RG XXI: Academy Committee for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Joint Committee for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Historical Note

First known as the Special Committee on UNESCO before partnering in February of 1976 with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the Academy Committee for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and NAS Joint Committee for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was officially in operation from 1975-1979. While a second phase was explored, it was never pursued. The initial Special Committee was chaired by Saville R. Davis, with the chair during the Joint Committee being Roger Revelle, with Saville R. Davis and Arthur Solomon serving as Vice-Chairs representing NAS and the Academy, respectively. 

The committee was formed after Academy Representative on the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, J. Robert Nelson, reported to the Academy Council in 1974 that Israel had been deprived of several membership rights in the agency, by a vote of the governing General Conference. Nelson stated that this had been done as a result of Israel undertaking certain archeological excavations in Jerusalem. The Academy Council then authorized the President to appoint a special committee to consider possible Academy action concerning what was generally termed the "politicization" of UNESCO.

At the first Committee meeting in May 1975, it was decided to draft a letter from Academy President Harvey Brooks addressing the membership on the issue, later read at the Annual Meeting. Further, it was decided to commission a documentary record relating to the past politicization, directed by Daniel G. Partan, and published in two volumes, Documentary Study and Documentary Record, by the Academy in 1975. Further activities were explored, with the participation also of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which would provide recommendations tentatively titled "UNESCO for the Eighties: A Program for Reform and Revitalization", but this never came to fruition. 

Funding was provided by the Ford Foundation

Name Variations

Special Committee on UNESCO (1975-1976)
Academy Committee for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and NAS Joint Committee for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)(1976-1979)

Scope and Content

The series is contained within the Academy Archives’ Record Group XXI: Academy Projects and Programs. This series contains the administrative and project records of the Academy relating to the committee, from 1975-1988. The majority of the records were created or received from 1975-1978 by the executive office of John Voss. Records include correspondence, and background files. Correspondence includes primarily communications between John Voss and committee members, and the Ford Foundation. Background files are the collected files of John Voss, including notes and collected sources.
Of particular note is the October 1975 draft copy of Partan's Documentary Study.

Arrangement

Processing for the series utilized MPLP principles, thus minimum preservation steps were taken. Records have been removed from hanging folders and placed in archival folders, with titles transcribed. Records of the committee were kept within the Executive Office of John Voss. Original order is maintained. This series has no subseries.

Volume

1 records center carton (0.5 linear feet)

Preferred Citation

[Item title, date]. Record Group XXI: Academy Projects – Academy Committee for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Joint Committee for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 1976-1988. Archives, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Subjects

Davis, Saville R.
Nelson, J. Robert (John Robert), 1920-
Partan, Daniel G.
Revelle, Roger, 1909-1991
Solomon, Arthur K. (Arthur Kaskel), 1912-2002
Voss, John, 1917-
Ford Foundation
National Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Unesco
Arab-Israeli conflict
Archaeology
Israel
Palestine
Unesco--Political activity
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization