WANA (Nov 15) – At the conclusion of UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference in Samarkand, Iran was elected—by consensus of the member states—to four of the organization’s key committees, strengthening its role in international legal affairs, bioethics, cultural heritage protection, and social policy.

 

In the final days of the conference, the Islamic Republic of Iran, which had put forward its candidacy for several executive and scientific bodies, succeeded in joining the Legal Committee, the Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee (IBC), the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property (ICPRCP), and the Intergovernmental Council of the Management of Social Transformations (MOST).

 

These elections were the result of coordinated diplomatic efforts involving Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iran’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, and various organizational bodies. The outcome places Iran in a significant position across legal, bioethical, cultural heritage, and social policy domains. Each of these committees plays an essential global role in shaping international standards, providing scientific guidance, facilitating cultural mediation, and linking social research to policymaking—areas that can open new opportunities for Iran.

 

The 43rd General Conference concluded on Thursday, November 14, after nearly two weeks of intensive work. Among Iran’s notable achievements during this session was its election to four key committees, reflecting the country’s active and effective participation in the international gathering.