Gaza added to UNESCO's activity reports following Türkiye's initiative

With Türkiye's initiative, Gaza will now be included in the future activity reports of UNESCO.

Türkiye's Permanent Representative to UNESCO Ambassador Gulnur Aybet said the 219th Executive Board Meeting of UNESCO was "intense and productive" in her speech on the final day of the meeting.

"Even though agreement may be impossible on everything, with some understanding and skill, we can reach agreement on acceptable points and decide how far we can take this institution." Aybet highlighted the potential for consensus in this session. 

Expressing satisfaction with UNESCO's Action Plan for Gaza, Aybet indicated dissatisfaction with the presentation format of UNESCO's draft concerning Gaza.

Aybet emphasized the necessity of sharing and discussing agenda items with member states before the board convenes, suggesting that it would ease the process of reaching a consensus.

"We are pleased that UNESCO's forthcoming biennial report, including activities in Gaza and all activities in conflict situations, will be reported," stated Aybet.

She recounted how the entire United Nations system emerged from the ashes of a horrific war on a global scale, highlighting that crimes against humanity were committed, and these institutions were established with the aim of "never again."

Aybet pointed out that despite this, wars and crimes against humanity have been repeated multiple times since then, emphasizing that even 30 years after the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, vulnerable people are still dying.

Aybet underscored that principles form the basis of the mandates of international institutions. "When there are no children to teach, no journalists to tell us what happened, and nothing left to rebuild or reconstruct, then our mandate becomes meaningless," Aybet stated.

'Rule of law is for everyone, not just for some'

Aybet stated to her colleagues that their mandates encompass more than just the issues reflected in UNESCO's name, adding, "Our mandate also includes the principles on which the UN system is based."

In a period of declining trust in international institutions, Aybet expressed the responsibility to rebuild that trust, stating, "An international system based on the rule of law is for everyone, not just for some. If institutions want to maintain their legitimacy, they must be inclusive of everyone."

Aybet emphasized that institutions should not fear change.

Türkiye's initiative addresses crimes against sacred texts

Additionally, Türkiye's initiative during this meeting resulted in the inclusion of crimes against sacred texts as violations of international law in a U.N. General Assembly resolution, which was added to UNESCO's decision on racism, discrimination, and hate crimes.

Source: Newsroom