United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Abstract

During the latter part of 1953 two seminars were held under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and a third was sponsored by UNESCO. For the purpose of studying the principal public library problems and drafting plans and proposals for the development of public library services in Africa, particularly in connection with mass education, UNESCO held a seminar at Ibadan, Nigeria, from July 27 to August 21, 1953. The seminar recommended, among other things, that the UNESCO public libraries manifesto be accepted as a statement of the basic policy and purposes on which national public library services should be established in Africa; preparation of national or regional plans for public library service should be preceded by a survey conducted with the aid of experts in education, the social sciences and administration; the permanence and development of public library service should be assured by appropriate legislation; and an independent or state agency established by the government should control and direct the national service. The second seminar under UNESCO auspices studied the contribution of the teaching of modern languages towards education for living in a world community from August 3 to 28, 1953, in Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon. General topics discussed included the humanistic aspect of teaching modern languages, teaching modern languages as a key to the understanding of other civilizations and peoples, methodology of language teaching, audio-visual aids, psychological aspects of language teaching, and training modern language teachers. A resolution strongly urging that the mother tongue be used whenever possible at all levels as the medium of instruction and that the maximum facilities be created and maintained for the study of the widest possible range of foreign languages in all countries was adopted at the concluding session of the seminar.