In the program of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Assembly, on the first day of the plenary session, the participants were addressed by the Minister of Culture and Media, dr. sc. Nina Obuljen Koržinek, as part of the presentation of the representatives of the Member States on the priorities in all UNESCO program areas - education, science, culture and information.
Recalling the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the adoption of the UNESCO Charter, in which member states confirmed their interest in peacebuilding, international cooperation in education, science and culture, the Minister praised the decision of the newly elected Director-General, Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezza, to put people and the protection of their rights at the center of reflection on the future development of UNESCO.
The Minister warned that eighty years after the end of World War II, we have once again faced war in Europe - the devastating Russian aggression against Ukraine, and that for more than three and a half years we have been witnessing the resistance, courage and invincible spirit of the Ukrainian people in their struggle for peace and freedom. Comparing this conflict with Croatia's defense against Serbian aggression in the 1990s, the Minister pointed out that from the very beginning of the war in Ukraine, Croatia has supported Ukraine in many ways and promised to continue to do so as long as necessary.
She especially emphasized that Croatia is in eighth place on the global scale of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, adding that we will continue to advocate for the inclusion of culture as an independent goal and an important segment for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which we confirmed at the Mondiacult conference - UNESCO's conference on culture and sustainable development recently in Barcelona, and before that in 2022 in Mexico.
"Croatia welcomes UNESCO's commitment to promoting goals related to the protection of the oceans, waters and biodiversity, as they are inextricably linked to the preservation of culture and cultural heritage", stressed the Minister and reminded that Croatia is committed to the protection of our rich underwater heritage, mostly within the framework of the activities of the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar, which is a UNESCO Category II Centre.
"We have also recognized the importance of expanding the network of biosphere reserves and geoparks, and our experts are helping colleagues in African countries in the development of this unique model of connecting geological, natural, cultural and intangible heritage", said the Minister, reminding the participants of the UNESCO General Assembly that Croatia attaches great importance to transferring the value of cultural heritage and biodiversity protection to younger generations. She expressed particular satisfaction that, with the support of UNESCO, workshops for young volunteers from all over the world have been held for the tenth year in a row in Stari Grad Plain on the island of Hvar, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, giving them the opportunity to learn the art of making dry stone walls, which Croatia has proudly inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Referring to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, Minister Obuljen Koržinek warned that in times of growing intolerance, divisions and conflicts, we must not forget the lessons of the past. That is why she especially emphasized that we greatly appreciate UNESCO's programs for teachings on the Holocaust, genocide and anti-Semitism, in which Croatia actively participates.
"In a world where our democracies are threatened by the rise of populism, undemocratic movements, fake news and disinformation, as well as challenges related to artificial intelligence, UNESCO's initiatives in promoting education, democracy, media literacy, freedom of expression and freedom of the media will continue to have the full support of Croatia", concluded Minister Obuljen Koržinek in today's programme of the 43rd International Conference on Education. UNESCO General Assembly, at which, among other things, the adoption of the first global Recommendation on the ethics of neurotechnology is expected.