At the UNESCO Executive Board session, Lithuania emphasized the protection of media freedom and respect for cultural diversity
On April 8-9, the Vice Minister of Culture, Gintautė Žemaitytė participated in the 206th UNESCO Executive Board Plenary Session in Paris, during which she delivered a national statement.
The Lithuanian representative highlighted the key national priorities of Lithuania in this organization: protection of freedom of expression and media freedom, gender equality and empowerment of women, respect for cultural diversity and UNESCO strategic transformation. Vice Minister G. Žemaitytė also noted, that as a standard-setting body on a global level, UNESCO provides the Member States with the ability to defend values and commitments in the fields of education, science and culture.
G. Žemaitytė noted that Lithuania welcomes UNESCO’s initiative to prepare a new education report, founded on the aspiration to revise the vision and mission of education and learning. By virtue of the organization’s long- term experience, there is an expectation that the report will help to identify sustainable future prospects.
During her visit in Paris, the Vice Minister of Culture also met the representatives of UNESCO Culture Sector: the Chief of the Europe and North America Unit at the World Heritage Center, Isabelle Anatole-Gabriel and the UNESCO Cultural Policies and Development Director, Paola Leoncini Bartoli.
The Executive Board is one of the constitutional organs of UNESCO, consisting of 57 Member States. Lithuania was elected to the Executive Board at the 38th UNESCO General Conference on November 2015, for a four-year term office. Lithuania will have completed its membership at the UNESCO Executive Board at the end of this year.
