102-451: Corcyra is Latin for Corfu , a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. Corcyra or Korkyra may also refer to: Corfu Corfu ( / k ɔːr ˈ f ( j ) uː / kor- FEW , - FOO , US also / ˈ k ɔːr f ( j ) uː / KOR -few, -foo ) or Kerkyra ( Greek : Κέρκυρα , romanized : Kérkyra , pronounced [ˈcercira] ) is
204-568: A Greek island in the Ionian Sea , of the Ionian Islands , and, including its small satellite islands , forms the margin of the nation's northwestern frontier with Albania . The island is part of the Corfu regional unit , and is administered by three municipalities with the islands of Othonoi , Ereikoussa , and Mathraki . The principal city of the island (pop. 32,095) is also named Corfu . Corfu
306-782: A fiefdom , called the Feudum Acinganorum was established, with mainly Romani serfs . From 1386, Corfu was controlled by the Republic of Venice , which in 1401 acquired formal sovereignty and retained it until the French Occupation of 1797. Corfu became central for the propagation of the activities of the Filiki Etaireia among the Greek Diaspora and philhellenic societies across Europe, through nobles like Ioannis Kapodistrias and Dionysios Romas . From medieval times and into
408-710: A non-governmental organization in the service of international educational development since December 1925 and joined UNESCO in 1969, after having established a joint commission in 1952. After the signing of the Atlantic Charter and the Declaration of the United Nations , the Conference of Allied Ministers of Education (CAME) began meetings in London which continued from 16 November 1942 to 5 December 1945. On 30 October 1943,
510-467: A Commission to study the feasibility of having nations freely share cultural, educational and scientific achievements. This new body, the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation (ICIC), was created in 1922 and counted such figures as Henri Bergson , Albert Einstein , Marie Curie , Robert A. Millikan , and Gonzague de Reynold among its members (being thus a small commission of
612-482: A Preparatory Commission was established. The Preparatory Commission operated between 16 November 1945, and 4 November 1946 — the date when UNESCO's Constitution came into force with the deposit of the twentieth ratification by a member state. The first General Conference took place from 19 November to 10 December 1946, and elected Julian Huxley to Director-General. United States Army colonel, university president and civil rights advocate Blake R. Van Leer joined as
714-656: A United Nations Conference for the establishment of an educational and cultural organization (ECO/CONF) was convened in London from 1 to 16 November 1945 with 44 governments represented. The idea of UNESCO was largely developed by Rab Butler , the Minister of Education for the United Kingdom, who had a great deal of influence in its development. At the ECO/CONF, the Constitution of UNESCO was introduced and signed by 37 countries, and
816-573: A base against Mark Antony . Christianity arrived in Corfu early; two disciples of Saint Paul , Jason of Tarsus and Sosipatrus of Patras, taught the Gospel, and according to tradition the city of Corfu and much of the island converted to Christianity. Their relics were housed in the old cathedral (at the site of the current Old Fortress, before a dedicated church was built for them c. 100 AD . During Late Antiquity (late Roman/early Byzantine period),
918-638: A biennium, as well as links to relevant programmatic and financial documents. These two distinct sets of information are published on the IATI registry, respectively based on the IATI Activity Standard and the IATI Organization Standard. There have been proposals to establish two new UNESCO lists. The first proposed list will focus on movable cultural heritage such as artifacts, paintings, and biofacts. The list may include cultural objects, such as
1020-443: A declaration of anthropologists (among them was Claude Lévi-Strauss ) and other scientists in 1950 and concluding with the 1978 Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice . In 1955, the Republic of South Africa withdrew from UNESCO saying that some of the organization's publications amounted to "interference" in the country's "racial problems". It rejoined the organization in 1994 under the leadership of Nelson Mandela . One of
1122-583: A dowry in 1259. At his death in 1267 it passed to the House of Anjou . Thus, Corfu became a part of the Angevin Kingdom of Albania that was established and ruled by Frankish Charles of Anjou of the royal Capetian dynasty . Under the latter, the island suffered considerably from the inroads of various adventurers. The island was one of the first places in Europe in which Romani people settled. In about 1360,
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#17328528683541224-536: A full member. As a result, the United States withdrew its funding, which had accounted for about 22% of UNESCO's budget. Israel also reacted to Palestine's admittance to UNESCO by freezing Israeli payments to UNESCO and imposing sanctions on the Palestinian Authority , stating that Palestine's admittance would be detrimental "to potential peace talks". Two years after stopping payment of its dues to UNESCO,
1326-543: A global movement in 1990 to provide basic education for all children, youths and adults. In 2000, World Education Forum in Dakar , Senegal, led member governments to commit for achieving basic education for all in 2015. The World Declaration on Higher Education was adopted by UNESCO's World Conference on Higher Education on 9 October 1998, with the aim of setting global standards on the ideals and accessibility of higher education . UNESCO's early activities in culture included
1428-613: A member as well. The Constitution was amended in November 1954 when the General Conference resolved that members of the executive board would be representatives of the governments of the States of which they are nationals and would not, as before, act in their personal capacity. This change in governance distinguished UNESCO from its predecessor, the ICIC, in how member states would work together in
1530-444: A platform for the dialogue between cultures and provide a forum for international debate". Since March 2006 it has been available free online, with limited printed issues. Its articles express the opinions of the authors which are not necessarily the opinions of UNESCO. There was a hiatus in publishing between 2012 and 2017. In 1950, UNESCO initiated the quarterly review Impact of Science on Society (also known as Impact ) to discuss
1632-608: A ten-month siege for Manuel I Komnenos to recover the island in 1149. In the third invasion in 1185, the island was again captured by William II of Sicily , but was soon regained by Isaac II Angelos . During the break-up of the Byzantine Empire the island was occupied by Genoese privateers (1197–1207), who in turn were expelled by the Venetians. In 1214 it passed to the Greek despots of Epirus , who gave it to Manfred of Sicily as
1734-578: Is Mount Pantokrator (906 m (2,972 ft)); and the second Stravoskiadi, at 849 m (2,785 ft). The full extent of capes and promontories take in Agia Aikaterini, Drastis to the north, Lefkimmi and Asprokavos to the southeast, and Megachoro to the south. Two islands are also to be found at a middle point of Gouvia and Corfu Bay, which extends across much of the eastern shore of the island; are known as Lazareto and Ptychia (or Vido). The Diapontia Islands (Greek: Διαπόντια νησιά) are located in
1836-507: Is 42.8 °C (109.0 °F) on 24 July 2007 while the lowest is −6.0 °C (21.2 °F) on 17 January 2012. Hellenic National Meteorological Service Homer identifies six plants that adorn the garden of Alcinous : wild olive, pear, pomegranate , apple, fig and grape vine . Of these the apple and the pear are very inferior in Corfu; the others thrive, together with all the fruit trees known in Southern Europe , with addition of
1938-422: Is a continental island ; its fauna is similar to that of the opposite mainland. Avifauna is extensive, with around 300 bird species recorded since the 19th century. Species vary in size from the greater flamingo to the goldcrest . Some species have become extinct, such as the rock partridge and the grey partridge , or no longer breed on the island, like the eastern imperial eagle , the white-tailed eagle ,
2040-549: Is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It has 194 member states and 12 associate members, as well as partners in the non-governmental , intergovernmental and private sector . Headquartered in Paris , France, UNESCO has 53 regional field offices and 199 national commissions. UNESCO
2142-562: Is a tourist attraction today. These defeats in the east and the west of the island proved decisive, and the Ottomans abandoned their siege and departed. Two years later they repeated their attempt. Coming from Africa after a victorious campaign, they landed in Corfu and wreaked havoc on rural areas. Following a counterattack by the Venetian-Corfiot forces, the Ottoman troops were forced to leave
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#17328528683542244-490: Is another example of an early major UNESCO project in the field of natural sciences. In 1968, UNESCO organized the first intergovernmental conference aimed at reconciling the environment and development, a problem that continues to be addressed in the field of sustainable development . The main outcome of the 1968 conference was the creation of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme . UNESCO has been credited with
2346-742: Is called by misinterpretation of the Greek designation Άγιοι Δέκα (Hagioi Deka), or the Ten Saints. The whole island, composed as it is of various limestone formations, presents great diversity of surface. Beaches are found in Agios Gordis, the Korission Lagoon , Agios Georgios, Marathia, Kassiopi, Sidari, Palaiokastritsa and many others. Corfu is located near the Kefalonia geological fault formation; earthquakes have occurred. Corfu's coastline spans 217 km (135 mi) including capes; its highest point
2448-450: Is corrupted and manipulated by Israel's enemies... we are not going to be a member of an organisation that deliberately acts against us". 2023 saw Russia excluded from the executive committee for the first time, after failing to get sufficient votes. The United States stated its intent to rejoin UNESCO in 2023, 5 years after leaving, and to pay its $ 600 million in back dues. The United States
2550-461: Is governed by the General Conference composed of member states and associate members, which meets biannually to set the agency's programs and budget. It also elects members of the executive board, which manages UNESCO's work, and appoints every four years a Director-General, who serves as UNESCO's chief administrator. UNESCO and its mandate for international cooperation can be traced back to a League of Nations resolution on 21 September 1921, to elect
2652-587: Is home to the Ionian University . The island is bound up with the history of Greece from the beginnings of Greek mythology , and is marked by numerous battles and conquests. Ancient Korkyra took part in the Battle of Sybota which was a catalyst for the Peloponnesian War , and, according to Thucydides, the largest naval battle between Greek city states until that time. Thucydides also reports that Korkyra
2754-827: Is the Mycenaean Greek word ko-ro-ku-ra-i-jo ( "man from Kerkyra") written in Linear B syllabic script, c. 1300 BC. According to Strabo , Corcyra (Κόρκυρα) was the Homeric island of Scheria (Σχερία), and its earliest inhabitants were the Phaeacians (Φαίακες). The island has indeed been identified by some scholars with Scheria , the island of the Phaeacians described in Homer 's Odyssey , though conclusive and irrefutable evidence for this theory has not been found. Apollonius of Rhodes depicts
2856-600: Is the only city in Greece to be surrounded in such a way. As a result, Corfu's capital has been officially declared a Kastropolis ("castle city") by the Greek government. From medieval times and into the 17th century, the island, as part of the Republic of Venice since 1204, successfully repulsed the Ottomans during several sieges, was recognised as a bulwark of the European States against the Ottoman Empire and became one of
2958-522: Is the origin of the Ionian Academy , the first university of the modern Greek state, and the Nobile Teatro di San Giacomo di Corfù , the first Greek theatre and opera house of modern Greece. The first governor of independent Greece after the revolution of 1821, founder of the modern Greek state, and distinguished European diplomat Ioannis Kapodistrias was born in Corfu. In 2007, the city's old town
3060-801: The Acropolis of Athens (Greece). The organization's work on heritage led to the adoption, in 1972, of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. In 1976, the World Heritage Committee was established and the first sites were included on the World Heritage List in 1978. Since then important legal instruments on cultural heritage and diversity have been adopted by UNESCO member states in 2003 (Convention for
3162-672: The Balkan whip snake , the Caspian whip snake , the four-lined snake , the Aesculapian snake , the leopard snake , the grass snake , the dice snake , the European cat snake , the eastern Montpellier snake . There are 75 (plus) known species of Corfiot butterfly. Of particular interest are the southern swallowtail , southern festoon , Oberthür's grizzled skipper , Lulworth skipper , eastern orange tip , Krueper's small white , eastern baton blue and
Corcyra (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3264-552: The Bonelli's eagle , the griffon vulture and the Egyptian vulture . Around 40 species of mammals live on the island and in the sea around it. Fin whales , sperm whales , Cuvier's beaked whales , common bottlenose dolphins , short-beaked common dolphins , striped dolphins and Risso's dolphins are the regularly present cetaceans. Monk seals appear from time to time without breeding there anymore. Eurasian otters still survive in
3366-517: The Dalmatian algyroides , the common wall lizard , the Balkan wall lizard , the Balkan green lizard , the European green lizard and the snake-eyed skink as also the legless Greek slow worm and the European glass lizard . Of the snakes of Corfu, only the nose-horned viper is potentially dangerous. The harmless snake list includes the European worm snake , the javelin sand boa , the Dahl's whip snake ,
3468-751: The International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia , launched in 1960. The purpose of the campaign was to move the Great Temple of Abu Simbel to keep it from being swamped by the Nile after the construction of the Aswan Dam . During the 20-year campaign, 22 monuments and architectural complexes were relocated. This was the first and largest in a series of campaigns including Mohenjo-daro (Pakistan), Fes (Morocco), Kathmandu (Nepal), Borobudur (Indonesia) and
3570-951: The Jōmon Venus of Japan, the Mona Lisa of France, the Gebel el-Arak Knife of Egypt , The Ninth Wave of Russia, the Seated Woman of Çatalhöyük of Turkey, the David (Michelangelo) of Italy, the Mathura Herakles of India, the Manunggul Jar of the Philippines, the Crown of Baekje of South Korea, The Hay Wain of the United Kingdom and the Benin Bronzes of Nigeria. The second proposed list will focus on
3672-555: The Ottoman tide. Today, however, this role is often relatively unknown or ignored, but was celebrated in Juditha triumphans by the Venetian composer Antonio Vivaldi . Corfu's urban architecture differs from that of other major Greek cities, because of Corfu's unique history. From 1386 to 1797, Corfu was ruled by Venetian nobility; much of the city reflects this era when the island belonged to
3774-499: The Republic of Venice , with multi-storeyed buildings on narrow lanes. The Old Town of Corfu has clear Venetian influence and is amongst the World Heritage Sites in Greece . It was in the Venetian period that the city saw the erection of the first opera house ( Nobile Teatro di San Giacomo di Corfù ) in Greece. Many Venetian-speaking families settled in Corfu during these centuries; they were called Corfiot Italians , and until
3876-428: The United Nations member states (except Israel and Liechtenstein ), as well as Cook Islands , Niue and Palestine . The United States and Israel left UNESCO on 31 December 2018, but the United States rejoined in 2023. As of June 2023 , there have been 11 Directors-General of UNESCO since its inception – nine men and two women. The 11 Directors-General of UNESCO have come from six regions within
3978-403: The kumquat , loquat and prickly pear and, in some spots, the banana. Olive trees dominate and their combination with cypress trees compose the typical Corfiot landscape. When undisturbed by cultivation, the high maquis is the major natural vegetation type followed by deciduous oak forests and to a lesser extent, pine forests. In total more than 1800 plant species have been recorded. Corfu
4080-443: The tree grayling , many of which are of near threatened status . Before the turn of the century, not much had been published about the butterfly fauna of Corfu, and there were only a few short and obscure scientific articles. Recent interest grew when a Facebook discussion page (now called Corfu Butterfly Conservation) was created on 27th April 2014. Since that time, a group of responsible butterfly enthusiasts has grown (731 members at
4182-467: The "Door of Venice" during the centuries when the whole Adriatic was the Gulf of Venice , remained in Venetian hands from 1401 until 1797, though several times assailed by Ottoman naval and land forces and subjected to four notable sieges in 1537 , 1571, 1573 and 1716 , in which the strength of the city defences asserted itself time after time. The effectiveness of the powerful Venetian fortifications as well as
Corcyra (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4284-518: The 17th century, the island was recognised as a bulwark of the European States against the Ottoman Empire and became one of the most fortified places in Europe. The fortifications of the island were used by the Venetians to defend against Ottoman intrusion into the Adriatic . Corfu repulsed several Ottoman sieges, before passing under British rule following the Napoleonic Wars . Kerkyra,
4386-558: The Catholic community numbers about 4,000 ( 2 ⁄ 3 of Maltese descent), who live almost exclusively in the Venetian "Citadel" of Corfu City . Like other native Greek Catholics, they celebrate Easter using the same calendar as the Greek Orthodox church. The Cathedral of St. James and St. Christopher in Corfu City is the see of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Corfu, Zakynthos and Cephalonia . UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ; pronounced / j uː ˈ n ɛ s k oʊ / )
4488-691: The Directors-General of UNESCO since its establishment in 1946 is as follows: This is the list of the sessions of the UNESCO General Conference held since 1946: Ahmet Altay Cengizer Biennial elections are held, with 58 elected representatives holding office for four years. [REDACTED] Finland [REDACTED] Portugal [REDACTED] Turkey [REDACTED] Albania [REDACTED] Belarus [REDACTED] Bulgaria [REDACTED] Cuba [REDACTED] Grenada [REDACTED] Jamaica [REDACTED] Saint Lucia [REDACTED] Saint Vincent and
4590-411: The League of Nations essentially centred on Western Europe ). The International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation (IIIC) was then created in Paris in September 1924, to act as the executing agency for the ICIC. However, the onset of World War II largely interrupted the work of these predecessor organizations. As for private initiatives, the International Bureau of Education (IBE) began to work as
4692-441: The Ottoman fleet off the Corfu Channel and defeated it in the ensuing naval battle. On 19 July, after taking a few outlying forts, the Ottoman army reached the hills around the city of Corfu and laid siege to it. Despite repeated assaults and heavy fighting, the Ottomans were unable to breach the defences and were forced to raise the siege after 22 days. The 5,000 Venetians and foreign mercenaries, together with 3,000 Corfiotes, under
4794-442: The Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ) and 2005 ( Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions ). An intergovernmental meeting of UNESCO in Paris in December 1951 led to the creation of the European Council for Nuclear Research , which was responsible for establishing the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) later on, in 1954. Arid Zone programming, 1948–1966,
4896-415: The Turks left the island unsuccessfully because of poor logistics and an epidemic that decimated their ranks. Thirty-four years later, in August 1571, Ottoman forces returned for yet another attempt to conquer the island. Having seized Parga and Mourtos from the Greek mainland side, they attacked the Paxi islands. Subsequently they landed on Corfu's southeast shore and established a large beachhead all
4998-431: The United States and Israel lost UNESCO voting rights in 2013 without losing the right to be elected; thus, the United States was elected as a member of the executive board for the period 2016–19. In 2019, Israel left UNESCO after 69 years of membership, with Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon writing: "UNESCO is the body that continually rewrites history, including by erasing the Jewish connection to Jerusalem... it
5100-516: The Venetian centuries and spoke their own language ( Italkian ), a mixture of Hebrew-Italian in a Venetian or Apulian dialect with some Greek words. Venetians promoted the Catholic Church during their four centuries of rule in Corfu. Today the majority of Corfiots are Greek Orthodox , but the small Catholic minority (5%), living harmoniously with the Orthodox community, owes its faith to these origins. These contemporary Catholics are mostly families who came from Malta , but also from Italy , and today
5202-400: The beautiful nymph Korkyra, daughter of Asopos and river nymph Metope , and abducted her. Poseidon brought Korkyra to the hitherto unnamed island and, in marital bliss, offered her name to the place: Korkyra , which gradually evolved to Kerkyra ( Doric ). They had a child, Phaiax, after whom the inhabitants of the island were named Phaiakes (in Latin , Phaeaciani ). Corfu is known as
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#17328528683545304-443: The benefit of Corfu's butterflies and the wider natural environment, as well as to stimulate public interest in butterfly conservation. CBC launched its website (www.corfubutterflyconservation.org, funded by the Royal Entomological Society 's Goodman Award) on the 1 January 2021 to coincide with the launch of the Corfu Butterfly Survey. The website describes the 75 species of butterflies that have been confirmed by members of CBC from
5406-399: The city sailing away. The second great siege of Corfu took place in 1716, during the last Ottoman–Venetian War (1714–18) . After the conquest of the Peloponnese in 1715, the Ottoman fleet appeared in Buthrotum opposite Corfu. On 8 July the Ottoman fleet, carrying 33,000 men, sailed to Corfu from Buthrotum and established a beachhead at Ipsos. The same day, the Venetian fleet encountered
5508-422: The city, led by its archbishop, Arsenios, withstood a Saracen attack; Arsenios was canonized and became the city's patron saint . The peace and prosperity of the Macedonian era ended with another Saracen attack in 1033, but more importantly with the emergence of a new threat: following the Norman conquest of Southern Italy , the ambitious Norman monarchs set their sights on expansion in the East. Three times on
5610-412: The commission, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Seán MacBride ). The same year, UNESCO created the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), a multilateral forum designed to promote media development in developing countries. In 1993, UNESCO's General Conference endorsed the Windhoek Declaration on media independence and pluralism, which led the UN General Assembly to declare
5712-411: The conquest of Corcyra by the Corinthian tyrant Periander (Περίανδρος) who induced his new subjects to join in the colonization of Apollonia and Anactorium . The island soon regained its independence and thenceforth devoted itself to a purely mercantile policy. During the Persian invasion of 480 BCE it manned the second largest Greek fleet (60 ships), but took no active part in the war. In 435 BCE it
5814-444: The coypu and the raccoon have established viable populations. Eight species of amphibians and 31 species of reptiles live or have been recorded on and around Corfu. The Greek newt , the Macedonian crested newt , the common toad , the European green toad , the European tree frog , the agile frog , the Epirus water frog and the Greek marsh frog are the representatives of the Amphibia Class. Loggerhead sea turtles nest on
5916-441: The current Old Fortress, where the rocky hills offered natural protection against raids. From the twin peaks of the new site, the medieval city received its new name, Korypho (Κορυφώ, "city on the peak") or Korphoi (Κορφοί, "peaks"), whence the modern Western name of "Corfu". The previous site of the city, now known as Palaiopolis (Παλαιόπολις, "old city"), continued to be inhabited for several centuries, however. From at least
6018-429: The date of its adoption, 3 May, as World Press Freedom Day . Since 1997, UNESCO has awarded the UNESCO / Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize every 3 May. UNESCO admitted Palestine as a member in 2011. Laws passed in the United States after Palestine applied for UNESCO and WHO membership in April 1989 mean that the United States cannot contribute financially to any UN organization that accepts Palestine as
6120-431: The death of Alexander , last King of Epirus. In 229 BCE, following the naval battle of Paxos , it was captured by the Illyrians , but was speedily delivered by a Roman fleet and remained a Roman naval station until at least 189 BCE. At this time, it was governed by a prefect (presumably nominated by the consuls), but in 148 BCE it was attached to the province of Macedonia . In 31 BCE, it served Octavian (Augustus) as
6222-422: The diffusion of national science bureaucracies. In the field of communication, the "free flow of ideas by word and image" has been in UNESCO's constitution since it was established, following the experience of the Second World War when control of information was a factor in indoctrinating populations for aggression. In the years immediately following World War II, efforts were concentrated on reconstruction and on
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#17328528683546324-405: The early 16th century, a monastery was built on the islet and a leprosarium established later in the century, after which the island was named. In 1798, during the French occupation, the islet was occupied by the Russo -Turkish fleet, who ran it as a military hospital. During the period of British rule , in 1814, the leprosarium was once again opened after renovations, and following Enosis in 1864
6426-405: The early 9th century, Corfu and the other Ionian Islands formed part of the theme of Cephallenia . This naval theme provided a defensive bulwark for Byzantium against western threats, but also played a major role in securing the sealanes to the Byzantine possessions in southern Italy . Indeed, traveller reports from throughout the middle Byzantine period (8th–12th centuries) make clear that Corfu
6528-447: The early work of UNESCO in the education field was a pilot project on fundamental education in the Marbial Valley, Haiti, which was launched in 1947. Following this project one of expert missions to other countries, included a 1949 mission to Afghanistan. UNESCO recommended in 1948 that Member countries should make free primary education compulsory and universal. The World Conference on Education for All , in Jomtien , Thailand, started
6630-411: The identification of needs for means of mass communication around the world. UNESCO started organizing training and education for journalists in the 1950s. In response to calls for a " New World Information and Communication Order " in the late 1970s, UNESCO established the International Commission for the Study of Communication Problems, which produced the 1980 MacBride report (named after the chair of
6732-529: The influence of science on society. The journal ceased publication in 1992. UNESCO also published Museum International Quarterly from the year 1948. UNESCO has official relations with 322 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Most of these are what UNESCO calls "operational"; a select few are "formal". The highest form of affiliation to UNESCO is "formal associate", and the 22 NGOs with formal associate (ASC) relations occupying offices at UNESCO are: The institutes are specialized departments of
6834-467: The island Korkyra (Corfu) for a time, until the 8th century BCE. They reportedly were expelled from Korkyra by the Corinthians. At a date no doubt previous to the foundation of Syracuse , Corfu was peopled by settlers from Corinth , probably 730 BCE, but it appears to have previously received a stream of emigrants from Eretria . The commercially advantageous location of Corcyra on the way between Greece and Magna Grecia , and its fertile lowlands in
6936-409: The island formed part of the province of Epirus Vetus in the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum . In 551, during the Gothic War , the Ostrogoths raided the island and destroyed the city of Corfu, then known as Chersoupolis (Χερσούπολις, "city on the promontory") because of its location between Garitsa Bay and Kanoni. Over the next centuries, the main settlement was moved north, to the location of
7038-430: The island in Argonautica as a place visited by the Argonauts. Jason and Medea were married there in 'Medea's Cave'. Apollonius named the island Drepane , Greek for "sickle", since it was thought to hide the sickle that Cronus used to castrate his father Uranus , from whose blood the Phaeacians were descended. In an alternative account, Apollonius identifies the buried sickle as a scythe belonging to Demeter , yet
7140-423: The island into three districts, of which the northern is mountainous, the central undulating, and the southern low-lying. The more important of the two ranges, that of Pantokrator (Παντοκράτωρ – the Almighty) stretches east and west from Cape Falacro to Cape Psaromita, and attains its greatest elevation in the summit of the same name. The second range culminates in the mountain of Santi Jeca, or Santa Decca, as it
7242-493: The island lies off the coast of Thesprotia , Greece. Its shape resembles a sickle ( drepanē, δρεπάνι ), to which it was compared by the ancients: the concave side, with the city and harbour of Corfu in the centre, lies toward the Albanian coast. With the island's area estimated at 592.9 km (228.9 sq mi; 146,500 acres), it runs approximately 64 km (40 mi) long, with greatest breadth at around 32 km (20 mi). Two high and well-defined ranges divide
7344-556: The island of the Phaeacians . The name Corfù is a Venetian and Italian version of the Byzantine Κορυφώ (Koryphō), meaning "city of the peaks". It derives from the Byzantine Greek Κορυφαί (Koryphai) (crests or peaks), denoting the two peaks of Palaio Frourio . The northeastern edge of Corfu lies off the coast of Sarandë , Albania , separated by straits varying in width from 3 to 23 km (2 to 14 miles). The southeast side of
7446-407: The island. It outlines the value of butterflies as indicators of the island's biodiversity status and encourages enthusiasts to record their sightings on this website, as participants of the survey. On the 16 December 2021, CBC became a UK registered community interest company (No.13813164) and so its identity changed from being a project to that of an organisation. The earliest reference to Corfu
7548-465: The island. The Ottomans tried to take the city castle and raided the surrounding area, but were repulsed. The Siege of Corfu (1537) was the first great siege by the Ottomans. It began on 29 August 1537, with 25,000 soldiers from the Ottoman fleet landing and pillaging the island and taking 20,000 hostages as slaves . Despite the destruction wrought on the countryside, the city castle held out in spite of repeated attempts over twelve days to take it, and
7650-418: The lagoons and streams of Corfu. The golden jackal was very common till the 1960s, but after persecution it became extinct, with the last individuals observed in the first half of the 1990s. Recent sightings indicate a recolonization effort from the nearby mainland. Wild boars were exterminated after 2000, after farmers complained about crop damage, but at the moment they recolonized Corfu, swimming from
7752-402: The leadership of Count von der Schulenburg who commanded the defence of the island, were victorious once more. The success was owed in no small part to the extensive fortifications, where Venetian castle engineering had proven itself once again against considerable odds. The repulse of the Ottomans was widely celebrated in Europe, Corfu being seen as a bastion of Western civilization against
7854-848: The leprosarium again saw occasional use. During World War II , the Axis Occupation of Greece established a Nazi concentration camp there for the prisoners of the Greek Resistance movement , while remaining today are the two-storeyed building that served as the Headquarters of the Italian army, a small church, and the wall against which those condemned to death were shot. Corfu has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa ) featuring hot, dry summers and mild to cool, very rainy winters, which are much wetter than other Greek islands . The highest temperature ever recorded
7956-589: The mainland. Red foxes , beech martens , least weasels , European hares , northern white-breasted hedgehogs are quite widespread, as some of the smaller mammals like the European edible dormouse , the hazel dormouse , the house mouse , the yellow-necked mouse , the western broad-toothed field mouse , the wood mouse , the lesser white-toothed shrew , the etruscan shrew , as well as several species of bats. Coypus , fallow deer , red deer , Indian crested porcupines , Siberian chipmunks and raccoons have been observed recently, but they are escapees and only
8058-626: The most fortified places in Europe. The fortifications of the island were used by the Venetians to defend against Ottoman intrusion into the Adriatic . In November 1815 Corfu came under British rule following the Napoleonic Wars , and in 1864 was ceded to modern Greece by the British government along with the remaining islands of the United States of the Ionian Islands under the Treaty of London . Corfu
8160-578: The name Drepane probably originated in the sickle-shape of the island. According to a scholiast , commenting on the passage in Argonautica , the island was first of all called Macris after the nurse of Dionysus who fled there from Euboea . Some scholars have asserted that Corfu is Taphos , the island of the Lelegian Taphians. According to Strabo (VI, 269), the Liburnians were masters of
8262-734: The necessity for an international organization was expressed in the Moscow Declaration, agreed upon by China , the United Kingdom, the United States and the USSR. This was followed by the Dumbarton Oaks Conference proposals of 9 October 1944. Upon the proposal of CAME and in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on International Organization (UNCIO), held in San Francisco from April to June 1945,
8364-528: The northwest of Corfu, (6 km away) and about 40 km (25 mi) from the Italian coast. The main islands are Othonoi , Ereikoussa and Mathraki . Lazaretto Island , formerly known as St. Dimitrios, is located 1.1 km (0.68 mi) off the coast northeast of the city Corfu . Lazaretto has an area of 7.1 ha (17.5 acres) and comes under the administration of the Greek National Tourist Organization. During Venetian rule in
8466-520: The oligarchic faction to effect a revolution; on each occasion the popular party ultimately won the day and took a most bloody revenge on its opponents (427 BCE and 425 BCE). During the Sicilian campaigns of Athens Corcyra served as a supply base; after a third abortive rising of the oligarchs in 410 BCE it practically withdrew from the war. In 375 BCE it again joined the Athenian alliance; two years later it
8568-582: The organization that support UNESCO's programme, providing specialized support for cluster and national offices. UNESCO awards 26 prizes in education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, communication and information as well as peace: International Days observed at UNESCO are provided in the table below: As of July 2023 , UNESCO has 194 member states and 12 associate members. Some members are not independent states and some members have additional National Organizing Committees from some of their dependent territories . UNESCO state parties are
8670-550: The organization's fields of competence. As member states worked together over time to realize UNESCO's mandate, political and historical factors have shaped the organization's operations in particular during the Cold War , the decolonization process, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union . Among the major achievements of the organization is its work against racism, for example through influential statements on race starting with
8772-466: The organization: West Europe (5), Central America (1), North America (2), West Africa (1), East Asia (1), and East Europe (1). To date, there has been no elected Director-General from the remaining ten regions within UNESCO: Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central and North Asia, Middle East, North Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, South Africa, Australia-Oceania, and South America. The list of
8874-517: The sandy beaches. On land, the Hermann's tortoise is widespread, while the marginated tortoise 's status is unclear. In freshwater wetlands European pond terrapins and Balkan terrapins are common, but the last few years face the competition of the introduced pond slider . Lizard species include typical lizards and geckos like the starred agama , the Mediterranean house gecko , the moorish gecko ,
8976-465: The second half of the 20th century the Veneto da mar was spoken in Corfu. During this time, the local Greek language assimilated a large number of Italian and Venetian words, many of which are still common today. The internationally renowned Venetian-born British photographer Felice Beato (1832–1909) is thought to have spent much of his childhood in Corfu. Also many Italian Jews took refuge in Corfu during
9078-485: The southern section of the island favoured its growth and, influenced perhaps by the presence of non-Corinthian settlers, its people, quite contrary to the usual practice of Corinthian colonies, maintained an independent and even hostile attitude towards the mother city. This opposition came to a head in the early part of the 7th century BCE, when their fleets fought the first naval battle recorded in Greek history: 665 BCE according to Thucydides . These hostilities ended in
9180-522: The space of a century Corfu was the first target and served as a staging area for the Norman invasions of Byzantium . The first Norman occupation from 1081 to 1084 was ended only after the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos secured the aid of the Republic of Venice , in exchange to wide-ranging commercial concessions to Venetian merchants. The admiral George of Antioch captured Corfu again in 1147, and it took
9282-540: The strength of some old Byzantine castles in Angelokastro , Kassiopi Castle , Gardiki and elsewhere, were additional factors that enabled Corfu to remain free. Will Durant claimed that Corfu owed to the Republic of Venice the fact that it was one of the few parts of Greece never conquered by the Ottomans. A series of attempts by the Ottomans to take the island began in 1431 when Ottoman troops under Ali Bey landed on
9384-547: The time of writing) who share their passion for the butterflies and moths found on the island. It is through this work that more is being discovered about the distribution and abundance of butterflies across the island. Corfu Butterfly Conservation (CBC) was launched in April 2019. The group is composed of concerned residents, island visitors and scientists from throughout Europe. Their goals are to produce robust scientific data that can be used to influence policy and protect habitat for
9486-525: The way from the southern tip of the island at Lefkimi to Ipsos in Corfu's eastern midsection. These areas were thoroughly pillaged as in past encounters. Nevertheless the city castle stood firm again, a testament to Corfiot-Venetian steadfastness as well as the Venetian castle-building engineering skills. Another castle, Angelokastro , situated on the northwest coast near Palaiokastritsa (Greek: Παλαιοκαστρίτσα meaning Old Castle place ) and located on particularly steep and rocky terrain, also held out. The castle
9588-510: The world's living species, such as the komodo dragon of Indonesia, the panda of China, the bald eagle of North American countries, the aye-aye of Madagascar, the Asiatic lion of India, the kākāpō of New Zealand, and the mountain tapir of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. UNESCO and its specialized institutions issue a number of magazines. Created in 1945, The UNESCO Courier magazine states its mission to "promote UNESCO's ideals, maintain
9690-552: Was "an important staging post for travels between East and West". Indeed, the medieval name of Corfu first appears (Latinized Coryphus ) in Liutprand of Cremona 's account of his 968 embassy to the Byzantine court. Corfu enjoyed relative peace and safety during the Macedonian dynasty (867–1054), which allowed the construction of a monumental church to Saints Iason and Sosipatrus outside the city wall of Palaiopolis. Nevertheless, in 933,
9792-469: Was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List , following a recommendation by ICOMOS . The 1994 European Union summit was held in Corfu. The island is a popular tourist destination. The Greek name, Kerkyra or Korkyra , is related to two powerful water deities: Poseidon , god of the sea, and Asopos , an important Greek mainland river. According to myth, Poseidon fell in love with
9894-464: Was again involved in a quarrel with Corinth over the control of Epidamnus , and sought assistance from Athens (see Battle of Sybota ). This new alliance was one of the chief immediate causes of the Peloponnesian War , in which Corcyra was of considerable use to the Athenians as a naval station, but did not render much assistance with its fleet. The island was nearly lost to Athens by two attempts of
9996-525: Was attacked and conquered by Agathocles of Syracuse . He offered Corfu as dowry to his daughter Lanassa on her marriage to Pyrrhus , King of Epirus . The island then became a member of the Epirotic alliance. It was then perhaps that the settlement of Cassiope was founded to serve as a base for the King of Epirus' expeditions. The island remained in the Epirotic alliance until 255 BCE when it became independent after
10098-511: Was besieged by a Spartan force, but in spite of the devastation of its flourishing countryside held out successfully until relieved. In the Hellenistic period Corcyra was exposed to attack from several sides. In 303 BCE, after a vain siege by Cassander , the island was occupied for a short time by the Lacedaemonian general Cleonymus of Sparta , then regained its independence and later it
10200-896: Was founded in 1945 as the successor to the League of Nations ' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation . UNESCO's founding mission, which was shaped by the events of World War II , is to advance peace , sustainable development and human rights by facilitating collaboration and dialogue among nations. It pursues this objective through five major programme areas: education, natural sciences , social / human sciences , culture and communication/information. UNESCO sponsors projects that improve literacy , provide technical training and education, advance science, protect independent media and press freedom , preserve regional and cultural history , and promote cultural diversity . The organization prominently helps establish and secure World Heritage Sites of cultural and natural importance. UNESCO
10302-545: Was one of the three great naval powers of fifth century BCE Greece, along with Athens and Corinth . Ruins of ancient Greek temples and other archaeological sites of the ancient city of Korkyra are located in Palaiopolis . Medieval castles punctuating strategic locations across the island are a legacy of struggles in the Middle Ages against invasions by pirates and the Ottomans . Two of these castles enclose its capital, which
10404-577: Was readmitted by the UNESCO General Conference that July. UNESCO implements its activities through five programme areas: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information. UNESCO does not accredit institutions of higher learning. The UNESCO transparency portal has been designed to enable public access to information regarding the Organization's activities, such as its aggregate budget for
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