The 43rd session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference has opened in Samarkand, bringing together representatives from nearly 200 countries.
The forum, held from 30 October to 13 November 2025, aims to strengthen global dialogue on education, science and culture while shaping UNESCO’s strategy for the coming years.
This is the first time in more than forty years that the organisation’s main assembly has convened outside its Paris headquarters.
The decision to host the conference in Samarkand, one of the oldest cities on the Silk Road, symbolises a bridge between civilisations and reflects Uzbekistan’s growing role in international cultural diplomacy.
The conference will adopt UNESCO’s programme and budget through 2027 and elect members to its governing bodies.
Delegates are expected to discuss the role of digital technologies in education, the protection of cultural heritage, and new approaches to sustainable development.
UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, noted that the Samarkand session is taking place at a time of rapid change and global uncertainty, emphasising the need for collective efforts to safeguard humanity’s shared legacy.
In his opening address, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined Uzbekistan’s vision for inclusive and innovative development. He proposed establishing a School of Artificial Intelligence, a UNESCO Academy for Women’s Leadership, and an International Institute of Digital Heritage.
Other initiatives include designating 19 November as the International Day of Documentary Heritage and launching a Green Capital programme that links environmental protection with cultural preservation.
The opening ceremony was also attended by President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia and President Peter Pellegrini of Slovakia as honorary guests. More than 2,800 participants from 190 countries are taking part in the event, including heads of state, ministers and experts.
The conference comes at a complex time for UNESCO, as global tensions and technological disruption reshape international cooperation. Delegates are tasked with agreeing on new funding and policy frameworks to ensure the organisation’s continued relevance.
The session is seen as a moment of renewal, reaffirming the importance of education, science and culture in building understanding across nations.
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For months, efforts to secure the Red Sea have focused on what is happening in the water. Naval deployments have increased, governments have expanded maritime cooperation and shipping companies have adapted to persistent security threats.
Greenland has issued a “strong warning” to a U.S. oil company linked to President Donald Trump after drilling equipment was brought ashore without the required government approvals, according to British media.
A deal on a new route for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is "very close," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said, while warning that the reopening of the waterway depends on the U.S. meeting other conditions, including paying compensation to Iran.
Kazakhstan has begun building the Beineu-Saksaulsk highway, a new Middle Corridor link expected to shorten freight journeys between China and Europe by around 1,000 kilometres and reduce delivery times by up to three days.
Russia has welcomed what it describes as a shift in Georgia’s approach to the August 2008 war, praising statements that place responsibility for the conflict on former President Mikheil Saakashvili and his government.
Uzbekistan has secured preferential tariffs for fertiliser and petroleum product shipments through Kazakhstan’s Kuryk port to Georgian ports, as Uzbek cargo volumes across the Caspian continue to rise.
Police in eastern India used tear gas, batons and water cannon on Monday to disperse thousands of young protesters marching on the Jharkhand state legislature over alleged irregularities in civil service examinations.
Rising temperatures are threatening Georgia’s farms, energy supply and banking sector, with experts warning that the country has a narrow window to prepare before the economic costs grow significantly.
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