Ukraine Wins Seat on UNESCO Executive Board with Record 137 Votes
Ukraine has been elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the period 2025–2029 with record support — 137 votes, which is an important diplomatic victory for the country.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to a statement made by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Facebook.
According to Foreign Minister, the competition for a seat on the Council was extremely intense, with Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and Russia vying for three seats.
Due to the systematic work of Ukrainian diplomacy Ukraine not only managed to gain membership, but also prevented the election of the aggressor state. This is Russia's second consecutive failure in the elections to the UNESCO Council.
Sybiha pointed out that this decision demonstrates the international community's high level of trust in Ukraine and recognition of its active role in the fields of education, science, culture, and cultural heritage protection.
“This means that Ukraine's voice will be heard even louder where decisions are made on preserving history, supporting education, and developing humanitarian values,” he said.
Membership in the Executive Board opens up new opportunities for Ukraine — strengthening international cooperation, protecting cultural heritage that is under great threat of destruction due to constant Russian attacks, and promoting Ukrainian initiatives at the global level.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also responded to this event, emphasizing the importance of this vote and the opportunities that Ukraine will have in the next term of the Executive Board.
“Together with our partners, we will use all the opportunities provided by UNESCO to rebuild lives, protect our culture, heritage, and people,” he said. “We will ensure that all forms of Russian aggression, whether war or hybrid threats, are properly countered.”
The Executive Board is one of UNESCO’s three main bodies, which sets the agenda, reviews programs and budgets, and monitors their implementation. It consists of 58 states with a four-year mandate. This Board plays a key role in making decisions that determine UNESCO’s policies in the fields of education, science, culture, and communication.
Ukraine has been a member of UNESCO since 1954 and has played an active role in shaping the Organization's humanitarian and cultural initiatives for decades. It was Ukraine's proposals that formed the basis for such important international documents as the Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice (1978), the Culture of Peace Program (1993), and the UN decision to declare 2002 the International Year for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. All this indicates that Ukraine consistently promotes the values of peace, tolerance, and the preservation of cultural heritage on a global scale.
Ukraine and UNESCO are deepening their cooperation through joint projects in the fields of culture, media, and digital transformation, aligning them with the national Strategy for Cultural Development until 2030. The organization supports Ukraine both in the urgent restoration of damaged cultural sites and in long-term initiatives.
Currently, more than 20 joint UNESCO projects are being implemented in Ukraine, including the creation of cultural hubs and programs to counter misinformation.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova have taken an important step in preserving and promoting their shared cultural heritage by signing a memorandum on the preparation of a transnational nomination of “PreCucuteni-Ariusd-Cucuteni-Trypillia” for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.