Shilova O.E. UNESCO Activities in the Field of Arts Education

Abstract: The article addresses the work of UNESCO in the fi eld of arts education. It considers goals of establishing this policy, and specifi c activities organized within the framework of international cooperation in the fi eld of arts education. UNESCO recommended documents in the fi eld of education and arts education in particular are studied. UNESCO programs for the development of arts education are presented. The author identifi es the reason for the establishment of an international cooperation policy in the fi eld of arts education. Based on the analysis of UNESCO documents, the author singles out the following reasons for the creation of such a policy: the development of human creative thinking; the promotion of social peace, tolerance and solidarity; and the promotion of sustainable development. The author also identifi es two functions of arts education conceptualized in UNESCO documents: the instrumental function of arts education, i.e. its use as a tool and method in education, and, in fact, its peacemaking function. The author argues that the documents developed by UNESCO in the fi eld of arts education have little impact on national education programs because of their non-compulsory nature. At the same time, the article draws attention to the implementation of specifi c projects under the auspices of UNESCO that despite the limitations of their infl uence are highly effi cient.

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