Sheikha Mozah pledges to support cash-strapped UNESCO

Qatar’s first lady Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser has pledged to help the United Nations’ cultural agency in fulfilling its education goals after the group lost 22 percent of its funding from the United States last month. The U.S. froze $65 million in contributions to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after member states voted to make Palestine a full member of the group. U.S. legislation prohibits funding for any UN agency that grants full membership to any group that is not internationally recognized as a state. As Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education, Sheikha Mozah called on other countries to pitch in and ensure UNESCO’s main activities don’t suffer from the budget shortfall.