A Visionary Leadership for UNESCO's Next 80 Years

 

As the United Nations celebrates its 80th anniversary and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) marks eight decades of action for peace and development, our world is grappling with profound change. At this pivotal moment, we have the opportunity to equip these multilateral institutions with a forward-looking vision to steer this transformation.

Created in 1945 as a bulwark against the return of world wars, the UN and its specialized agencies provided a framework for cooperation and a universal forum for dialogue. Yet, on the eve of their 80th milestone, resurgent geopolitical tensions, social crises, climate emergencies, and the rise of intolerance remind us that peace remains fragile — and that the ideal of solidarity must constantly be renewed.

UNESCO ' s founding ethos still resonates powerfully: ' Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed. ' Peace may be declared through diplomatic treaties, but is secured through classrooms, research laboratories, cultural institutions, and communication networks that connect people across borders. To this global mission is now added an unprecedented challenge: the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This technological revolution, rich with promise for education, research, and creativity, also carries risks.