This morning in Samarkand, the 12th Interregional Meeting of National Commissions for UNESCO officially opened.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by Xing Qu, UNESCO Deputy Director-General, and Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO, Chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, and Head of the Department of Creative Economy and Tourism of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In her address, Gayane Umerova, elected to chair the meeting, highlighted the symbolism of Samarkand as a crossroads of civilisations and stressed the importance of renewing the spirit of partnership and solidarity that defines UNESCO.
The morning programme featured two thematic sessions. The first focused on youth empowerment and their role in promoting peace, human rights, social inclusion, and education for sustainable development. Representatives of UNESCO and the National Commissions of Canada, Kenya and Germany took part in the discussion.
The second session explored intercultural and community engagement in the digital age, with particular attention to cultural heritage, sustainable tourism and the Silk Roads. Speakers included representatives from UNESCO as well as the National Commissions of Uzbekistan, Curaçao and France.