UNESCO saves US $60 million (for the arts) — Trick or Treat

November 1, 2011

Have you heard? On October 31, 2011, a day better known as Halloween, UNESCO or United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, announced its plans to admit Palestine as a member state. The vote that took place in favor of admitting Palestine triggering the US law barring funding to this UN body. As reported, “The UNESCO action triggered U.S. laws from the early 1990s that bar Washington from giving money to any U.N. body that grants state status to the Palestinian territories.”  While some U.S. officials warned that “American interests could be damaged if Washington is forced by similar future votes to cut off funding for other international agencies essential to U.S. business and security interests” one could not help but think that the money not spent may put to good use domestically. UNESCO’s loss of 22% of its funding may rejuvenate the starving national arts budgets. 

Source: LA times.