The full form of UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO was founded in 1945 as the successor to the League of Nations International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation. Its mission is to contribute to the building of a culture of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development, and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication, and information. UNESCO has 195 Members and 8 Associate Members and is governed by the General Conference and the Executive Board. The Secretariat, headed by the Director-General, implements the decisions of these two bodies. The Organization has more than 50 field offices around the world, and its headquarters are located in Paris.