and a loss of residents in the city center. To help combat this, the center works together with the UNESCO Heritage Office in Florence on projects such as Firenze per Bene. This project, started with a grant in 2006, aims to help educate tourists on the proper treatment of the site by providing them with information on the center and sustainable tips. Currently the center is working with the World Heritage Center ICOMOS and the Town Council on projects to further remedy this situation. Already, the mission has been positive and has fought back against a new airport and a high speed train tunnel under the city, both of which would have been disastrous for the monuments in the city center.
Overall, the Centro per l'UNESCO di Firenze serves as a supporting office to the mission of UNESCO in Florence and other areas of Italy. While it is not a formal branch of the greater UNESCO organization, it is recognized by them, which gives them a legitimacy that helps the center perform its projects.
Vittorio Gasparrini
President of the Center For unesco in Florence