“When cultural heritage is restored, it becomes a bridge”: alumnus interviews UNESCO 42nd General Conference President

UNESCO began in London in the aftermath of two world wars – with a vision to build lasting peace through education, culture, science, and information. As President of the 42nd General Conference, which brings together 194 Member States meet to shape global priorities, how do you see UNESCO leveraging these tools today to foster inter-state dialogue, rebuild trust and tolerance, and advance peace in an era marked by rising polarisation, conflict, and global instability?

This year marks UNESCO’s 80th anniversary – a moment not only of celebration, but of reflection on the enduring relevance of its founding mission. In 1945, in the aftermath of two devastating world wars, our founders recognized that lasting peace could not be built solely through treaties or political arrangements but must be rooted ‘in the minds of men and women.’ That conviction is as urgent today as it was then.

UNESCO remains a rare and vital platform where 194 member states come together to pursue mutual understanding and cooperation. Over the decades, we have developed, through the synergies of Member States and the Secretariat, an extraordinary network of initiatives spanning education, culture, the sciences, and communication – each one designed to foster dialogue, build trust, and bridge divides.

For example, the 190 National Commissions for UNESCO – unique within the UN system – serve as bridges between governments, civil society, and our global mission. UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves, now 759 sites in 136 countries (including 25 transboundary reserves), promotes sustainable development and peaceful cooperation across borders. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network, comprising over 350 cities worldwide, uses culture and creativity as engines for sustainable development and community resilience.

The content of the programmes is deliberately shaped to strengthen the intellectual and moral foundations of peace. In education, for instance, I am particularly proud that, under my presidency, member states adopted the Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights, and Sustainable Development – a landmark instrument equipping learners everywhere with the skills and values of global citizenship. In the sciences, the Science Diplomacy programme builds trust and reduces tensions through cross-border collaboration. In culture, safeguarding intangible heritage sustains social cohesion, fosters intergenerational dialogue, and deepens respect for diversity. And in communication and information, UNESCO champions universal access to knowledge and media literacy – essential tools to counter disinformation and enable informed public debate.

In today’s fractured world, these efforts are not abstract ideals; they are practical instruments for bridging polarization, mending trust, and nurturing tolerance. UNESCO’s role is both as a ‘laboratory of ideas’ – where new approaches to peacebuilding are imagined and tested – and as the moral conscience of the UN system.

At a time of rising global instability, we must return to that core truth our founders understood so well: wars begin in the minds of people, and it is in those very minds that the defences of peace must be constructed.

As the world marked the 70th anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention last year, the destruction of cultural property in conflict zones remains a tragic reality. How is UNESCO working with Member States to strengthen cooperation–through legal frameworks, emergency preparedness, and capacity-building–to safeguard cultural heritage and support long-term peace and reconciliation?

The UNESCO Secretariat works hand in hand with Member States to give life to the Hague Convention and its two Protocols. This begins with strengthening national legal and policy frameworks so that cultural property enjoys the highest protection during armed conflict. But it goes beyond legislation. Through the emergency preparedness and rapid response efforts, the Secretariat deploys technical teams to conduct on-site assessments, deliver targeted training, and equip local actors – from museum curators to archivists, or educators to heritage guards – with the skills and resources they need to safeguard treasures under threat.

In post-crisis contexts, such as Iraq, Syria, and Mali, UNESCO launched major international campaigns to restore historic monuments and revive cultural life. This includes training young people in heritage-related professions, enabling them not only to earn livelihoods but to reclaim and shape their own narratives. When cultural heritage is restored, it becomes a bridge – reconnecting fractured communities, fostering reconciliation, and renewing a sense of dignity and belonging.

One of the most emblematic examples is the flagship Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative. Here, the reconstruction of iconic sites has gone hand in hand with rehabilitating schools, libraries, and cultural spaces – ensuring that the city’s rebirth is as much about human spirit as it is about stone and mortar.

On World Press Freedom Day 2025, three other UN body presidents joined you in issuing a joint statement on artificial intelligence and its implications for press freedom. What concrete measures is UNESCO taking with Member States to ensure that the use of AI remains responsible, upholds international human rights law, and protects the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and access to information – essential pillars for informed, empowered communities around the world?

World Press Freedom Day 2025 was a particularly significant moment for me. It was my initiative to bring together the Presidents of the UN General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and the Human Rights Council to issue a joint statement on artificial intelligence and press freedom – a subject that is reshaping the very landscape of information and democracy. I am proud that UNESCO is leading the global conversation on ensuring AI serves humanity, rather than undermining its rights.

UNESCO’s leadership in this field is rooted in a landmark achievement: in 2021, all 194 Member States unanimously adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence – the first and still the only global standard-setting instrument of its kind. This document places human dignity, transparency, accountability, and non-discrimination at the heart of AI governance, with freedom of expression and access to information as non-negotiable pillars.

But principles alone are not enough. The Secretariat works closely with governments, regulators, and civil society to translate these ethical commitments into national laws, policies, and institutional frameworks. This includes conducting national AI readiness assessments, combating disinformation and hate speech, advancing media and digital literacy, and guiding governments through our Internet for Trust initiative – a blueprint for regulating digital platforms in ways that protect rights while curbing harmful content.

Our work rests on three strategic pillars: fostering global cooperation on AI ethics, building institutional capacity, and promoting ethical governance. These priorities came into sharp focus at UNESCO’s recent Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Bangkok, which brought together policymakers, technologists, journalists, and human rights advocates to address both the extraordinary promise of AI and its profound risks.

Ultimately, AI must not become a tool for censorship, manipulation, or the erosion of public trust. It must be guided by a human rights framework that empowers citizens, safeguards press freedom, and ensures that access to reliable information remains a cornerstone of peaceful, informed, and resilient societies.

Madam President, the Blavatnik School of Government (Oxford University) values its partnership with UNESCO through the What Works Hub for Global Education – an international partnership working out how to implement education reforms at scale, to increase literacy, numeracy and other key skills in low- and middle-income countries. With 122 million girls still out of school globally and women comprising two-thirds of adults lacking basic literacy, undermining their rights and financial independence, how is UNESCO ensuring that Member States invest in and prioritise girls’ and women’s education, recognising it as one of the highest-return investments for building resilient families, inclusive communities and sustainable economies?

Gender equality is not simply a programme within UNESCO – it is one of its two global priorities, cutting across every aspect of our mandate. In education, this commitment is unwavering: to work with Member States so that girls’ and women’s education remains both a political imperative and a financial priority. The evidence is irrefutable – educating girls is among the most powerful investments any society can make, yielding profound returns in gender equality, poverty reduction, health, economic growth, and social stability.

This agenda is pursued through several concrete measures. First, the UNESCO Strategy for Gender Equality in and through Education (2019–2025) guides governments in tackling gender disparities, transforming education systems, and creating safe, inclusive, gender-responsive learning environments. Second, through the UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the Global Education Monitoring Report, high-quality data and rigorous policy analysis are generated, enabling countries to track progress, identify gaps, and direct resources where they are most urgently needed. Third, UNESCO prioritises education in crisis and post-crisis contexts – from conflict zones to climate-affected regions – ensuring that girls, who are often the first to be excluded, can access gender-responsive emergency education and reintegration pathways into formal schooling.

Afghanistan is a stark reminder of the stakes. When girls are denied the right to learn, entire generations are stripped of opportunity, agency, and hope. In such circumstances, the role of the international community – and of UNESCO in particular – is to keep open every possible window for education, however narrow it may seem.

Madam President, your trailblazing journey as the first woman in Romanian diplomacy to attain the rank of Ambassador, the first Romanian woman appointed Ambassador to both the UN and UNESCO, and now only the fifth woman to preside over UNESCO’s General Conference in its 80-year history reminds us that progress is possible. In your view, what concrete steps must the international community take to ensure that women in diplomacy are not exceptions, but central architects of a more inclusive, equitable, and multilateral global order?

This is not just a professional issue for me – it is a personal responsibility. My own journey, as the first woman in Romanian diplomacy to be granted the diplomatic rank of Ambassador and the first to represent my country at both the UN and UNESCO, has made me deeply aware of how far we have come, and how far we still have to go. Women in diplomacy should not be the exception; they should be central architects of the inclusive, equitable, multilateral world we claim to aspire to.

To achieve this, the international community must move beyond eloquent declarations and turn commitments into concrete, measurable action. First, we must institutionalise gender equality in recruitment, promotion, and leadership appointments, ensuring balanced representation at all levels of foreign service. Romania’s own trajectory is a case in point: under the communist regime, women could not be diplomats – only secretaries. Today, they make up more than 60 percent of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff, with gender parity at management level in headquarters, and 36 percent of our ambassadors and consuls general are women. It is progress – but it is still unfinished work, and many countries lag far behind.

Second, we must create enabling environments that make full participation possible. This means robust protections from harassment and discrimination, flexible work arrangements, and recognition of caregiving responsibilities – all essential to ensuring women can sustain careers in diplomacy without sacrificing their personal lives.

Third, and very close to my heart, is investing in women’s leadership networks and intergenerational dialogue. Mentorship is an accelerant for change. That is why I launched the Mentors on Multilateralism initiative, a YouTube channel where experienced women diplomats share insights with young women aspiring to diplomatic careers. I will continue this work well beyond my formal diplomatic tenure, because experience is most valuable when it is passed forward.

I often recall Madeleine Albright’s words: “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t support other women.” I believe solidarity is not optional – it is the foundation upon which progress is built.

Madam President, speaking to the Blavatnik School of Government – a community deeply engaged in public service, leadership, and global problem-solving – what parting message would you share with them as they prepare to shape a world facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities?

If I could leave one final message to young people, it would be this: support one another and dare more. Be courageous enough to step beyond the familiar, to explore, to discover and to grant yourselves the time for personal growth. What you cultivate in your mind and spirit is the one thing no one can take from you – it is your greatest asset and your most powerful tool for shaping the future.

Invest in your own development, because knowledge, curiosity and character will carry you further than any title or position. And above all, strive for excellence, not perfection, but the consistent pursuit of your highest potential. Excellence opens doors, earns trust, and allows you to make a meaningful difference in the world.