This has led to compilers and some languages like Python (optionally) allowing for the use of UTF-32 to represent Unicode strings. Of all the Unicode formats, UTF-8 is however the most popular by far.

A Unicode string is just like a regular Python string, except it uses characters, rather than bytes. Indeed, Python 2's Unicode strings are just like Python 3's default strings.

I need a function that will convert any string into unicode; that supports things like letters with accents and whatnot.I might have my terminology wrong ...

More specifically, the Unicode string in question is part of a much longer block of text that cannot be fully rendered in Notifications.