The 222nd session of UNESCO’s Executive Board is currently taking place. Made up of delegates from 58 Member States, including Italy, the Board meets twice a year and serves as the Organization’s principal body for policy guidance and strategic direction.
Ambassador Liborio Stellino, Italy’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, chairs the Programme and External Relations Commission (PX), which is tasked with addressing some of the most pressing issues on the international agenda. In this role, the Commission defines UNESCO’s positions on crisis situations such as those in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. The Executive Board is also responsible for taking key decisions to UNESCO’s programmes, including the advancement of strategic priorities such as Africa, the development of a comprehensive strategy to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities, and the strengthening of initiatives in peace education.
Within this framework, on Tuesday 7 October, the Board appointed Professor Khaled El Enany as the new Director-General of UNESCO. A former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Professor El Enany will formally assume office for a four-year term following his election by the General Conference, which brings together all UNESCO Member States and will convene next month in Samarkand.
The current session of the ExecutiveBoard also provides a crucial opportunity to shape UNESCO’s strategy for the coming four years, equipping the Organization with the vision, tools, and priorities needed to confront the major global challenges ahead.
