We meet at an important moment for UNESCO.

This session comes as we prepare the next programme and budget, and as the Organization

prepares for a new leadership cycle.

It also comes at a time when the world is facing deep and complex challenges — wars,

humanitarian crises, and a changing climate that threatens our common future.

UNESCO is being tested.

Conflicts continue to destroy lives and learning worldwide.

The effects of climate change are growing, and resources across the UN system are under strain.

In this difficult environment, Member States look to UNESCO to stay focused, effective, and

true to its mission.

Albania commends the Director-General and the Secretariat for their tireless work under these

demanding conditions.

The increase in voluntary contributions in recent years is remarkable and shows the strong trust

of Member States.

But voluntary funds alone cannot ensure stability.

UNESCO needs a sustainable and predictable budget, based on assessed contributions and

strengthened by innovative partnerships — with the private sector, universities, and the

technology community.

Madam Chair,

We must be realistic.

Resources are limited, and priorities must be clear.

Albania supports focusing on what UNESCO does best — the areas where it has global authority

and real impact:

• Education and SDG 4, especially in crisis situations.

• Gender equality and SDG 5, which must be central to all programmes as drivers of

peace and resilience;

• The protection of cultural and natural heritage through the Culture Conventions;

• Freedom of expression and the safety of journalists, online and offline;

• The ethics and governance of artificial intelligence, where UNESCO plays a unique

global role;

• And scientific cooperation on oceans, biodiversity, and climate action through the

MAB and IOC programmes.

These are the fields where UNESCO makes a visible difference and must continue to lead.At the same time, transparency and accountability remain important foundations of trust

between the Secretariat and Member States.

We welcome the progress already made toward clearer financial reporting and efficient

management, and encourage further steps to ensure that Member States can follow the use of

resources with confidence.

Future adjustments in staffing and structure should continue to reflect the principles of cost-

effectiveness, decentralization, and be carried out in close consultation with Member States, in

a way that supports the vision of the next Director-General.

I take the opportunity on behalf of Albania to warmly congratulates Dr. Khaled El-Enany

on his nomination as the next Director-General. We look forward to working closely with him

and with the Secretariat to advance UNESCO’s mandate with renewed energy, innovation, and

inclusiveness.

Madam Chair,

The crises we face today also test UNESCO’s agility.

We welcome the Organization’s quick and determined responses in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan,

Lebanon, Afghanistan, and beyond.

In particular, in Ukraine, UNESCO’s work to protect education, culture, and media shows how

the Organization can stand with a country under attack and help preserve knowledge and heritage

for future generations.

Albania stands in full solidarity with the people of Ukraine and supports UNESCO’s continued

engagement on the ground.

At the same time, we are encouraged by positive examples that remind us of UNESCO’s

constructive impact.

One such example is the designation of the Vjosa Valley in Albania as a UNESCO Biosphere

Reserve in the recent weeks — a landmark recognition for Albania and for Europe.

The Vjosa, one of the last wild rivers of our continent, is now protected under the Man and the

Biosphere Programme as a living laboratory for sustainable development, biodiversity, and

community-based conservation.

For Albania, this achievement reflects years of cooperation between government, scientists, civil

society, and local communities — and it stands as proof that environmental protection and

economic development can go hand in hand when guided by UNESCO’s vision.

Looking ahead, Albania believes UNESCO’s voice will be essential in three key directions:

1. Renewing multilateralism – contributing to the UN80 and UN 2.0 vision, showing that

a focused and modern UNESCO is vital to the United Nations family.

2. Empowering youth – treating young people as partners and co-creators of solutions, not

just beneficiaries.

3. Promoting innovation and technology – using artificial intelligence and digital tools to

advance equality, sustainability, and inclusion, always guided by ethics and human rights.Albania’s own national experience reflects this forward-looking approach.

Our government has introduced “Diella” — a virtual minister powered by artificial

intelligence — to lead Innovation and Digital Transformation.

Although symbolic, Diella represents how technology can improve decision-making, support

public services, and promote inclusion.

It is a reminder that technology must always serve people — not the other way around — a

principle at the heart of UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI.

Excellencies,

Albania remains deeply committed to multilateralism and to UNESCO’s mission.

We must resist division and strengthen cooperation.

We must show that UNESCO can adapt, innovate, and deliver where it matters most — in

classrooms, in communities, and in the protection of our shared heritage.

As we move toward the 43rd General Conference, Albania will remain engaged, pragmatic,

and forward-looking.

We will continue to work with all partners — within our regional group, the EU, and beyond —

to ensure that UNESCO remains a place of unity, creativity, and impact.

Because what unites us — peace through education, culture, science, communication, and

equality — is far stronger than what divides us.