THE NETHERLANDS (THE HAGUE):--- For the first time since 1985, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s General Conference is being held outside Paris, with Uzbekistan hosting the 43rd session in the historic city of Samarkand.
The biennial conference gathers representatives from all UNESCO Member States, observers, and intergovernmental organizations to set the agenda for the organization’s global priorities in education, culture, science, and communication.
UNESCO is a specialized agency dedicated to strengthening our shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture, and communication. The organization sets standards, produces tools, and develops knowledge to create solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time, and fosters a world of greater equality and peace.
Protecting biodiversity, responding to artificial intelligence, advancing quality education, safeguarding heritage, and ensuring access to reliable information are some examples of the work that UNESCO does with its 194 Member States across the globe.
This year, Her Excellency Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell, Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten, addressed the General Conference on behalf of the Honourable Melissa D. Gumbs, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.
In her remarks, Minister Plenipotentiary Arrindell highlighted Sint Maarten’s progress in education reform, digital innovation, and cultural protection, emphasizing that “AI must amplify Caribbean creativity, not appropriate it.”
She underlined Sint Maarten’s new Higher Education and Research Ordinance, which sets national standards for quality assurance and international accreditation. The law, she said, “ensures that education remains a public trust, strengthens accountability, and affirms that learning is the foundation of national resilience.”
The Minister also spoke of Sint Maarten’s integration of Artificial Intelligence and STEAM education in schools through new partnerships with the St. Maarten Science Fair Foundation, the St. Kitts & Nevis Robotics Association, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Robotics Association, aimed at creating a Robotics Unit and hosting an annual STEAM camp.
Building on the message from MONDIACULT 2022 and 2025, she reaffirmed Sint Maarten’s cultural vision: “Culturize before you digitize. We do not reject technology; we seek to humanize it. AI must serve inclusion and integrity, not imitation.”
Minister Arrindell also noted Sint Maarten’s leadership in heritage protection, referencing the establishment of the first Caribbean Cultural Emergency Response (CER) Sub-Hub, and ongoing work toward a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, underscoring the island’s belief that “human progress and environmental stewardship must evolve together.”
Youth empowerment was another key theme. Through the National Youth Mainstreaming Strategy, Sint Maarten is embedding youth participation and evidence-based planning across all government sectors. In 2025, three local high schools joined the UNESCO Associated Schools Network, connecting students to global education initiatives.
The Minister concluded by expressing gratitude for UNESCO’s continued support and for giving small island nations a global platform: “Together, may we build a world where knowledge inspires peace, and culture lights the path forward.”
During her introduction of her speech, Minister Arrindell also extended solidarity to the people of Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, and the other countries that were affected by Hurricane Melissa.
The 43rd UNESCO General Conference will be marked by the official appointment of UNESCO’s next Director-General and the anticipated adoption of the first global Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology.
The Conference will also feature thematic debates, exhibitions, and side events exploring the future of education, science, culture, and information.
The 43rd UNESCO General Conference runs from 30 October to 13 November 2025, with additional events in Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva, and Shahrisabz.