Belarusian delegation participates in the 42nd General Conference of UNESCO

On November 7-22, 2023 Paris hosts the 42nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO. The Delegation of the Republic of Belarus is taking part in the Conference. The General Conference is conducted once every two years and is the most important event in the Organization’s activity, where decisions on strategic issues are taken.

In his statements at the plenary session, the Deputy Permanent Delegate of Belarus to UNESCO, Kirill Grushevsky, noted the serious importance that our country attaches to cooperation with UNESCO, supported the Organization’s programme for the forthcoming period, and expressed Belarus’ readiness to promote unifying initiatives aimed at overcoming the dividing lines between countries and peoples. 

The Belarusian diplomat regretted the ongoing blatant politicization of the activities of the UN specialized agencies, among which UNESCO is no exception. In this regard, he drew the delegates’ attention to the unilateral coercive measures practiced by certain Western States, which, as practice shows, primarily target the most vulnerable segments of the population, including in countries not directly affected by such measures.

The topic of freedom of speech also becomes a subject of political manipulation and one of the ways to fight against alternative points of view. In this connection, K.Grushevsky reminded that several dozens of representatives of the Belarusian state media are currently under Western sanctions for performing their professional duties. 

K.Grushevsky informed that Belarus had sent an invitation to UNESCO with a proposal for a visit to the Belovezhskaya Pushcha by experts of the World Heritage Center and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The invitation was prepared in accordance with the decision of the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which expressed deep concern about the construction by Poland of a border barrier in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The invited experts will have to assess the negative impact of the barrier erected in the protected forest.

Next year Belarus will celebrate the 70th anniversary of its accession to UNESCO.

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