Saudi Arabia Joins 225th UNESCO Executive Board Session

Saudi Arabia is participating in the 225th session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), represented by its Permanent Delegation to the organization, with the session running from Monday, October 5, through Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. The Saudi delegation is headed by Dr. Abdulelah bin Ali Altokhais, Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO, and includes representatives from the General Secretariat of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science alongside several relevant national entities.

Context and Background

The UNESCO Executive Board, of which Saudi Arabia is a member, is one of the organization’s principal governing bodies alongside the General Conference. It comprises 58 states elected by the General Conference for four-year terms and, under the supervision of the General Conference, evaluates UNESCO’s work, programs, and budget estimates.

Saudi Arabia’s active engagement in the board’s 225th session reflects the Kingdom’s longstanding commitment to multilateral cooperation in education, culture, science, and the governance of emerging technologies. The session was attended by UNESCO member states, the president of the UNESCO General Conference, the president of the Executive Board, and the director-general of UNESCO, underscoring the breadth of international participation in the proceedings.

Key Details

During the plenary session, Dr. Altokhais delivered Saudi Arabia’s statement, affirming the Kingdom’s steadfast support for peace and stability and its rejection of any violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. He emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to relevant United Nations resolutions aimed at achieving a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue and safeguarding the rights of its people.

Dr. Altokhais noted that this position is consistent with UNESCO’s mission of building the bulwarks of peace in the minds of people, protecting cultural heritage from the effects of conflicts, safeguarding the right to education and culture, and fostering dialogue among peoples.

The Permanent Representative also commended UNESCO’s efforts to govern emerging technologies, efforts that coincided with Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence. He indicated that the Kingdom adopted the National Intellectual Property Policy as a unified framework bringing together relevant orientations, enhancing the environment for cultural creativity and innovation while supporting the growth of a knowledge-based economy that reflects and reinforces national identity.

He said these efforts were reflected in the ministerial statement issued at the fourth edition of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (GFEAI 2026), which Riyadh hosted in September in cooperation with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the International Center for AI Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), a center accredited as a UNESCO Category 2 Center.

Implications and Impact

Saudi Arabia’s participation in the 225th Executive Board session carries significance beyond procedural diplomacy. As a board member, the Kingdom helps shape UNESCO’s programs and budget priorities at a time when the organization is expanding its focus on the ethical governance of artificial intelligence, the protection of cultural heritage in conflict zones, and equitable access to education worldwide.

The Kingdom’s emphasis on sovereignty, territorial integrity, and respect for United Nations resolutions positions it as a consistent advocate for international law and peaceful dispute resolution. Its alignment with UNESCO’s core mission reinforces the organization’s founding principle that peace must be constructed in the minds of people, not merely through political agreements.

Saudi Arabia’s leadership on AI ethics, demonstrated through GFEAI 2026 and the ICAIRE center, illustrates how the Kingdom is translating its technological ambitions into contributions to global rule-making. This positions Saudi Arabia as a bridge between advanced economies and developing nations seeking equitable access to emerging technologies.

Vision 2030 Alignment

Saudi Arabia’s engagement at UNESCO aligns directly with the objectives of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s national transformation blueprint. The National Intellectual Property Policy supports a knowledge-based economy and cultural creativity, pillars of the Vision’s economic diversification agenda. Designating 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence and hosting the Global Forum on the Ethics of AI reflect the Kingdom’s ambition to lead in technology and innovation while upholding ethical standards. Through its diplomacy in Paris and its partnerships with UNESCO and SDAIA, Saudi Arabia continues to strengthen its global role as a constructive partner in education, culture, science, and the responsible governance of emerging technologies.

20 Questions

Q1. What is the 225th session of the UNESCO Executive Board?

A1. It is a meeting of UNESCO’s Executive Board, one of the organization’s principal governing bodies comprising 58 elected member states, held from October 5 to October 20, 2026, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

Q2. Who is leading Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the session?

A2. The delegation is headed by Dr. Abdulelah bin Ali Altokhais, Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO, and includes representatives from the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science and other national entities.

Q3. Where is the 225th session being held?

A3. The session is being held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, bringing together UNESCO member states and senior organizational leadership for deliberations on programs and budgets.

Q4. What did Dr. Altokhais affirm in Saudi Arabia’s statement?

A4. He affirmed the Kingdom’s steadfast support for peace and stability, its rejection of any violation of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and its commitment to relevant United Nations resolutions on the Palestinian issue.

Q5. How does Saudi Arabia’s position align with UNESCO’s mission?

A5. The Kingdom’s stance is consistent with UNESCO’s mission of building the bulwarks of peace in the minds of people, protecting cultural heritage from conflict, safeguarding education and culture rights, and fostering dialogue among peoples.

Q6. What did Dr. Altokhais commend regarding emerging technologies?

A6. He commended UNESCO’s efforts to govern emerging technologies, noting that these efforts coincided with Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence.

Q7. What is the National Intellectual Property Policy?

A7. It is a unified framework adopted by the Kingdom that brings together relevant orientations, enhances cultural creativity and innovation, and supports a knowledge-based economy that reflects national identity and reinforces international AI ethics efforts.

Q8. What is GFEAI 2026 and where was it held?

A8. The fourth edition of the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence was hosted by Riyadh in September 2026, in cooperation with SDAIA and the International Center for AI Research and Ethics.

Q9. What is the International Center for AI Research and Ethics?

A9. ICAIRE is a center accredited as a UNESCO Category 2 Center, supporting research and ethical governance of artificial intelligence in cooperation with UNESCO and Saudi partners.

Q10. What is the role of SDAIA in these efforts?

A10. The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority co-organized the Global Forum on the Ethics of AI with UNESCO, advancing the Kingdom’s leadership in responsible AI development and governance.

Q11. What is the UNESCO Executive Board’s mandate?

A11. Under the supervision of the General Conference, the Executive Board evaluates UNESCO’s work, programs, and budget estimates, guiding the organization’s strategic direction between General Conference sessions.

Q12. How many states serve on the UNESCO Executive Board?

A12. The Executive Board comprises 58 states elected by the General Conference for four-year terms, with Saudi Arabia currently serving as an elected member.

Q13. When did the 225th session begin and end?

A13. The session began on Monday, October 5, 2026, and runs until Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

Q14. Who attended the plenary session?

A14. The session was attended by UNESCO member states, the president of the UNESCO General Conference, the president of the Executive Board, and the director-general of UNESCO.

Q15. What entities are part of the Saudi delegation?

A15. The delegation includes representatives from the General Secretariat of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science and several relevant national entities alongside the Permanent Delegation to UNESCO.

Q16. Why does Saudi Arabia’s participation matter internationally?

A16. As an Executive Board member, the Kingdom helps shape UNESCO’s programs, budget priorities, and global policies on AI ethics, cultural heritage protection, and equitable education access worldwide.

Q17. How does Saudi Arabia support the Palestinian issue at UNESCO?

A17. The Kingdom emphasizes commitment to relevant United Nations resolutions aimed at achieving a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue and safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people.

Q18. What is the significance of the Year of Artificial Intelligence?

A18. Saudi Arabia designated 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, highlighting its ambition to lead in AI development, ethics, and governance while contributing to international rule-making in emerging technologies.

Q19. How does the National Intellectual Property Policy support creativity?

A19. The policy provides a unified national framework that enhances the environment for cultural creativity and innovation, supports knowledge-based economic growth, and reflects national identity and international AI ethics standards.

Q20. How does Saudi Arabia’s UNESCO engagement advance Vision 2030?

A20. It advances Vision 2030 by supporting a knowledge-based economy, cultural creativity, technology leadership, and global partnerships in education, science, and the ethical governance of emerging technologies.

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