UNESCO Executive Board Adopts Resolution in Favor of the State of Palestine

The Executive Board of UNESCO adopted, during its 224th session, a resolution in favor of the State of Palestine concerning the follow-up on the implementation of the organization’s decisions related to the situation in the Gaza Strip.

The resolution highlights the extensive damage inflicted on hundreds of schools, universities, and cultural heritage sites in Gaza as a result of Israeli attacks. It also draws attention to the serious risks faced by journalists and media professionals, describing these as clear violations of international humanitarian law and UNESCO’s principles.

The unanimous adoption of the resolution reflects the international community’s recognition of the scale of the humanitarian, cultural, and educational catastrophe affecting the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, amid widespread destruction targeting sectors under UNESCO’s mandate.

In his address before the Executive Board, Ambassador Adel Attiya, Permanent Delegate of the State of Palestine to UNESCO, welcomed the unanimous adoption of the resolution by member states. He stressed the magnitude of the suffering endured by Palestinians in Gaza due to the ongoing war, which has led to the near-total destruction of daily life, the collapse of the education sector, significant damage to key heritage sites, and the killing of 264 journalists. He also emphasized the importance of intensified international efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Attiya expressed his appreciation to the countries that have contributed to the Gaza support fund, as well as to UNESCO’s Secretariat, led by Dr. Khaled El-Enany, for their ongoing efforts to ensure the continuity of educational, cultural, and media activities through emergency response programs in the Gaza Strip.