Hosting of 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand

The 43rd UNESCO General Conference was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 30 October to 13 November 2025, marking a historic milestone in the organisation’s history as the first time the conference has convened outside UNESCO’s Paris headquarters in over 40 years. The event brought together representatives from all 194 Member States, along with ministers, heads of delegations, academics, cultural leaders, and civil society actors, to set priorities and adopt policies for the organisation’s work in education, science, culture, communication, and information over the next biennium. Hosting the conference underscored Uzbekistan’s expanding role on the international stage and its commitment to cultural diplomacy and global cooperation. During the session, Member States engaged in debates on key global challenges, including the ethics of emerging technologies, intercultural dialogue, and sustainable development. A major highlight was the election of Khaled El‑Enany as UNESCO’s new Director‑General, succeeding Audrey Azoulay, and the adoption of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology—a pioneering global normative framework addressing the governance of rapidly evolving technologies. The conference also featured cultural exhibitions and events celebrating heritage and creativity, reflecting Samarkand’s symbolic status as a crossroads of civilizations. In addition to high‑level policy decisions, the conference provided a forum for side events, youth engagement initiatives, and diplomatic interaction that reinforced UNESCO’s multilateral mandate and visions for global cooperation in education, culture, and science.