As our Organization approaches its eightieth anniversary, this session places us before our collective responsibility.
The Director-General posed a fundamental question to us not long ago: “What UNESCO do we want to see at its centenary?”.
As we live through a time of major technological transformations, deep geopolitical divisions, and intense financial pressures, the answer is self-evident: a UNESCO whose mission for peace is more urgent than ever.

For Albania, this session holds three absolute priorities:

• Concrete results on the ground: UNESCO’s action must genuinely improve human lives.
• A predictable and stable budget: Financial emergency must not become our default mode of management.
• A reform that brings us closer: Modernizing UNESCO must bring us closer to local realities, without creating new layers of bureaucracy.

On the financial front, let us look at the reality: in twenty-five years, the purchasing power of the regular budget has fallen by approximately 60%. Concurrently, voluntary contributions now account for 70% of our programs. This dependency threatens our independence.
These voluntary resources are valuable, but they must neither replace the regular budget nor dictate our priorities.
How can we guarantee that sectors such as Communication and the Sciences are not sidelined in favor of programs that easily attract private funding?

The governance of our finances must be grounded in transparency and accountability. In this complex landscape, the support of our major partners — such as the European Union, whose engagement remains predictable, reliable, and principled — is invaluable. However, to maximize the impact of these funds, we must imperatively avoid any overlap with other UN agencies or within UNESCO itself.

Institutional reform cannot just be an abstract idea discussed in Paris. It must bring real results on the ground. Regarding the field network review, Albania fully supports removing administrative duplication. However, we must be clear: efficiency cannot mean leaving countries behind. Many smaller delegations worry that moving resources to distant regional hubs will weaken our direct contact with individual countries.

What concrete steps will guarantee that National Commissions continue to receive fast and direct technical support?
In times of war and crisis, UNESCO’s voice must be brave and guided by international law. Protecting damaged schools, giving psychological support to teachers and traumatized pupils, saving cultural heritage, and defending journalists are not optional tasks. They are the heart of UNESCO’s mission.

For Albania, support for UNESCO means concrete results in our country.

• In Education: Through the Albania Digital Education Project, we have built smart labs in over 600 schools. We have connected 150,000 learners and provided our teachers with modern digital tools. But we also push for inclusion where it is needed most. At the Mother Teresa Hospital in Tirana, we created special learning spaces for sick children using virtual reality, robotics, and art. We do this because a severe illness should never pause a child’s right to learn, play, and grow.
• In Heritage and Cooperation: In 2026, the Shkodër Lake Biosphere Reserve officially joined the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. This is a vital achievement. It shows our deep commitment to protecting nature and working peacefully across borders with our neighbors.
• In Intangible Cultural Heritage: Albania is deeply honoured to join the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2026–2030 term. We believe shared traditions bring people together. Living heritage belongs to the local communities who practice it every day. During our mandate, we will work to bring the Convention closer to the youth, so these traditions survive for future generations.
• Finally, on Artificial Intelligence: As Pope Leo XIV reminded us during his historic visit to UNESCO: AI can process data, but it can never answer the real meaning of human life. Technology must serve human dignity, not control it. In Albania, we are testing this balance through an AI virtual assistant in our public administration. However, a significant gap remains. Global ethical guidelines are formulated in Paris, but smaller countries often lack the technical capacity to implement them. Furthermore, global AI models continue to overlook smaller languages and specific cultures. What simple, concrete tools can UNESCO provide to help smaller governments use AI ethically?

Mr Chairperson, Excellencies, trust is not built merely by drafting resolutions. It is built day by day, through open dialogue, transparency, and mutual respect.

Let us choose bold transformation over slow administration. Let us build a UNESCO that is credible, focused, and truly dedicated to the people we serve.