Saudi Arabia marks the 80th anniversary of its membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on November 4, having joined the organization in 1946.
Over eight decades of partnership and international cooperation, the Kingdom's role has evolved from membership and participation in UNESCO's activities to helping shape the organization's policies and strategic direction, while strengthening Saudi Arabia's presence in education, science, culture, and communication and information, SPA reported.
Throughout this period, the Kingdom has continued to support UNESCO and its programs through its assessed contributions to the organization's budget, alongside targeted contributions supporting its priorities and initiatives, reflecting its belief in the role of education, science, and culture in promoting peace, mutual understanding, and human solidarity.
Building on this commitment, Saudi Arabia hosts three UNESCO-affiliated centers: the Regional Center for Dialogue and Peace (RCDP), which promotes a culture of dialogue and tolerance through capacity building, training, research, and knowledge exchange; the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), which specializes in research, ethics, and governance and supports the responsible use of emerging technologies; and the UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education (RCQE), which works to enhance the quality of general education and develop education policies in Arab countries.
The Kingdom has also strengthened its participation in UNESCO's committees and councils and supported international awards and initiatives, including the UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and the Global Award for Quality and Excellence in Education (GAQEE). In digital empowerment, ICAIRE has helped train more than 6,000 women across 119 countries in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
Nonprofit and charitable institutions in the Kingdom have also played a role in this partnership, launching targeted initiatives to strengthen the international presence of the Arabic language and Arab culture. Among the most prominent is the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Program for the Arabic Language at UNESCO, launched in 2007.
Education has long been a key area of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and UNESCO. The Kingdom has participated in high-level education committees concerned with achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), supporting the development of global education policies and strategies, improving education quality, training teachers, promoting lifelong learning, and advancing digital transformation. It has also enabled male and female students to participate in regional and international competitions and forums.
In this context, eight Saudi cities have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities: Riyadh, Madinah, AlUla, Yanbu Industrial City, Jubail Industrial City, King Abdullah Economic City, Al-Ahsa, and Riyadh Al-Khabra. The Kingdom also hosts several UNESCO Chairs under the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Program, launched in 1992. In addition, several Saudi schools have joined the UNESCO Associated Schools Network, established in 1953.
In the natural sciences, Salma UNESCO Global Geopark in Hail Region and North Riyadh UNESCO Global Geopark in Riyadh Region became the first two Saudi sites to join the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network in 2025. Their inclusion strengthens the Kingdom's efforts to conserve its geological heritage and leverage it for scientific and tourism purposes.
The Farasan Islands Reserve in Jazan Region was designated in 2021 as Saudi Arabia's first biosphere reserve under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program. It was followed in 2022 by Harrat Uwayrid Reserve, which is home to 19 endangered animal species, 43 bird species, including eight species of birds of prey, and 55 rare plant species. Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve was subsequently designated in 2025. The reserve extends across five administrative regions: Al-Jouf, Qassim, Hail, Northern Borders, and Eastern Region.
As part of its efforts to promote environmental sustainability and water resource management, Saudi Arabia cooperates with UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Program (IHP) as it prepares to host the 11th World Water Forum in Riyadh in 2027 under the theme “Action for a Better Tomorrow.”
In the field of sport, the Kingdom supports international frameworks aimed at safeguarding the integrity and values of sport through its continued backing of UNESCO's International Convention against Doping in Sport. Saudi Arabia also serves as a Vice-Chairperson of the Bureau of the Conference of Parties to the Convention, representing the Arab Group and reaffirming the role of sport in promoting tolerance, coexistence, and peacebuilding.
Saudi Arabia's partnership with UNESCO has also extended to safeguarding humanity's cultural heritage and enhancing its global visibility. The Kingdom became a party to the World Heritage Convention in 1978, and Hegra Archaeological Site became the first Saudi site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008. The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area was inscribed in 2024 as the Kingdom's most recent addition to the list, bringing the total number of Saudi World Heritage sites to eight, alongside 18 elements inscribed on UNESCO's Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
According to SPA, to support international cultural programs, the Kingdom allocated $25 million under a letter of intent signed on July 12, 2019, which led to the establishment of the Saudi Fund at UNESCO. The fund has launched six flagship projects covering digital technologies, sustainable tourism, sustainable construction, the conservation of World Heritage sites, and the development of creative economies. To date, 136 countries have benefited from its projects.
In partnership with UNESCO, the Kingdom also launched the UNESCO Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects and the Dive into Heritage platform to help safeguard cultural heritage, support the recovery of stolen objects, and make heritage accessible to future generations. Saudi Arabia is also preparing to host the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2029), which will help shape cultural policy directions and strengthen culture's role in sustainable development.
In the field of communication and information, Saudi Arabia hosted the fourth edition of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in September 2026, in cooperation with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and ICAIRE, to promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence technologies and harness them for the benefit of humanity.
The Kingdom was also elected to the Intergovernmental Council for UNESCO's Information for All Program (IFAP) for the 2025–2029 term, strengthening its participation in guiding the program's work and advancing international cooperation in access to and preservation of information, media and information literacy, and multilingualism in cyberspace.
Saudi Arabia's partnership with UNESCO has been marked by several major international milestones. These include hosting the extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh in 2023; proposing and chairing the Open-ended Working Group tasked with improving the balance of the World Heritage List; hosting the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in 2026; and preparing to host the 11th World Water Forum in 2027 and MONDIACULT in 2029.
Eight decades after joining UNESCO, Saudi Arabia continues to strengthen its partnership with the organization by supporting its programs, funding targeted initiatives, expanding its participation in UNESCO's global networks, and hosting international conferences and platforms.
These efforts reflect the evolution of the Kingdom's role from membership to helping shape international efforts, in line with Saudi Vision 2030's objectives of strengthening international cooperation and harnessing it to serve humanity and sustainable development.
