Statement by the Head of the Delegation of the Republic of Belarus at the 43rd session of the General Conference of UNESCO (November 1, 2025, Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan)
01 November 2025
Mr. President of the General Conference,
Madam Chairperson of the Executive Board,
Madam Director-General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the delegation of the Republic of Belarus, I extend my greetings to all participants of the 43rd session of the General Conference of UNESCO.
First and foremost, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the friendly Republic of Uzbekistan for the warm hospitality and the high level of organization of this important international event. The holding of the General Conference in Samarkand – a unique city often referred to as a crossroads of cultures – is indeed a historic occasion for UNESCO.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
Eighty years ago, the most devastating war in human history came to an end.
The true meaning of history, as understood by contemporaries, represents a shared value for all peoples – one that embodies fair assessments and lessons for future generations.
Preserving historical truth in textbooks and academic research must be given the highest importance. The revision of the outcomes of historical events to suit political expediency is unacceptable.
In this regard, the Republic of Belarus believes that issues related to the preservation and dissemination of historical truth about the Second World War, as well as the inviolability of burial sites and monuments to the liberators and victims, must remain a constant focus of UNESCO’s work.
It is unacceptable to downplay the decisive contribution of the Soviet Union to the victory over fascism, the immense sacrifices of the peoples of the USSR, and the heroism of the soldiers of the Red Army – as it is equally unacceptable to ignore the fact of the genocide of the Belarusian people.
At a time of conflicts accompanying the shaping of a new world order, UNESCO’s attention to the lessons of the most terrible of past wars is a crucial condition for fulfilling the Organization’s mandate.
Today, regionalism is gaining strength, multipolarity is becoming a reality, and the power of civilizational diversity is becoming an undeniable fact that cannot be ignored. The contribution of so-called developed countries to the global economy and culture is rapidly being balanced by the growing role of the Global South.
Alongside positive developments, these trends unfortunately also entail negative potential: competition for natural resources, markets, and people is intensifying.
What can UNESCO do to ensure that the emerging world becomes one without wars – a world of equality among nations and a revival of international law?
As one of the possible answers to this question, the Belarusian side recalls the initiative put forward by the President of the Republic of Belarus at the 2005 UN World Summit – the recognition of the diversity of paths of progressive development as a value of human civilization. Strengthening in this way the ethical foundations of international relations would pave the way for solving many problems.
Modern global challenges demand a coordinated response from all nations. Such efforts will be ineffective if they are based on differing notions of justice, good, rights, duties, and responsibility for the common good.
Therefore, international relations need shared ethical standards. A global ethic and its implementation in the actions of every State would make it possible, in practice, to ensure a collective response to global challenges – substantiating and building such political imperatives as the acceptance of multipolar reality, the recognition of diversity, and the creation of indivisible security.
Such changes in international relations will not occur by themselves. They will follow from changes in the worldview of humankind. This will clearly require abandoning the absolutization of individual rights and freedoms, and moving away from the ideology of consumerism and personal comfort in favor of duties and responsibility.
Achieving this result will require joint efforts not only from States and politicians, but also from the worlds of science, culture, art, education, and religion.
Thus, UNESCO has a vast field of work before it. We sincerely wish that these transformations occur through peaceful means rather than as a result of a global tragedy.
In this context, Belarus welcomes the election of Professor Al-Anani as the new Director-General of UNESCO and wishes him every success in the fulfillment of his responsible mission. We are confident that his experience and commitment to UNESCO’s ideals will contribute effectively to the implementation of the Organization’s mandate.
Belarus not only shares UNESCO’s ideals and objectives but also works daily to put them into practice.
In particular, we sincerely welcome the efforts of States striving to preserve and transmit their cultural heritage to future generations, and we look forward to the inclusion of new elements in the Representative List of UNESCO, including the “Neglyubka Textile Traditions” of the Homiel Region of Belarus.
Education remains a strategic priority of our country: we view investment in human beings as the key to sustainable development. Belarus attaches special importance to ensuring universal access to quality education and lifelong learning.
I would like to draw attention to the fact that Belarusian universities provide quality and affordable education for foreign citizens. The high level of our education system and the competitiveness of Belarusian diplomas are proven by many years of practice and by hundreds of thousands of successful graduates from more than a hundred countries around the world.
Cooperation within UNESCO contributes to the national economy and to the strengthening of the social sphere, to the sustainable development of every country – it is a mark of quality for the institutions and programs concerned.
Thus, today, as eight decades ago, the mission of our Organization – namely, to strengthen mutual understanding and promote sustainable development through education, science, culture and communication – remains more relevant than ever.
Belarus stands firmly against the politicization of UNESCO’s work and against using this tribune for settling political scores. Although we have serious concerns regarding a number of Western countries that violate UNESCO standards – including by discriminating against Belarusian journalists in the exercise of freedom of expression, by restricting the right of Belarusian citizens to freedom of movement, thereby infringing on their cultural and educational rights, and by violating the protection regime of jointly managed natural heritage sites – we remain open to discussing any disagreements in a bilateral format, on an equal and mutually respectful basis.
We wish all delegations fruitful work at this Conference, and the greatest possible effectiveness and relevance of its outcomes.
