United Nations' Dedications: A World Culture in the Making?

World culture, while a core issue for comparative sociology and an influential institution worldwide, is an illusive notion: it is difficult to imagine what norms, values and symbols unite us the world over. Still, some international organizational sites offer a glimpse into world culture; one such site is that of the United Nations' dedication work. Since 1949, the United Nations has expressed commitment to some 125 issues by making formal dedications of decades, years, weeks and days as celebrations, commemorations and focal points for work on the promotion of certain issues; through this work the UN declares these issues to be important for us to promote, protect and cherish. This article (1) traces the bureaucratic history of this UN work and (2) lists the issues that are marked as worthy of international appreciation. In so doing, the article (1) traces the institutionalization of this international cultural site and (2) draws a picture of world culture since 1949. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]