UNESCO Reads

Where Cultures Meet: Travelling the Silk Roads

What if history could unfold like a journey—through deserts, seas, and ancient cities? In this episode of UNESCO Reads, we explore Let’s Retrace the Silk Roads, a new pop-up book for young readers aged 6 and above. From legendary places like Samarkand and Persepolis to lively bazaars and maritime routes, children discover how the Silk Roads connected people, cultures, and ideas across centuries. Guided by Sarah, Yinuo, and Drake, the magical cat, young readers learn that diversity is a strength, dialogue builds bridges, and cultural exchange helps shape a more peaceful world. Featuring Mehrdad Shabahang (Head of the Silk Roads Programme at UNESCO), Yiran Wang (Junior Professional Officer from Silk Roads Programme at UNESCO), Rosa Tiziana Bruno (Author). Prepared by Diana Sharafieva and Isabelle Le Fournis. Produced by Emmanuel Rudowski. Voiced by Diana Sharafieva and Leni. Photo: © Domenico Russo You can buy the publication on the UNESCO Shop [https://shop.unesco.org/products/let-s-retrace-the-silk-roads-1?_pos=1&_psq=let%27s&_ss=e&_v=1.0]. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.

Guardians of Tomorrow: Inside the Team Planet Series

What does it mean to grow up as a guardian of a world you did not create, but must now protect? In this episode of UNESCO Reads, we explore the Team Planet Series, created in partnership with Hachette UK. Designed for children aged 8 and above, these books follow groups of young explorers as they discover their natural environments and cultural heritage. Through history, science and geography, they uncover why these places matter, the damage they may face, and the solutions being developed to protect them. More than just stories, Team Planet aims to raise awareness of the challenges facing our planet and to inspire the next generation to safeguard them. Featuring Vicky Brooker (publisher at Hachette), Louise Kay Stewart (author of the series), Cristina Puerta (editorial coordinator and Head of Publications at UNESCO) and Manoel Giffoni (expert from UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme and contributor to the writing of Team Planet: Protect Biosphere Reserves). Prepared by Diana Sharafieva and Isabelle Le Fournis. Produced by Emmanuel Rudowski. Voiced by Diana Sharafieva and Leo. Photo: © Victor Medina You can buy the publication on the UNESCO Shop. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.

When the world went quiet, learning moved online — but at what cost?

In March 2020, classrooms from Seoul to São Paulo and Nairobi to New York fell silent, sending 1.6 billion learners home. Screens lit up as laptops became classrooms and phones became teachers. For many, it felt like a rescue; for others, it revealed inequalities long ignored.   In this episode of UNESCO Reads, we revisit this unprecedented global shift, when educational technologies suddenly became the backbone of learning. And we explore how this moment reshaped childhoods, strained systems, and transformed what it meant to teach and to learn. Featuring Mark West (author of UNESCO’s book An Ed-Tech Tragedy), Declan Qualter (PhD candidate at University College Dublin) and Daniel Schwartz (publisher at Routledge). Prepared by Diana Sharafieva and Isabelle Le Fournis. Produced by Emmanuel Rudowski. Voiced by Diana Sharafieva. Photo: © UNESCO/Eleni Debo and Rob Dobi You can buy the publication on the UNESCO Shop [https://shop.unesco.org/products/an-ed-tech-tragedy-educational-technologies-and-school-closures-in-the-time-of-covid-19]. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.

The Secret life of water: Fighting the pollutants we can’t see

Every day, invisible pollutants are seeping into our rivers, lakes, and oceans — threatening ecosystems, human health, and our shared future. In this episode of UNESCO Reads, discover how scientists, policy experts, and young researchers are joining forces to tackle emerging pollutants and protect water quality for generations to come. Featuring Sarantuyaa Zandaryaa (UNESCO), Gabriel Eckstein (Texas A&M University), and Vinicius Diniz (University of Surrey). Prepared by Diana Sharafieva and Isabelle Le Fournis. Produced by Emmanuel Rudowski. Voiced by Diana Sharafieva. Photo: © Spice Footage/Shutterstock.com [http://Shutterstock.com] You can buy the publication on the UNESCO Shop [https://shop.unesco.org/products/emerging-pollutants-protecting-water-quality-for-the-health-of-people-and-the-environment]. Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy [https://ausha.co/privacy-policy] for more information.