Vietnam successfully completed its term as a member of the UNESCO Executive Council for the 2021-2025 period.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ngo Le Van affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to multilateral cooperation and the role of UNESCO, and pledges to continue to make more proactive and positive contributions to common work.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ngo Le Van led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the 222nd session of the UNESCO Executive Board.

On October 6 and 7, the opening plenary session of the 222nd Session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) took place in Paris with the participation of 57 member countries and more than 100 observer countries.

This is an important meeting to nominate key UNESCO Leadership positions such as UNESCO Director-General for the 2025-2029 term and President of the 43rd UNESCO General Conference. Deputy Foreign Minister Ngo Le Van led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the meeting.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van spoke at the opening session.

Speaking at the opening session, Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van said that in the context of the world facing many challenges such as conflicts, unilateralism, climate change, inequality, and the explosion of artificial intelligence, UNESCO needs to continue to contribute to strengthening multilateralism and international law, carry out extensive reforms, diversify partnerships, enhance its image, and affirm its role as the "common home of human intelligence and humanity".

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van shared about Vietnam's new policies such as exempting tuition fees for all public school students from 2025, promulgating the Law on Teachers, especially the key Resolutions on education and training development, science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation, and the upcoming cultural revival and development, which are highly appreciated by other countries.

Vietnamese delegation attends the 222nd session of the UNESCO Executive Board.

The Deputy Minister proposed that UNESCO continue to promote its pioneering role in promoting lifelong learning, digital transformation in education, ensuring equal access to knowledge for everyone; ethics in artificial intelligence, open science, biodiversity conservation, water security and ocean governance; promoting the role of culture in inclusive growth, social cohesion, climate change response, and resilience enhancement.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to multilateral cooperation and the role of UNESCO; commits to continue to make more proactive and positive contributions to common work, including the proposal to establish an "International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development" and host the Meeting of the Steering Committee of the International Hydrological Program for the Asia-Pacific region, in conjunction with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Program's establishment and the 60th anniversary of the UNESCO Water Science Program in October 2025.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van met with UNESCO Director-General nominee Khaled El-Enany.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van and nominated General Director Khaled El-Enany with delegates.

On this occasion, Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van had meetings and worked with current and future leaders of UNESCO, including current Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Director-General-nominee Khaled El-Enany (to be officially appointed at the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference in November 2025), Deputy Director-General Xing Qu, Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences Lidia Brito, and Heads of delegations of several member countries of the Executive Board, to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The Deputy Minister also worked with Director of the World Heritage Center Lazare Eloundou Assomo and Director General of ICOMOS Marie-Laure Lavenir on cooperation in preserving and promoting the values ​​of world heritages in Vietnam.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van met with UNESCO Deputy Director-General Xing Qu.

The Deputy Minister hopes that the UNESCO Leaders and Secretariat will pay attention to, provide consulting support for, and support Vietnam's heritage nominations such as Oc Eo-Ba The Archaeological Site, Con Moong Cave, Cu Chi Tunnels Relic Site, Co Loa Relic Site; Dong Ho Folk Painting Art; and other titles such as Hanoi City participating in the Global Learning Cities Network, Ho Chi Minh City participating in the Creative Cities Network, etc.

In particular, Vietnam wishes to continue receiving support and professional advice in preserving and promoting the value of world heritages recognized by UNESCO, including the Project to preserve, restore and promote the value of the Central Area of ​​the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long-Hanoi associated with the restoration of Kinh Thien Palace and the main space of Kinh Thien Palace.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van met with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone.

During working sessions and meetings, UNESCO leaders and heads of delegations from countries all considered Vietnam a strategic and trustworthy partner of UNESCO.

Highly appreciating Vietnam for successfully fulfilling its role as a member of the UNESCO Executive Council for the 2021-2025 period and continuing to be an active member, making responsible, important and effective contributions to common cooperation in other key management mechanisms, UNESCO leaders and heads of delegations of countries hope that Vietnam will continue to share with other countries about cultural and educational policies and experiences in harmonizing heritage conservation with sustainable development.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van Lam and Director of the World Heritage Center Lazare Eloundou Assomo.

Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van worked with Director of the World Heritage Center Lazare Eloundou Assomo.

UNESCO and ICOMOS leaders pledged to support and accompany Vietnam in building and promoting heritage dossiers proposed by the Head of the Vietnamese delegation and wished to soon return to visit Vietnam.

Vietnamese delegation worked with ICOMOS Director General.

The 222nd session of the UNESCO Executive Board will continue until October 16, discussing cooperation in all areas of education, culture, science, human resources, management, and external relations of the Organization.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/viet-nam-hoan-thanh-xuat-sac-nhiem-ky-thanh-vien-hoi-dong-chap-hanh-unesco-giai-doan-2021-2025-330364.html