The Executive Board of UNESCO is elected by the General Conference every two years and consists of fifty-eight Member States elected from the six regional groups in UNESCO for a maximum of two terms of four years each. In electing members to the Executive Board, certain criteria including the diversities of cultures, geographical distribution and qualification of representatives in at least one mandate area of UNESCO are considered important. The Executive Board is charged with the execution of the mandates statutorily conferred on it or those delegated by the General Conference of UNESCO, including:
- The execution of the Programmes adopted by the General Conference;
- Preparation of the agenda for the General Conference and the examination of the Programme and Budget for the biennium submitted by the Director-General and making recommendations as it considers desirable to the General Conference;
- Advising the United Nations on behalf of UNESCO in between ordinary Sessions on issues already dealt with in principle by the General Conference or when the solutions are implicit in the decisions of the Conference;
- Recommending to the General Conference the admission of new Members to the organization; and
- Recommending for appointment candidates for the post of Director-General.
