Since the 1960s, UNESCO has paid particular attention to its (then only six) Member States of South Eastern Europe and encouraged them to engage in scientific and cultural cooperation. In that context, UNESCO actively supported the establishment of the International Association of South East European Studies (AIESEE) in 1963 and has since then maintained healthy relations with the Bucharest-based NGO. During the second half of the 1970s and throughout the 1980s, UNESCO’s cooperation with the South East European countries was largely guided by the principles of the Helsinki Process. The establishment by UNESCO of the European Centre for Higher Education (CEPES) in Bucharest in 1972 allowed the development of projects and professional contacts with all countries of the region. Throughout the Cold War, the National Commissions for UNESCO of these six Member States held periodic meetings, which provided a useful forum and indeed constituted both a formal and informal network of consultation and cooperation.

Following the changes of 1989 and the ensuing disintegration of Yugoslavia, UNESCO was requested to give priority to emergency assistance and to the rehabilitation of educational institutions and cultural sites in the Member States concerned, which had increased to eleven. In order to meet the urgent needs of the nine former Socialist Republics, the volume of activities and funds increased considerably within a short time, which was largely due to the active involvement of UNESCO’s unique network of National Commissions. Some of these Commissions organized fund-raising and solidarity campaigns. The largest contribution, amounting to some six million US dollars (1992 – 2001), was made by the German Commission for UNESCO (DUK), which also proved to be an active partner in the implementation of various priority projects in the region. In order to increase support, UNESCO opened offices in Zagreb (closed in 1998) and in Sarajevo.

Some highlights of the most relevant programmes and projects implemented in South East Europe in UNESCO’s fields of competence:

UNESCO regularly participates in coordination exercises, conferences and meetings on subjects concerning its fields of competence: the annual UN Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Southeastern Europe, the ministerial conferences organized by the Council of Europe, relevant meetings organized within the Stability Pact (in particular those of the Enhanced Graz Process), the High-Level Conference on South Eastern Europe (Tokyo, 15-16 May 2000) and the “Seminar on Education and Protection of Cultural Heritage in South Eastern Europe”, organized by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Tokyo, 22-23 March 2001).