As a diplomat who has served in multilateral diplomacy at various stages of my career, I have closely observed that Türkiye consistently upholds a principled and responsible stance in international affairs, and I have had the opportunity to serve as an active practitioner of this approach. Since the League of Nations era, Türkiye has prioritized contributing to international peace and security, has based its policy on the peaceful resolution of international disputes, and has consistently placed reason and common sense at the forefront of global issues. I am pleased to serve Türkiye’s mentioned approach steadfastly within the framework of UNESCO as well.

Türkiye is one of the founding members of UNESCO, established in November 1945 in the aftermath of the Second World War, under the guiding principle that “since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” In the face of the asymmetric threats of our era, Türkiye has consistently advocated that education, culture, and science must be preserved and advanced on the basis of shared understanding and international cooperation, and it has remained firmly committed to UNESCO’s mandate and values.

Türkiye has played an active role in various bodies within UNESCO over many years. In this regard, it has twice held the Presidency of the UNESCO General Conference. Professor Dr. Bedrettin Tuncel served as President of the 14th General Conference between 1966 and 1968, and Ambassador Ahmet Altay Cengizer served as President of the 40th General Conference between 2019 and 2021.

As of November 2025, Türkiye has been re-elected for the third consecutive term to the Executive Board, one of UNESCO’s key decision-making organs.

Giving priority to the protection of cultural and natural heritage at both national and international levels, Türkiye has been elected to the World Heritage Committee for the 2023–2027 term, thereby strengthening its international responsibility in this field. Most recently, with the inscription of the Ancient City of Sardes and the Bin Tepe Lydian Tumuli on the World Heritage List in July 2025, the number of sites from Türkiye inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List has reached 22. In addition, Türkiye is represented by 32 elements on the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Rapidly adapting to the requirements of our time, particularly in the integration of digital technologies in education, Türkiye continues its steady efforts toward achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals and shares its best practices in this regard with the international community in alignment with UNESCO’s priorities.

In the field of science as well, Türkiye maintains an active stance and was re-elected in July 2025 to the Executive Council of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO for a two-year term. In this context, Türkiye continues to support the objectives of developing healthy and sustainable ocean ecosystem services, strengthening efforts to combat climate change, enhancing early warning systems for ocean-related hazards, and advancing global knowledge in marine sciences.

Furthermore, UNESCO, described as the “intellectual agency” of the United Nations, hosts numerous meetings throughout the year across culture, education, science, and communication within an intensive work programme, adopting forward-looking, scientifically grounded decisions in these fields.

Our Permanent Mission actively participates in the multilateral processes conducted within UNESCO’s mandate. These processes cover a wide range of issues of both regional and global significance, including monitoring situations in conflict areas, combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property, the fight against doping in sport, the ethics of artificial intelligence and education in emergencies. In this context, we work in close cooperation and effective coordination with the relevant institutions and authorities of our country, ensuring that Türkiye’s contributions to UNESCO’s normative and programmatic activities are reflected in a strong and consistent manner.

Acting with the vision of serving “the common welfare of humanity and international peace,” Türkiye has always attached great importance to the active participation of youth, gender equality, and the principle of equitable geographical representation in UNESCO’s fields of activity.

During my tenure, I will continue to work with determination, in close cooperation with our national authorities and UNESCO, to advance Türkiye’s priorities and to support all efforts that contribute to global peace.

Mustafa Yurdakul

Ambassador

Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Türkiye to UNESCO