Qatar Calls for Protection of Education, Heritage in Conflict Areas at UNISCO (EB) Opening Session

Paris, October 12 (QNA) - The State of Qatar participated on Wednesday in the opening session of the 215th Session of the Executive Board (EB) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO), which will last until October 19. In an address to the session, HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UNESCO Dr. Nasser bin Hamad Al-Hanzab said that the State of Qatar pays great attention to the education sector, as it is the first pillar of sustainable development. His Excellency added that Qatar is a lead country in the field of education, and it is leading international efforts with international partners to mobilize efforts and capabilities to achieve the goals of the education plans 2030, to instill change to keep pace with contemporary transformations. HE Al-Hanzab called on the UNESCO to make more efforts to ensure the implementation of the UNESCO's commitments and decisions regarding educational institutions and cultural heritage in the occupied Palestinian territories, appreciating the ongoing endeavors of HE Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay, to strengthen partnerships with member states in order to move forward side by side to bear the educational system in countries and conflict areas. His Excellency added that the current events in many conflict areas have proved the urgent need to act quickly to save students, especially girls, who have been deprived of their basic right to education, so the State of Qatar supports all the efforts of UNESCO to help Afghani people overcome the challenges related to education and the protection of cultural heritage. His Excellency pointed out that Qatar is now about 40 days from the world's largest sporting event, FIFA World Cup 2022, planned to be held from Nov. 20 to Dec.18, indicating that this event goes beyond being a football event, where all the peoples of the world with their rich different cultures will be present and closely interact with the Arab culture on the ground in the State of Qatar. His Excellency added that the presence of this cultural diversity in one place reinforces the principle of coexistence, and UNESCO is a vivid example of the promotion of this fundamental principle. (QNA)