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Reports were given by the members present of the activities of their National Commissions and on problems encountered during 1948. The New Zealand delegates reported the appointment of the permanent National Commission and the development of the fellowships scheme whereby five scholars were expected to commence work in 1949 in New Zealand. Criticisms of the UNESCO programme made by the delegation were strongly supported by all speakers who followed. Principally these were concerned with the lack of practical work available to keep Commissions and co-operating bodies interested. Criticisms were made that too many questionnaires were sent to member States and that insufficient information was given on the application of the material gathered. The meeting was of value for the exchange of information on the operation of the UNESCO programme through National Commissions in various member States and for the discussion of difficulties of operation with the Secretariat of UNESCO. The exchange of views should result in 1949 in a more effective prosecution of the programme. The importance of National Commissions in the work of UNESCO was widely recognized and emphasized. DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS The text of the International Declaration of Human Rights was received by the Conference shortly after it had been passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations meeting in Paris. This declaration, for the first time in history, proclaims with world-wide scope those principles of freedom and of the dignity of the human personality for which the peoples of the world have made such heavy sacrifices. The UNESCO Conference adopted the declaration with enthusiasm and agreed to give it the widest possible application in the programme. CONCLUSIONS The Organization as a whole is firmly established, but the work of individual sections is uneven in quality and value. The Secretariat v is efficient, although the New Zealand delegation is convinced that the staff is too large and the administration too costly. Most of the weaknesses can be traced back to the over-ambitious programmes authorized by the General Conference at earlier sessions. Some departments of UNESCO are working within the framework of unrealistic resolutions. Other sections appear to have been formed prematurely.