In 1948, the first issue of the UNESCO Courier saw the light. For seven decades it has promoted the ideals of the Organization and spread the news about its activities among the general audience.
Since its establishment, UNESCO started to publish its official informational bulletin, and in 1948, a decision to start a magazine was taken. It was first published in three languages, English, Spanish and French. 40 years later, UNESCO Courier was available in 35 languages, including Russian (since 1957). The circulation grew accordingly, from 40 thousand copies in 1949 to 500 thousand in 1980s. Its design was changing as well, and since 1954 the magazine features colored illustration.
Today, UNESCO Courier has limited circulation in six official languages of the Organization: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese, as well as Portuguese, Esperanto, and Sardinian. In 2006 its online version was launched.
American journalist Sandy Koffler, the founder of the magazine, used to say that UNESCO Courier was the “window on the world” through which the readers could “open new horizons”. The contributors of the magazine include most prominent people of various eras, while the materials cover a wide range of topics. UNESCO Courier still continues to inform its readers of the contribution of science and education to the improvement of people’s lives, of art and history, and still raises questions concerning intercultural dialogue.
For 70 years UNESCO Courier has been a unique publishing project with a mission to provide the humankind with moral benchmarks and show the way for building a better future.
Source: unesco.org