Moscow, Nov 21 (Agency) UNESCO declines to establish new associated schools in Russia under some far-fetched pretexts, Grigory Ordzhonikidze, Secretary-General of the Russian Commission for UNESCO, told Sputnik. “All of our applications for new UNESCO academic departments and associated schools have been rejected,” Ordzhonikidze said. The official also criticized the refusal of UNESCO Secretariat to publicly condemn the murder of Russian journalist Daria Dugina, dubbing it “outrageous.”
“Apparently, this is because they can now forgive Ukrainians anything, even terrorist attacks,” the diplomat said. Ordzhonikidze pointed out that such decisions backfire on UNESCO’s image and global standing. The UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) was launched in 1953 to raise the awareness about the UN and UNESCO itself, encourage preservation of cultural and natural heritage and promote human rights. The USSR joined the initiative in 1966.