The 42nd session of the General Conference approves historic increase in UNESCO's budget

Member States adopted the Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development. The Recommendation is the only international legal text exclusively focusing on education's role in building societies where learners can lead a life of dignity, in good health, and free from violence. The text updates the "1974" Recommendation that almost 50 years ago united Member States in positioning education as a key driver of peace and international understanding. For the past two years, UNESCO has been revising this visionary tool to ensure it responds to today's greatest challenges and future shocks.

Proposals for communication and information in the digital age adapted to the age of artificial intelligence have also been put forward. Member States decided to launch the preliminary study on the technical and legal aspects relating to the desirability of a standard-setting instrument on the ethics of neuro technologies - giving UNESCO a clear mandate to draw up a standard - setting instrument on this subject.

During the conference, the Director-General was able to underline that UNESCO's work on water, biosphere and oceans has been consolidated, and that many other initiatives have been put forward to rebuild its relationship with nature. Enabling the launch of the new Biodiversity Portal, which brings together data from over 2000 UNESCO designated sites, including World Heritage sites, geoparks and biosphere reserves, to support Member States in achieving internationally agreed biodiversity goals.

Another landmark moment was reached with the adoption of an increased budget (25% increase) with the support of the United States as a 194th Member State, for enhanced programme delivery in key areas of education, the protection of cultural heritage under attack, the protection of journalists, among others. Enabling, for instance, the adoption of a new international reference doctrine on education on, reaffirming the Organization's commitment to knowledge and deploying new resources for education.

UNESCO General Conference was attended by 6 heads of states and governments including Switzerland, Kirgizstan and Cambodia, over 10 ministers and vice-ministers of foreign affairs as well as the first lady of Ukraine. The General Conference also hosted special events by iconic italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, historian Dipesh Chakrabarti, actor Stephen Fry and a special concert by the K-Pop Group Seventeen as part of the Youth Forum.