Paris, France (PANA) - On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, UNESCO says the ship wreckage has now come under its control, a press statement issued here Thursday by the UN agency indicated. Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) – The Cape Verdean government intends to raise 15 billion escudos (US$ 1 = 83 Cape Verdean Escudos) with which to finance about 4,000 cultural projects in the country over 10 years. Full text...

Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - UNESCO, the World Bank and UNICEF have pledged to assist students affected by the 4 March munitions depot blast that killed at least 200 in Brazzaville, the Congolese capital. Full text...

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - The Officer in charge of the Francophonie summit, Ousmane Paye, is expected on 20 March in Kinshasa, DR Congo, at the head of a delegation of the International Francophonie Organization to assess preparations for the XIV Francophonie summit, official sources in the DR Congolese capital said Monday. Full text...

Lome, Togo (PANA) - The West African state of Togo on Saturday began the process to select Miss Togo 2012, a major event on the cultural calendar of the country since 1995. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - In recognition of their efforts in raising awareness of the Arab culture around the world, UNESCO is to honour Lebanese author, Elias Khoury, and Brazilian publisher, João Baptista de Medeiros Vargens, at a ceremony on 27 February at its headquarters in Paris, France. Full text...

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) – The participants at the triennial meeting of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) in Ouagadougou have urged the private sector to become a stakeholder in education and training in African countries. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The eighth edition of the 'Festival on the Niger" opened Thursday in the Malian town of Segou, about 240 kilometres from the capital, Bamako, with many personalities, including ministers witnessing the opening session, PANA learnt from a reliable source. Full text...

Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - The construction of the Denis Sassou Nguesso University in Kintele, a suburb of Brazzaville, the capital of Congo, will begin in April and will end in 2015, Jerome Courbon, Chief Executive Officer of Unicon group which is handling the project, said Thursday. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - British performer Sarah Brightman, one of the world’s few artists to top both pop and classical music charts, will be named UNESCO Artist for Peace at a ceremony in Paris, France, on 8 February. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - The International Institute for Peace (IIP), co-founded by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Forest Whitaker, will formally join forces with the Organization on 7 February with the signing of an agreement between UNESCO, the Institute, the Rutgers University in New Jersey, US, and the US government, the UN agency said in press statement here Friday. Full text...

Luanda, Angola (PANA) – Reggae artistes in Angola, under the Association of Reggae Music Friends (NARA), will organize an international show in Luanda, the Angolan capital, 6 February to mark the 67th birthday anniversary of the "King of Reggae music", the late Bob Marley. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - Óscar Washington Tabárez, the Uruguayan national football team manager, will be named UNESCO Champion for Sport by the Director-General of the UN agency, Irina Bokova, on 30 January, UNESCO disclosed here Friday in a press statement. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - African leaders have been urged to restructure the educational system in their countries so it can inculcate the promotion of indigenous African culture, arts and tradition in the younger generation in order to sustain the continent’s rich cultural heritage. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Education ministers from several African countries and the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) on Wednesday, in Bamako, the Malian capital, launched a language education project aimed at promoting African national languages alongside French, PANA reported from here. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - A Canadian musician of Cameroonian origin, Olivier Cheuwa, has launched the second edition of the project 'Soul Care', aimed at raising money to cater for young African prisoners. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - An international symposium on the creation of art institutions in Africa, being organized by the Raw Material Company, is due to open in Dakar, Senegal, on Wednesday, according to Ms. Koyo Kouoh, the company's artistic director. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - A new contemporary dance company composed exclusively of women and called "Jigéen Jant-Bi" has been established by Senegalese choreographer and dancer Germaine Acogny . Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) - A National Festival on Cultural Diversity began Tuesday in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital, under the theme "Our cultural diversity: a wealth". Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Switzerland-based Senegalese musician Nana Cissokho has urged other musicians to do everything possible to secure their albums against piracy. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - The UNESCO Director-General, Ms. Irina Bokova, on Tuesday expressed her deep sorrow over the death of the internationally-renowned Cape Verdean singer, Ms. Cesaria Evora, who passed away at the age of 70. Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) - A National Festival on Cultural Diversity (FNDC) will be held in Mauritania from 27 to 29 December, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and that of Commerce, Handicrafts and Tourism. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Tunisia's publishing house, Eliza, Saturday won the "Alioune Diop Prize" for the promotion of book publishing in Africa, according to results of the contest announced at the opening of the 13th international Book and teaching materials Fair (FILDAK) holding 17-22 December in Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - Some 50 exhibitors from 10 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa are taking part in the 13th edition of the International Book and educational materials Fair (FILDAK) which started Saturday in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, under the theme: "the cultural industries as drivers of development: Place and prospects for the book". Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - The 13th edition of the International Book Fair of Dakar (FILDAK) is due to open on Saturday in the Senegalese capital, according to a statement from the Ministry of Culture. Full text...

Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - The second International Festival of Saharan and sports tourism will be held from 29 December, 2011, to 2 January, 2012, in the governorates of Kebili and Tatatouine, Tunisia. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - UNESCO will hold an international experts’ meeting and symposium at its Headquarters in Paris, France, from 12 to 16 December to promote the potential contribution of mobile telephones to education, the UN agency said in a press statement Friday. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - Two Tunisians -- Abdelkader Mhiri and Hammadi Sammoud -- have won the Ibn Khaldoum-Senghor prize for translating the "New encyclopedic dictionary of linguistics" from French to Arabic, PANA learnt Thursday from official sources. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The world’s leading academics, experts and underwater archaeologists will look at ways to improve the protection of underwater heritage at a meeting to be held at the Belgian Royal Library in Brussels from 13 to 14 December, according to a press statement from UNESCO in Paris, France, obtained by PANA here Thursday. Full text...

Luanda, Angola (PANA) - The fourth edition of the International Cinema Festival (FIC-Luanda), whose objective is to promote Angolan and international Cinema, as well promote the exchange of experiences between Angolan and foreign film makers, got underway Friday in the Angolan capital, Luanda. Full text...

Luanda, Angola (PANA) - The fourth edition of the International Cinema Festival (FIC-Luanda), whose objective is to promote Angolan and international Cinema, as well promote the exchange of experiences between Angolan and foreign film makers, begins here Friday. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - More than 80 nominations, including Saman Dance from Indonesia, Fado from Portugal and Mariachi music from Mexico, will be considered for inclusion in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage lists at the sixth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, to be held in Bali, Indonesia, from 22-29 November, 2011. Full text...

Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) – The French government will release 300,000 euros for the promotion of the teaching of French in Burundi, according to an agreement signed between officials of the two countries in Bujumbura, the Burundi capital. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - UNESCO will launch the Women Philosophers’ Journal, an online publication available in English and French, as part of this year’s celebration of the World Philosophy Day, at its headquarters here on Thursday, the UN agency said in a press statement Wednesday. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The eighth edition of the Festival on the River Niger will be held from 15 to 19 February, 2012, in Ségou, Mali, PANA learnt in Bamako from the festival organizing committee. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – Gabon became the first country to make a financial donation to the Emergency Multi-Donor Fund, launched Thursday by the UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, a press statement from the UN agency here indicated. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - The Large Hadron Collider, a book about a machine designed to study the beginning of the universe, will be launched at UNESCO on 10 November, the UN agency said in a press statement from its Paris, France, headquarters. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - "From Space to Place", an Image Atlas of World Heritage Sites on the “In Danger” list of UNESCO, will be launched 9 November by Director-General, Irina Bokova, and US Ambassador to UNESCO, David Killion, at the Organization’s Paris Headquarters. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Permanent Memorial Committee have launched an international competition to create a permanent memorial at the headquarters of United Nations, New York, in memory of victims of slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade, said a statement of the organization PANA received. Full text...

Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - Forty-five photographers and 10 video artists from 27 countries are showcasing their works at a two-month international biennial photo festival which began Tuesday in Bamako, the Malian capital, PANA reported here, quoting the Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - UNESCO has said that the decision of the US administration to withhold its contributions to the organization would weaken its (UNESCO's) effectiveness and undermine its ability to build free and open societies. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - With 107 votes in favour and 14 against, the General Conference of UNESCO Monday admitted Palestine as its newest member State, the UN agency said in a statement from its headquarters in Paris, the French capital. Full text...

Luanda, Angola (PANA) – Miss Universe 2011, Angolan Leila Lopes, has pledged to help project her country's image abroad during her reign. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – The South African government on Wednesday saluted the city of Cape Town after being selected as the official World Design Capital for 2014, winning the award ahead of candidates Bilbao, in Spain, and Dublin, Ireland. 
 Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Twenty Malian students benefiting from Algerian scholarships leave Bamako on Tuesday for Algeria to further their studies in building, public works, IT and audiovisual techniques, Mali's employment and vocational training ministry has told PANA. Full text...

Luanda, Angola (PANA) - American R&B singer John Legend will perform at a fundraising gala being organised by the Angolan Red Cross on 5 November 2011. Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - UNESCO has invited experts from both sides of the Libyan conflict as well as from outside of Libya to urgently examine the preservation of the cultural heritage in the north African country, according to a UNESCO press statement issued here Tuesday. Full text...

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian government has split the University of Bamako in four separate universities, saying the measure was to ensure better management of higher education in the country, official sources said Tuesday. Full text...

Rabat, Morocco (PANA) – The 11th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM) will be held 2-10 December, organizers said here Thursday. Full text...

Brussels, Belgium (PANA) – The Congolese comedian, Dieudonné Kabongo, died Tuesday while performing at the cultural centre in Jette, a district of the Belgian capital, Brussels, sources told PANA. Full text...