OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

BACKGROUND

In the framework of the “Fostering Positive Social Transformations in AlUla” project in partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla (Saudi Arabia), UNESCO is developing a set of activities to create a vision and guidance for promoting intercultural dialogue and learning at museums and heritage sites.

While supporting AlUla’s aspiration of becoming a global destination for art, culture and nature tourism and creating the world’s largest Living Museum, this initiative will also develop a longer-term vision for promoting intercultural understanding through heritage, thus contributing to UNESCO’s strategic objective of building inclusive, just and peaceful societies. This project is also in line with the UNESCO’s Recommendation concerning the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections, their Diversity and their Role in Society, adopted in 2015, which underlines the key role of museums and heritage preservation in fostering intercultural dialogue, social integration and cohesion.

One of the key objectives of this project is to promote the role of museums and heritages sites as spaces for intercultural dialogue and learning by designing a visitor experience that would enable the participants to develop intercultural competencies through engaging in live dialogue and sharing their cultural inheritance with each other. This experience will be designed during the Intercultural Training Week for museum and heritage site management professionals that will be held in Paris on 17-21 February 2025.

In particular, this experience will build upon UNESCO’s work to promote intercultural competencies through the UNESCO Story Circles methodology which has been used for several years to equip individuals with knowledge, skills and attitudes for effective and appropriate communication across differences, such as listening, empathy, critical thinking, cultural self-awareness, respect for diversity, and a sense of common humanity.

As part of this project, UNESCO will produce a publication which will serve as a guide for museums and heritage sites in promoting intercultural dialogue and learning.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Under the overall authority of the Chief of the Section for Inclusion, Rights and Intercultural Dialogue and the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist, and in close coordination with the Associate Project Officer, the Individual Specialist shall:

• Lead the design and development of the publication exploring the role of museums and heritage sites in promoting intercultural learning – through examining the existing case studies and developing future guidance;
• Make sure the publication describes key approaches and methodologies in intercultural learning;
• Highlight the role of museums and heritage sites as key spaces for intercultural dialogue and learning;
• Provide an overview of the existing initiatives promoting intercultural learning at museums and demonstrating how heritage can foster dialogue through an evidence-based approach;
• Ensure the publication features several successful case studies promoting intercultural understanding at scale from around the world;
• Outline the methodology and proposed impact assessment tools for the visitor experience designed as part of this project, providing a structured algorithm for replicating this experience in various cultural and institutional contexts.

The final publication will be launched at UNESCO at the end of the project will be freely accessible through the UNESCO Digital Library.

The Individual Specialist will work remotely. The period of assignment is approximately 90 days distributed over the period of 11 months from 1 February to 31 December 2025, to ensure that the publication captures the key stages of project development.

The Individual Specialist will also be expected to travel to Paris for the Intercultural Training Week from 17 to 21 February 2025 to gather material for the publication (travel expenses will be covered or reimbursed by UNESCO in accordance with the organization’s existing travel provisions).

DELIVERABLES

The Individual Specialist shall conduct comprehensive research, including extensive literature review, analysis and synthesis, as well as interviewing and collecting testimonials as necessary, in order to prepare, in coordination with the project team, and submit the publication draft by 31 December 2025 (approximately 100 pages). In particular, the Individual Specialist shall:

1. Provide rationale for fostering the role of museums and heritage sites as key spaces for intercultural dialogue and learning (introduction);
2. Describe the existing approaches and methodologies in intercultural learning that could be used in designing visitor experiences at museums and heritage sites;
3. Provide an overview of the existing initiatives promoting intercultural learning at museums and heritage sites;
4. Identify and describe 3-5 successful case studies of such initiatives from around the world demonstrating evidence-based impact;
5. Participate in the Intercultural Training Week in Paris and provide a structured algorithm for the visitor experience designed as part of this project (as one of the case studies);
6. Provide recommendations for museums and heritage sites for fostering intercultural dialogue and learning (conclusion).

In the implementation of the assignment, the selected candidate is expected to:

• Comply with intermediary deadlines for the submission of the different parts of the publication agreed upon with the project team;
• Duly consider the feedback, comments, and suggestions of the UNESCO Secretariat and the project team coordinating the publication;
• Review the work and make any changes UNESCO considers desirable, following feedback from internal and external reviewers;
• Copy edit and finalize the draft in collaboration with UNESCO, using the UNESCO Style Manual for publications.

The Individual Specialist shall be responsible for finalizing the publication by 31 December 2025 and ensuring that the final product meets UNESCO’s quality standards.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant field, such as intercultural education, intercultural communication, museum studies, anthropology, or related fields of social and human sciences.

Work Experience

• A minimum of 5 (five) years of relevant professional experience in the field intercultural learning and education, including hands-on experience in designing and delivering intercultural training.

Skills/Competencies

• Deep understanding of intercultural dialogue, including impact assessment techniques;
• Advanced knowledge of intercultural competence frameworks and intercultural learning methodologies.
• Advanced skills in information research, analysis and synthesis.
• Strong qualitative research skills, including interviewing.
• Excellent drafting and editing skills in English.
• Ability to work in cooperation with multicultural teams and partners.
• Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent (written and oral) communication and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of UNESCO’s mandate and work in the field of intercultural dialogue.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of (written and spoken) English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• PhD in a relevant field.

Languages

• Knowledge of Arabic or other UN languages.