Paris (VNA) – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) should strengthen its distinctive role in laying the foundations for peace and promoting equitable, humane, inclusive and sustainable development amid profound changes in the international order, said Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to UNESCO.
She made the remarks at a plenary meeting on October 9 during the 225th session of UNESCO’s Executive Board held in Paris from October 8 to 20, 2026.
The ambassador reaffirmed Vietnam’s support for UNESCO’s role in its fields of expertise, highlighting the organisation’s leadership in accelerating progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on quality education.
On culture, she welcomed the UN General Assembly’s proclamation of the International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development (2027-2036), a Vietnamese initiative, and stressed UNESCO’s role in turning its goals into concrete action.
For digital technology, the Vietnamese diplomat called for inclusive, safe, transparent and responsible technology governance that puts people at the centre while respecting national sovereignty and digital sovereignty. She also expressed support for exploring a normative instrument concerning youth and the digital environment in the age of artificial intelligence.
The diplomat reaffirmed Vietnam’s support for the UNESCO 80 reform process, aimed at improving the organisation’s operational efficiency.
Marking 50 years of Vietnam-UNESCO cooperation (1976-2026), she highlighted Vietnam’s shift from an aid recipient to an active partner in shaping UNESCO’s strategic orientations. The Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Heritage and Authenticity, recently co-organised in Vietnam, reflects this growing cooperation, she said.
The Vietnamese official called on countries to strengthen cooperation and solidarity, reinforce multilateralism and restore trust based on respect for the UN Charter and international law, with a view to translating shared commitments into tangible benefits for people in all countries.
Bringing together representatives of 58 member states and observer countries, the 225th session of UNESCO’s Executive Board reviews the implementation of UNESCO’s programmes and activities, governance, including the UNESCO 80 reform process./.
