VICTORIA, Seychelles, November 4/APO Group: Seychelles has reaffirmed its commitment to education, culture, and sustainable development during the 43rd UNESCO General Conference, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 29 to November 14. The Seychelles delegation, led by Ambassador Georges Tirant, Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Seychelles to UNESCO, joined global leaders and representatives for this historic session – the first in 40 years to be held outside UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
Chaired by Bangladesh’s Ambassador, H. E. Mr. Khondker M. Talha, the conference brought together UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, and Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia, and Peter Pellegrini of Slovakia, among others. As UNESCO’s highest governing body, the General Conference adopted the Draft Programme and Budget for 2026–2029 and discussed key areas including education, sciences, culture, and communication.
In his address, Ambassador Tirant thanked UNESCO for adopting the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), describing it as vital for addressing the challenges of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). He emphasised Seychelles’ ongoing commitment towards good governance, transparency, and inclusive development under President Patrick Herminie.
Highlighting education as central to sustainable growth, he acknowledged UNESCO’s support through the Institute of Early Childhood Development (IECD), a Category II Centre in Seychelles that promotes regional collaboration. The IECD will host its second regional workshop in Mahé in November 2025.
During the session, Ambassador Tirant also announced Seychelles’ preparation of a nomination dossier for Venn’s Town to join the UNESCO World Heritage List. The delegation included senior officials and youth representative Victoria Alis, who participated in the 14th UNESCO Youth Forum.
