Madam France Marquet, SAF Representative to UNESCO attended UNESCO's 43rd General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

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News Samarkand, Uzbekistan - 13th November 2025

UNESCO General Conference 43rd session
Samarkand, Uzbekistan — Madam France Marquet, SAF Representative to UNESCO attended UNESCO's 43rd General Conference on 13 November 2025, held outside Paris for the first time in four decades, marked a historic moment for global cooperation in education, science, culture, and information. The session saw the official appointment of Khaled El-Enany as UNESCO’s new Director-General, emphasizing the organization’s renewed focus on dialogue and shared solutions to global challenges.

UNESCO General Conference 43rd session

A major milestone was the adoption of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology, the world’s first global framework guiding ethical governance in this rapidly advancing field. Outgoing Director-General Audrey Azoulay highlighted UNESCO’s strengthened role as the ethical compass for emerging technologies, from AI to neurotech, with several panels exploring their societal impact.

The Conference also celebrated global achievements, including the inaugural UNESCO–Uzbekistan Beruniy Prize for AI ethics and the UNESCO–Greece Melina Mercouri Prize, awarded to Kenya’s Wazee wa Mazingira for safeguarding cultural landscapes.

High-level dialogues brought together ministers, scientists, and cultural leaders to rethink education, technology, and truth in the 21st century. Exhibitions, youth forums, and cultural programs across Samarkand further showcased UNESCO’s legacy and its vision for a more humane, inclusive, and technologically responsible future.

Source: UNESCO