The second consultative meeting of second type UNESCO centers was held

The second consultative meeting of UNESCO type II centers, with the aim of growth and synergy between the heads and representatives of the centers, was hosted by the International Center for Aqueducts and Historical Water Structures in Yazd city.

According to the public relations report of the National Research Institute of Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences, in this meeting, which was held with the presence of heads and representatives of second-type centers and with the presence of Dr. Fartusi, Secretary General of the UNESCO National Commission in Iran, Dr. Strong, director of the UNESCO office in Tehran, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Morteza Tawakli, the head of the research center and also the head of the West Asia-Type II UNESCO Regional Research Training Center for Oceanography, presented a report on the activities of this center.

In the following, the heads of the centers, after presenting the report of the activities, presented their views and discussed and exchanged opinions about joint cooperation.

There are eight UNESCO type II regional centers operating in Iran, of which the National Research Institute of Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences is the host of the West Asia Oceanography Research Training Center - UNESCO Type II.

Type II UNESCO centers in Iran include two international centers and six regional centers that receive their spiritual accreditation from UNESCO, but operate under the support of the Iranian government. Centers and institutions covered by UNESCO are established through an agreement between UNESCO and their host country. Through training and capacity building, information exchange, applied and theoretical research, these centers respond to one of the basic needs of the country for the promotion and advancement of knowledge and technology.

The establishment of the second type of UNESCO Regional Educational and Research Center for Oceanography for West Asia was proposed and approved by the UNESCO Executive Council at the 192nd meeting of the UNESCO Executive Council, and then at the UNESCO General Meeting, its creation was approved by a majority of votes, and the agreement was signed between the then Minister of Science, Research and Technology of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Director General of UNESCO in 2013.

The establishment of this center, with extensive international consultation, was aimed at promoting the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the focal point of oceanic research in the West Asian region and expanding regional cooperation through the expansion of scientific interactions and the promotion of marine-oceanic sciences and techniques in the country and the region.  Among the characteristics of the West Asia Regional Center for Oceanography is the activity in the direction of protecting the health of marine ecosystems, guiding trends and policies for the sustainable management of coastal and oceanic environments and resources, reducing the effects of climate change and climate variability and adapting to them, as well as preventing and reducing the effects of natural disasters.