Oman takes part in UNESCO Executive Board meetings

Oman participated in the 219th session of the Executive Board of UNESCO held in Paris from March 13-27.

Oman was represented by Hamad Saif Al Hammami, the Sultanate's Permanent Representative to UNESCO, and other officials.

In his first speech since Oman obtained membership of the Executive Board for the period 2023-2027, Dr Al Hammami touched on the Palestinian crisis which he said occupied centre stage in the world.

He said Oman had called for urgent measures to stop the war on the Gaza Strip and other Palestinian territories. He stressed the need to apply international law to protect civilians, ensure their humanitarian needs and lift the illegal siege on Gaza and the rest of the Palestinian territories.

Dr Al Hammami called on UNESCO to play its part in helping the Palestinian people.

He also stressed Oman's commitment to the principles of constructive dialogue and the values of tolerance especially among younger members of society who constitute half the population. He said they received care and attention in all scientific, cultural and sports fields and the Omanis for Tolerance project was a good example of that.

Dr Al Hammami said UNESCO's programmes directly affected the future of other countries and societies especially those dedicated to addressing the environmental, social and economic challenges associated with various disasters. He said the world today was in dire need of cooperation and synergy in order to mitigate their effects.

Dr Al Hammami stated that one of the fruits of cooperation with the organisation was Oman's inauguration into the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and the establishment of a national early warning centre to predict disasters and mitigate their effects.

He pointed out that Oman had demonstrated its commitment to protecting the environment at the global level with the establishment in 1989 of the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Conservation with funding that has so far reached one million US dollars. He said the Prize was due to be renewed during this session for another six years based on the positive recommendations of an external evaluator.

At the end of his speech, Dr Al Hammami affirmed Oman’s support for Egypt's nomination of Khaled Al-Anani for the position of Director-General of UNESCO, calling on member states to support this nomination.

The 219th session of the Executive Board discusses a number of topics most notably a review of the report on the implementation of the organisation’s programmes and budget. It also reviews UNESCO’s work in education, culture, science and communication, including items submitted by member states.

The Executive Board of UNESCO is one of the three most important constitutional bodies of the organisation along with the General Conference and the General Secretariat.

It is elected by the General Conference and is responsible for drawing up policies and budgets for the organisation’s programmes. The Board consists of 58 members whose membership extends for four years.

This is an unofficial English version of an Arabic report. To view the official Arabic text, click here.