Bangladesh has been elected to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Executive Board for the third time.
UNESCO, the UN body mandated for education, culture and science, is the first-ever international organization Bangladesh acceded to in 1972.
Bangladesh was elected in a keenly contested election held on Wednesday (15 November) during the 42nd General Conference in Paris 2023.
This brings Bangladesh back to the Board after two years for the term of 2023-27. This is the third contested election Bangladesh won at UNESCO in the last one and a half years.
Earlier, Bangladesh was elected at the Executive Council for Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in June this year and at the Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritages in July 2022.
Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, MP who leads the Bangladesh delegation at the UNESCO General Conference, said “Bangladesh’s victory at UNESCO is the result of our deep engagement and diplomatic strides at the international fora under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”
She also expressed gratitude to all UNESCO Member States for supporting Bangladesh and thanked the Bangladesh Embassy in Paris for its hard work and focused diplomatic engagements with the organization.
“Our pledge is to work in partnership with all to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”-she added.
Earlier on Monday, Bangladesh hosted a diplomatic reception at UNESCO to garner support for its candidature while the campaign highlighted its activities on the five pillars of the SDGs.
Bangladesh Ambassador to UNESCO, Khondker M Talha, said that the victory is a cumulative outcome of Bangladesh’s constructive engagement at UNESCO and the country’s balanced, progressive and principle-based foreign policy.
