80 years of UNESCO: Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis takes part in General Conference in Uzbekistan

In his speech to the 194 member states, Mr Cassis focused on the important role played by UNESCO in the fields of science and new technologies. These must be made accessible to all, he said, but clear rules are needed. Switzerland therefore supports the planned adoption of a UNESCO recommendation on the ethics of neurotechnologies.

Mr Cassis also underlined the importance of science diplomacy and international Geneva. Together with the Geneva-based foundation GESDA, Switzerland is committed to developing scientific and technological solutions to global challenges. Mr Cassis called on UNESCO member states to join efforts and set clear priorities for the future.

Electing a new director-general

The 43rd session of the General Conference is running from 30 October to 13 November 2025. Participants will elect UNESCO's next director-general for a four-year term. Switzerland is supporting the candidature of Egypt's former tourism minister, Khaled Al-Anani, who has been proposed by UNESCO's Executive Board. The organisation's 2026–27 budget will also be discussed. The Swiss delegation will support the proposed budget, which maintains Switzerland's current CHF 3 million annual contribution to UNESCO.

Bilateral meetings on conference margins

Mr Cassis made use of the conference to exchange views with his counterparts, the foreign ministers of Moldova and Andorra, the deputy foreign minister of Ukraine, the deputy foreign minister of Uzbekistan as well as UNESCO's nominated director-general, Mr Al-Anani. Talks centred on the war in Ukraine, Switzerland's OSCE chairpersonship next year and UNESCO's role in tackling global challenges.

World Heritage Committee candidacy

Switzerland has been a member of UNESCO since 1949 and is represented by a permanent delegation at the organisation's headquarters in Paris. It is also a member of various intergovernmental committees. Last May, Switzerland was elected as a new member of the Subsidiary Committee of the Meeting of States Parties to the 1970 Convention (fighting illicit trafficking in cultural property). Switzerland is also a candidate for a seat on the World Heritage Committee, with elections scheduled to take place at the end of November in Paris.

UNESCO, short for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, is one of the UN's specialised agencies. It was founded in 1945 and has 194 member states.

Speech by Mr Cassis at the 43rd session of UNESCO's General Conference in Samarkand
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