Funferal

US rejoins UNESCO

From Interworld Radio:

The United States has rejoined the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation after nearly 20 years away. Although the return will bring a welcome injection of money, members are worried that it will cause problems for a proposed convention on cultural diversity. The convention is designed to protect national cultural items such as films and music against international free trade rules. But it is feared the US will not accept restrictions on its entertainment industry.

Some background: the US and UK left UNESCO as a result of controversy surrounding the New World Information and Communications Order in the early 1980s. The NWICO was a key concept in the report of the McBride Commission, which identified major problems in the structure of communications internationally/international communications. The US and UK resisted the reforms suggested.