UNESCO conference kicks off in Samarkand: What benefits does it bring to Uzbekistan?

On October 30, Samarkand hosts a major global event — the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference. Preparations at the Congress Center are in full swing. However, some may still wonder: what exactly is UNESCO, what does it do, and how will holding its conference in Samarkand benefit Uzbekistan? Let’s explore these questions.

UNESCO — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — was established on November 16, 1945, with the aim of promoting peace and international security by fostering cooperation among nations in education, culture, and communication.

Today, UNESCO is a global network uniting over 190 countries. It operates in areas such as education, science, culture, freedom of information, and the preservation of humanity’s heritage. Its most well-known project is the World Heritage List, which includes the most outstanding cultural and natural monuments created by humankind. Through its programs — Intangible Cultural Heritage, Biosphere Reserves Network, and Memory of the World — UNESCO continues to protect global cultural diversity.

At the same time, the organization has faced criticism, particularly for its inaction in certain crisis situations. How does UNESCO respond to such criticism? We discussed this with Matthew Gawell, UNESCO’s Director of Communications.

“It’s no secret that multilateral action and cooperation are often subject to strong criticism. To some extent, that’s normal — the work we do is extremely complex, and it’s always easier to point out what doesn’t work than to highlight what does. But we are here precisely to demonstrate that multilateral action does work.

UNESCO completely rebuilt the historic center of Mosul, which was destroyed by ISIS in 2017. The Al-Adba Minaret, the Al-Nuri Mosque, entire churches, and 125 historic sites in the old city of Mosul were fully restored in collaboration with the European Union and the United Arab Emirates.

UNESCO was also the first — and remains the only — global agency to adopt a recommendation on the ethics of artificial intelligence. This document, adopted in 2021, serves as a guiding framework for governments to understand and manage AI responsibly. To date, more than 70 countries have aligned their AI policies with UNESCO’s principles.

In just a few days, we are also set to adopt the first-ever instrument on the ethics of neurotechnology.

How does the brain interact with computers and screens? Should we use brain capacity to treat diseases, or to expand the limits of what we call the human being? All these discussions take place within UNESCO. We have hundreds of such examples that prove multilateralism is effective.

Of course, it’s easier to talk about what doesn’t work — but this is precisely why it’s called work. Building peace is a gradual process. It’s not easy — but that’s exactly why the United Nations and UNESCO exist. And we will continue to do this every day,” said Gawell.

Ruth Carek, Secretary-General of the Croatian National Commission for UNESCO, praised the decision to hold the conference in Samarkand and congratulated Uzbekistan.

“I think it’s a wonderful thing. I congratulate you and UNESCO for organizing such an event. This General Conference is one of the few held outside UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, France. So, I sincerely congratulate you — you are hosting it at the highest level,” she said.

Ahead of the General Conference, a Youth Forum was also held, bringing together representatives from more than 140 countries. The forum was titled ‘Climate Action and Its Social Impact, Especially for Youth’. Participants exchanged experiences, held discussions, and adopted a resolution at the end. But what power does this document have, and can it influence global climate action? Forum participants shared their thoughts.

“This is a very important question because it’s about accountability. Accountability is a key word — it’s something we must start demanding now.

The UNESCO General Conference takes place only once every few years, so its impact is long-term. It’s not just about what decisions young people propose — it’s about what happens next. I will present these recommendations to the Swiss National Commission for UNESCO, which invited me here and supported my participation.

As young people of Switzerland, we believe we have the power to influence change. The goal is to explain why some of these ideas should be adopted and how they can be implemented in our national context. Ultimately, this inspires future generations of policymakers to take climate issues seriously,” said Swiss delegate Marta Feragoza Navarro.

Wafi Umaro, a representative from Sierra Leone, spoke about environmental challenges in his country.

“Today, the whole world is suffering from the consequences of climate change. When we talk about climate change, it’s not about one person — it’s about many.

As youth, we have innovation, skills, and ideas to fight climate change. We must connect and find ways to address these global problems together. In Sierra Leone, about 60 percent of our population are farmers, but many lose most of their harvest after collection. To tackle this, I decided to create a solar-powered dryer with a cooling system. It’s already making a difference in our communities,” he said.

Rennie Atwell, a delegate from Trinidad and Tobago, acknowledged the challenges but expressed hope that the Youth Forum’s recommendations would reach policymakers attending the General Conference.

“Climate change remains a highly urgent issue. Yet many countries are divided over how much financial assistance should be provided — especially to states on the front lines of the crisis.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, we are here to advocate for small developing island nations to be recognized as a unique group in urgent need of global support. We contribute very little to climate change but bear its heaviest burden.

It will be difficult to push governments to adopt our recommendations, but we came here to advocate, and we hope they will listen,” he said.

For the first time in 40 years, UNESCO’s General Conference is being held outside Paris. The event brings together high-level delegates, including presidents and ministers. Follow the developments on QALAMPIR.UZ.