Education will be a key priority on the agenda of the G20 summit to be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2020, Minister of Education, Dr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh said.
He expressed the Kingdom’s aspiration to work with UNESCO and other international organizations to ensure attention to major education issues and the future of the world’s next generation at the upcoming G20 summit.
He also affirmed his country’s continued cooperation with UNESCO member-states in all fields and support for the programs carried out by the organization.
The minister’s comments came during a reception held by the Saudi Permanent Delegation to UNESCO on the occasion of the 40th session of the organization’s general conference currently held in Paris.
Al-Asheikh reminded the audience that Saudi Arabia was one of the founding countries of UNESCO.
“It was the sixth state to sign the charter of the organization on November 4, 1946 under the guidance of King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud,” he noted.
“Today, we see the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives coincide with UNESCO’s mission through the Kingdom’s keenness to support educational, cultural and scientific projects around the world because of its regional and international status, and its roles in strengthening relations between Arab and Islamic countries and the global agenda for sustainable development in the organization’s educational, cultural and scientific fields,” Al-Asheikh said in his speech.
The minister attributed the decision of his government to be a member of the UNESCO Council for the period 2019-2020 to the “support of the global agenda in order to achieve the well-being and stability of the peoples of the world.”
He pointed out that the organization was the international specialized body that seeks to contribute to the maintenance of peace and security through strengthening international cooperation in education, culture and science.
He added that the Kingdom’s main priorities in the Executive Council were based on supporting major international projects such as the Euro-Arab Dialogue, and Teaching Tolerance, Solidarity and Respect for Human Rights.
