In a session of the Executive Board of UNESCO, Lithuania speaks in favour of the organization’s direct involvement in Crimea
At the 200th session of the Executive Board of UNESCO on 7 October, the representative of Lithuania, Ambassador Arūnas Gelūnas drew attention to challenges to freedom of expression, safety of journalists, cultural diversity and gender equality.
“There are wonderful examples of humanity’s progress and for this we must be grateful to UNESCO’s coherent and long-term efforts. However, every day we are forced to witness also regress, such as fundamental human rights violations. UNESCO’s intensified efforts are needed in this area,” said the Ambassador.
The Lithuanian representative drew attention to the ever-deteriorating situation of human rights in Crimea, Ukraine, and voiced support for UNESCO’s active involvement in human rights monitoring directly in the fields of the organization’s competence – freedom of expression, safety of journalists, and minority rights.
Gelūnas also congratulated UNESCO on the occasion of the jubilee session. According to him, the organization has not lost its importance in the context of challenges facing the international community today.
The session of the Executive Board, which will take place until 18 October, focuses on UNESCO’s activities in Crimea as well as in Palestine, the organization’s two-year Programme and Budget for 2018-2021, its role in promoting the protection of cultural heritage and cultural pluralism in the event of armed conflict, and other important issues.
At the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO on 11 November 2015, Lithuania was elected to serve on the organization’s Executive Board for the 2015-2019 period. Lithuania has been elected member of the organ already for the third time. The Executive Board is one of the constitutional organs of UNESCO and it consists of 58 member states.
Photo: UNESCO/A.Dunasovs.
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