27
9 years ago today, the United States withdrew from UNESCO. It stopped paying its dues six years earlier, due to a US law prohibiting funding any organization which accepts Palestine as a full member. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 4 weeks ago by to c/anniversaries@sopuli.xyz
2 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO#Israel,_Palestine,_and_the_United_States

October 12, 2017 press statement from the US State Department: https://web.archive.org/web/20190408053146/https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2017/10/274748.htm

October 31, 2011 reporting about the US suspending payment of its dues after Palestine was admitted as a member: https://web.archive.org/web/20200226162636/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-unesco-usa-funding/u-s-stops-unesco-funding-over-palestinian-vote-idUSTRE79U5ED20111031

all 2 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 4 points 4 weeks ago

The US is still in UNESCO now since rejoining in July 2023, but plans to officially withdraw again as of December '26. Nerds.

"Also in 2023, the United States stated its intent to rejoin UNESCO, five years after leaving, and to pay its US$600 million of back dues.[65] The United States was readmitted by the UNESCO General Conference that July.[66] Three years later, in 2025, however, the United States stated its intent to withdraw again, to be effective as of December 2026.[67]"

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    [–] 2 points 4 weeks ago

    It’s not as if the US has any culture to protect

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    1 comment in c/anniversaries@reddthat.com view that post
    [–] 5 points 4 weeks ago

    A few other points about this, the U.S. is currently a UNESCO member. https://www.unesco.org/en/countries/us

    The pertinent law was passed in 1994, and it's not just directed at Palestine (but there's speculation that was the major intent of the law). https://www.congress.gov/103/statute/STATUTE-108/STATUTE-108-Pg382.pdf SEC 410. LIMITATION ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED NATIONS AND AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS. The United States shall not make any voluntary or assessed contribution— (1) to any affiliated organization of the United Nations which grants full membership as a state to any organization or group that does not have the internationally recognize attributes of statehood, or (2) to the United Nations, if the United Nations grants full membership as a state in the United Nations to any organization or group that does not have the internationally recognized attributes of statehood during any period in which such membership is effective.

    The law was passed in April of 1994. Democrats controlled Congress, and the presidency at the time the law was passed (this isn't meant to mean Republicans didn't support it, just pointing out which party was in power). https://history.house.gov/Congressional-Overview/Profiles/103rd/ https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm https://history.house.gov/Institution/Presidents-Coinciding/Presidents-Coinciding/

    In a July 2026 poll, support for Palestine is increasing. https://apnorc.org/projects/democrats-are-increasingly-supportive-of-the-palestinians-while-support-for-israel-declines/

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •