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Interested in learning more about the Centro UNESCO di Firenze? Visit us at our Facebook page! This is a great place to discover everything that is going on in the city, as well as keep up to date with all of the events and opportunities that we have!

International Aperitivo!

Where: GANZO- Via de' Macci 85/r

When: June 6 from 18:00

Price: 6 Euro

What: GANZO and UNESCO are providing an assortment of international foods in celebration of the World Day for Cultural Diversity! Proceeds benefit the Thailand project! Join us for an amazing celebration with a wide array of international cuisine! 

Gelato Festival!

The annual gelato festival in Florence has arrived! Boasting some of the best gelato in the world, the city of Florence provides the opportunity to taste this aspect of the culture in some of Italy's most beautiful Piazzas. The even runs until the 27th of May, highlighting newcomers and seasoned gelato makers alike. For more information, visit the official website of the festival here.

FREE SOCCER MATCH!

• • Sunday, May 27, 2012
  • 3:00pm

• Centro sportivo San Marcellino, via Chiantigiana 28, Firenze

• 
  
  
  
  
  The UNESCO Centre of Florence, in collaboration with  A.C.F. Fiorentina and A.C.F. Firenze A.S.D , has organized a day to promote equal opportunity by highlighting the role of gender in sports.
  
  On Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 3:00PM a match will be played between  A.C.F. Fiorentina and A.C.F. Firenze A.S.D , at the San Marcellino fields
  (Chiantigiana 28, Firenze) 
  
  Together, the organizations will work to promote the ideas of brotherhood, solidarity, non-violence, tolerance and justice. The event also serves to close the gender gap between female and male sports teams.
                                           

                      ADMISSION IS FREE!!!

UNESCO and Cultural Diversity- Contest!

DEADLINE EXTENSION! 
All submissions must be in by 31 May 2012


The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in partnership with UNESCO and various other partners from corporations to civil society is launching the world campaign “Do One Thing for Diversity and Inclusion”, aimed at engaging people around the world to Do One Thing to support Cultural Diversity and Inclusion. 

We are holding a world-wide VIDEO/PHOTO contest to help encourage diversity DIVERSITY.This is a great opportunity for all youth to participate, in

Why does diversity matters to you? Tell us a personal story illustrating Diversity. 

VIDEO/PHOTO CONTEST ON Why "Diversity" is important, please submit all questions to 

presidenza@centrounescofi.it 

Deadline: May 18th! The video winner will be broad-casted at the official United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting taking place on November 2012 in Austria and on the 5th UNAOC Forum will be held in Vienna, Austria, February 27-28, 2013.

Additionally, the contest winner will have his/her video on the Official UNESCO website!

Further information can be found here.

The official press release follows:

Volunteer in Thailand!

Thailand is undergoing great development while trying to achieve the Millenium Goals of the United Nations, but there are still many gaps, especially with the educational system. The current system does not meet international standards and is much lower than that of neighboring Asian countries. The government has continuously acknowledged that the English language is a central element of the Thai education system, but the standard is low and students are not learning the language as well as their neighboring counterparts. Even though the government is investing large resources in this area, they mostly benefit rich communities with private schools.


UNESCO has partnered with The Ban Roean Ram Center for Sustainable Development in Thailand, a NGO dealing with this specific problem. The center has already selected eight schools in the Songkhla province who have asked for help and are anxiously awaiting assistance from volunteers.

This is where you come in! If you have been reading this blog, you know that UNESCO is a global organization with the ability to impact a large amount of people. The goal of UNESCO and the Ban Roean Ram Center for Sustainable Development Thailand is to improve English educational standards in disadvantaged schools in different districts of the  Songkhla Province. We are looking for volunteers that are passionate about helping others. The qualifications necessary to be a volunteer are simple: you must be a native English speaker, and be able to commit at least one month to the program. If you feel you are up to the challenge, please email us at ufficioprogetti@centrounescofi.it. We would love to hear from you!


If you are a motivated individual with strong English skills, please fill out the questions at the bottom of this post and email them to us. Accommodation, food, and insurance will be covered by a combination of UNESCO ONLUS and the 150 Euros paid by the volunteer. The Ban Roem Ram Center will host the volunteers while in Thailand, providing a kitchen, as well as somebody who will prepare meals! For more information about this amazing opportunity, please feel free to email us with a current CV/resume, or the following information:

Name:
Highest Degree Achieved:
Current Employment:
Months you are available:
Reason for Motivation:
Teaching Experience:

If you would prefer to help out in a different way, UNESCO of Florence is looking for volunteers to help with fundraising efforts, the donation of library books and educational materials in English, and volunteers that can help structure lesson plans for the Thai program.

Il Centro UNESCO di Firenze Celebrates the Radio!

UNESCO has long-promoted the radio as an essential tool for global communications. As a cost-effective, simple device, the radio has enabled interaction for a gamete of users ranging from amateur individuals to multinational corporations. To celebrate the importance of this invention, the Florence office of UNESCO, in tangent with the RAI organization, held a conference during the city’s annual culture week at Palazzo Medici Riccardi. The event drew an international crowd, analyzing the role of the radio in the fields of science, education, and culture. To further appreciate the importance of the radio in all aspects of life, visit the UNESCO website at:

UNESCO World Radio Day

Gelato Tasting- Learn How to Make it at Home!

Perchè No?

The UNESCO Center of Florence is holding a fundraiser at the incredible gelateria Perchè No. This fundraiser will raise money for our project in Thailand, strengthening education and preventing sexual tourism

This ongoing fundraiser is a great chance to taste and learn how to make homemade gelato, and learn how to tell the difference between factory made and the delicious Italian hand-crafted gelato.

There are two options available:
Option 1: A tasting along with a brief explanation on how to make gelato, which 10 euro per person. This tasting will last about 15 minutes.

Option 2: An hour long session where you can learn how to make handmade gelato, and participate in a tasting for 16 euro per person.

Perchè No will be opening its doors just for us Monday-Sunday 10am-11am, and Tuesdays 10am-12pm. Since they have been extremely generous and have dedicated so much time to us for this amazing fundraiser, we are asking all interested parties to please email us at ufficioprogetti@centrounescofi.it with the amount of people they would like to bring, along with 2 options for times. We will then email you back with a confirmation of the date and time of your gelato tasting.

This is a truly amazing opportunity, and Perchè No is one of the best gelaterias in all of Florence, so be sure to take advantage!

International Jazz Day

UNESCO is celebrating the first annual International Jazz Day in 2012! Italy celebrates this great genre of music on April 30th, 2012 in Rome with UNESCO hosting a free concert at Auditorium Parco della Musica, Sala Petrassi (Roma) at 20:30. Tickets can be acquired through  Parco della Musica Infopoint.


The international celebration of jazz is ‘intended to raise awareness in the international community of the virtues of jazz as an educational tool, and a force for peace, unity, dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people’. UNESCO intends to 'bring together performers, educators, governments, experts, and fans alike, as they explore together the history, meaning, impact, and legacy of jazz music throughout the world.'


Jazz was selected because of the following impacts:

• Jazz breaks down barriers and creates opportunities for mutual understanding and tolerance;
• Jazz is a vector of freedom of expression;
• Jazz is a symbol of unity and peace;
• Jazz reduces tensions between individuals, groups, and communities;
• Jazz fosters gender equality;
• Jazz reinforces the role youth play for social change;
• Jazz encourages artistic innovation, improvisation, new forms of expression, and inclusion of traditional music forms into new ones;
• Jazz stimulates intercultural dialogue and empowers young people from marginalized societies.

To read the full press release by Director-General Irina Bokova, click here.

Springtime Aperitivo

Beautiful weather has finally arrived in Florence, and restaurants have opened their doors and set up outside.  Some of the best places in the city are offering aperitivo specials, in some of the cities best historical sites.  Aperitivo is a part of Italian culture, where you can meet new people and try different foods in different places.

Stop by Florence's biggest greenhouse, the Tepidarium for a special aperitivo surrounded by butterflies.  The exhibit lets you interact with nature, inside the greenhouse and surrounded by the beautiful horticultural gardens.  The aperitivo is open Wednesday through Sunday at 7pm, and each night has a theme: Wednesday is tango night, Thursday is lounge music, Friday dance to live DJ sets, Saturday improve your mood with 'happy music', and Sunday get ready for a stressful week with relaxing music.

Oibo is just a few steps away from Santa Croce, and with the outside seating area you get a perfect view of the church.  Take advantage of their aperitivo bar from 6:30 to 9:30 every day, in a sleek and modern bar, full of young Florentine.  With a creative drink menu and a wide range of finger foods, there is no way you can leave unsatisfied.

Also be sure to check out the Frescobaldi Wine Bar and Restaurant, located right in Piazza Signoria.  Attached to the restaurant is an elegant wine bar with great outdoor seating and great selection of tapas.  At the bar, you can  choose from a selection of fresh cured meats and cheeses,  and a proper wine pairing.

A Chocoholics Dream

Florence annually hosts what is easily one of the most exciting events of the year: A Chocolate Festival.  Most people might disagree with this bold statement, and say that a chocolate festival probably isn't that cool. But really, what can be better than 20 vendors selling different kinds of chocolate goodness, or fruit covered in chocolate, or chocolate kabob shavings, or chocolate cake swimming in hot chocolate!?  Absolutely nothing is what I say!

The festival was filled with eager people, sampling any kind of chocolate they can, also justifying their massive amounts of chocolate eating by covering fruit with it (or at least that's what I did!)  While some items were a bit expensive, in general, everything was very well priced, and definitely worth a trip to Santa Croce.

The festival typically is hosted in the Spring, with varying dates and locations.  This is the perfect opportunity to buy a giant heart-shaped chocolate Valentine for someone special.  Go out for a special date-night and try some chocolate beer or chocolate liquor. Everything you could ever want is right at your fingertips!

For more information on upcoming chocolate festivals and dates in Florence, visit http://www.fieradelcioccolato.it/

A Day in a Vintage Market

Florence hosts an incredible vintage market, filled with beautiful clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry, and people.  The 5 Euro cover charge is well worth the experience, as one can spend hours simply walking through the entire market that looked as though it might never end.  Just off the main section of the market is a cafe, serving delicious looking sandwiches, espresso, and old fashioned Coca-Cola bottles.  

There are also a variety of secret rooms, hidden away with some of the best jewels of the market.  Markets like this don't come around very often, so for all of you that have the opportunity to go, the experience will be fantastic!  For those of you not so lucky, don't worry.  Many of the vendors at the market have similar items in stores throughout Florence, as well as  in Siena, Pisa, and Assisi.  Take a look below for some pictures of past events, and also for a list of most of the vendors and where you can find their 
amazing items. 


Upcoming Vintage Events