India re-elected to UNESCO Executive Board for 2025–29 term

• India has been re-elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2025-2029 term.

• According to India’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, the continued presence on the Executive Board underscores growing global support for the country’s vision of inclusive, human-centric development and for strengthening cooperation among nations.

What is UNESCO?

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) was established on November 16, 1945. 

• UNESCO has 194 Member States and is governed by the General Conference and the Executive Board. 

• UNESCO is led by three key bodies: the General Conference, the Secretariat and the Executive Board.

• The General Conference, with representatives from all Member States, determines UNESCO's main lines of work. 

• The Secretariat executes the Organisation’s programme under the authority of the Director-General. 

• The Executive Board monitors the implementation of the Organisation’s programme.  

• Together, these bodies drive UNESCO’s efforts in education, science, culture, and communication.

• Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO has offices in 54 countries and employs over 2,300 people. 

• UNESCO’s mission is to contribute to the building of a culture of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.

• It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication and information. 

• UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding and a more perfect knowledge of each other’s lives. 

• UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.

• UNESCO oversees more than 2,000 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks; networks of Creative, Learning, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities; and over 13,000 associated schools, university chairs, training and research institutions, with a global network of 200 National Commissions.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)