Ashraf AboArafe
The Kingdom, represented by its permanent delegation to UNESCO, with the participation of the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and various competent national bodies, participated in the work of the 217th session of the Executive Council of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), whose sessions concluded yesterday at the organization’s headquarters in the French capital, Paris.
The Kingdom’s delegation to the 217th session of the Executive Council of UNESCO was headed by the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of France and the Principality of Monaco, and the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, in charge, Fahd Al-Ruwaili.
The Saudi delegation participated in a number of items included in the Council’s agenda, stressing the Kingdom’s keenness to lead the field of artificial intelligence in a way that serves humanity, and noting that the Kingdom is one of the first countries to adopt UNESCO’s ethics for artificial intelligence, and one of the first member states to call for its adoption in a way that ensures In return, achieving sustainable development goals.
In the digital learning section; The delegation participated in the current developments in the Saudi education system, pointing to the Kingdom’s leadership in digital education at the Arab level, stressing the Kingdom’s commitment to Goal No. 4 within the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the aspect of vocational and applied education.
The delegation also noted the efforts made by UNESCO to support the creative economy, which in turn contributes to achieving the goals of sustainable development and the global economy, noting that the Kingdom, in cooperation with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), launched the Culture Index in the Islamic World initiative with the aim of strengthening international efforts in this field. And enhancing the participation of Islamic countries in global cultural activities.
The Kingdom renewed its desire to host the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (Mondiacult) in its 2025 edition, thanking UNESCO’s tireless efforts to promote culture as a global public good, and supporting the participatory methodology and comprehensive representation of all member states in a way that ensures support for the right of states to formulate and implement their internal cultural policies. .
The Saudi delegation had participated in the traditional meeting of the national committees held by UNESCO on the sidelines of the 217th Executive Council session, where the delegation delivered a speech in celebration of the partnership that brings together the Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate and UNESCO in a long-term partnership, which includes various projects aimed at preserving heritage, Education, capacity building, environment and creative arts.
On the sidelines of the 217th Executive Council session, the Saudi delegation, represented by the Permanent Delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO, held a dinner party attended by UNESCO employees and various ambassadors from the delegations of the organization’s member states, during which the delegation reviewed the achievements of the Saudi partnership with UNESCO through the Saudi Fund at UNESCO, in addition to To review the Kingdom’s candidacy to renew its membership in the Executive Council of UNESCO, within the framework of cooperation and partnerships that the Kingdom establishes through its membership in the Council.
It is worth noting the continuous progress and strategic partnership achieved by the Kingdom in its work with UNESCO and its being one of its founding countries, represented by the Kingdom’s membership in 12 councils, committees and groups affiliated with the organization, in addition to its selection by unanimous vote to host the work of the expanded 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, which witnessed the inclusion of… Uruq Bin Maarid Reserve is on the World Heritage List as the seventh Saudi world heritage site to be registered, and the Kingdom chairs an open-ended working group for member states of the World Heritage Convention.
