In a "Statement on Libraries and Sustainable Development" that was approved by IFLA's Governing Board on 24 August 2002 in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, IFLA says that library and information services help people improve educational and social skills, indispensable in an information society and for sustained participation in democracy.

Calling upon library and information services and their staff to uphold and promote the principles of sustainable development, the world library organization acknowledges the importance of a commitment to sustainable development to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future.

UNESCO is involved in a number of parallel events, side-events and partnership initiatives associated with the World Summit. It has long been concerned with activities related to sustainable development, contributing to many of the streams of action generated by the UN Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio in 1992.

UNESCO's contribution to the World Summit builds on its mandate in the fields of education, science, culture and communication, and on key documents and events such as the UNESCO Medium Term Strategy for 2002-2007, a resolution of the UNESCO General Conference on the Johannesburg Summit, the UN Millennium Declaration, the World Conference on Higher Education, the Dakar 'Education for All' Forum, the World Conference on Science in Budapest, the World Conference on Culture and Development in Stockholm.