The UNESCO Associated Schools Network was created in Paris in 1953 to further the ideals of UNESCO by promoting education, science and culture in schools. Based on a master plan prepared by a number of schools belonging to fifteen countries, among those who are members of UNESCO, this Project aims to stimulate and sustain new generations in their commitment to peace and international cooperation.
The main purpose of the Project, also known under the initials ASPnet (Associated Schools Project), SEA (Système des Écoles Associées) and PEA (Programa de Escuelas Asociadas), is to train youth, who has a considerable leading role in the contemporary world, by offering knowledge and encouraging reflection about behaviour and values that can contribute changing a culture of war and violence into a culture of peace.
Currently, about 8.000 educational institutions in 177 countries (ranging from pre-school and primary to secondary schools and teacher training institutions) form the UNESCO Associated Schools Network.
According to the agreement, countries are free to organize the activities of their own schools, although they must respect a few common rules, which are:

• to create a project based on actual themes, of international worth;
• to fill out the board of participation in one of the languages that are officially recognized by UNESCO (French, English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese) and send it back to the national Coordination;
• to send the project, written in italian and in one of the other languages officially recognized by UNESCO, to the national Coordinator, who will, in turn, send it to the international Coordination at the beginning of every academic year;
• to send to the national Coordinator, until the30th of May, a report written in italian and one of the other UNESCO official languages stating the main steps, the achieved goals and the educational accomplishments.

The creation of the international network of UNESCO Associated Schools, an assignment that belongs to the National Commission of each country, brings several cultural opportunities to schools. It allows them to:

• exchange letters with other students coming from various continents, cultures and traditions;
• ask to  the international Coordinators any information or eventually training aid;
• have knowledge  of the activities of the other Associated Schools in the world;
• learn new ways of perceiving the world;
• create international projects and contests;
• have the perception to be active part in the world of tomorrow.

The Italian Associated Schools Project started in 1957, and currently presents a wide range of schools (from pre-school to higher grades).
Since 1990 the national Coordinator is Cecilia Preziuso who provides a connection, by working at the Italian National Commission for UNESCO, between the schools, several Government departments and official NGO who are related to the themes highlighted by the individual projects, and the international coordination based in Paris.
According to a circular issued by the CNI UNESCO and the General Direction for International Relations of the Ministry of Public Education, schools can apply to the Associated Schools Project and participate in projects of international value proposed by UNESCO, or they can develop projects according to UNESCO related themes suggested by the Commission, by the students, by the school board or determined by local situations.
The application of innovative methodologies and technics, the possibility of cultural exchanges with the schools of the ASPnet, for the project’ s formulation, and the necessity of create interdisciplinary and transversal projects, make possible that these projects can be considered POF (educational projects), according to the agreement, between the CNI UNESCO and the General Direction of the Board of Supervisors, mentioned before.

For informations please contact:

Dott.ssa Giuseppina Fecchi
Coordinatore Nazionale Scuole Associate
Piazza Firenze, 27
00186 Roma
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