UAE elected Vice President of UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference in Samarkand

📷WAM

SAMARKAND, November 10, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The United Arab Emirates has been elected Vice President of the 43rd session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 30 to November 13, with participation from 194 member states.

Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture and Chair of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, led the UAE delegation to the conference. The delegation included Ali Alhaj Al Ali, Permanent Delegate of the UAE to UNESCO; Ebtesam Al Zaabi, Acting Secretary-General of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science; and representatives from national entities across the culture, education, and environment sectors.

During the session, UNESCO announced the inclusion of the late Emirati poet Ahmed Bin Sulayem and the United Arab Emirates University in its 2026–2027 Anniversaries Programme, which honors individuals and institutions with global contributions to culture, education, science, and peace.

Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to advancing UNESCO’s mission, highlighting investment in knowledge, cultural understanding, and scientific progress as key to building a sustainable future. He also announced the UAE’s candidacy for membership of the UNESCO Executive Board for the period 2027–2031 during the General Policy Debate.

“In the UAE, we are committed to building peace through education, science, and culture. These pillars of UNESCO’s mandate form the foundation of the multilateralism our world urgently needs,” Sheikh Salem said. “Beyond the 2030 Agenda, our collective actions must be agile and forward-looking to meet new challenges and seize emerging opportunities.”

He emphasized the importance of international cooperation in protecting cultural heritage, citing the UAE’s collaboration with UNESCO on the Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative as a model for post-conflict cultural recovery efforts.

The conference reflected the UAE’s growing role in cultural diplomacy. In addition to being elected Vice President of UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference, the UAE currently chairs the Arab Group at UNESCO.

UNESCO’s inclusion of Ahmed Bin Sulayem, a leading figure in classical and Nabati poetry, marks the 50th anniversary of his passing and acknowledges his impact on the cultural and literary landscape of the Gulf region. The inclusion of the United Arab Emirates University commemorates the institution’s 50th anniversary, recognizing its pioneering contribution to higher education in the country and the wider region.

Earlier this year, UNESCO also celebrated the centenary of the birth of the prominent Emirati poet Sultan bin Ali Al Owais, underlining the UAE’s continued recognition for its cultural and intellectual contributions on the global stage.