UNESCO

What does it mean to learn through culture and the arts? For the students of the Princeton High School Orchestra, it means discovering new ways to connect, collaborate and express themselves across cultures and languages. During the first UNESCO Culture and Arts Education Week, these young musicians reflected on how the arts foster empathy, inspire hope and help young people make their voices heard. In a world facing growing division and uncertainty, culture and arts education remains a powerful force for dialogue, understanding and peaceful coexistence, empowering young people to connect, create and imagine a better future together. 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e6uQx9N6

🏛️ Museums are places of dialogue, learning and collective memory. As societies evolve, they are also navigating new questions around technology, access and the future of cultural institutions. Under the theme “Museums, AI and the Future”, this year’s MuseumWeek will explore how technological transformations, including artificial intelligence, are reshaping museums and their role in society. From 1 to 7 June 2026, UNESCO will host a series of webinars presenting practical resources, guidelines and initiatives to support museums in navigating these changes. 🔗 Full programme: https://lnkd.in/eZhwMNv2 #MuseumWeek

How does heritage live and evolve along the Silk Roads today? Through the 2026 Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest, UNESCO invites young people aged 14 to 25 to share their perspectives on “Living Heritage Along the Silk Roads.” From everyday practices and shared traditions to cultural expressions and community life, participants are encouraged to capture the living connections that continue to unite people across regions. Three winners in each age category will receive a professional camera, while around 60 selected photographs will be featured in the Youth Lens on the Silk Roads album and exhibited internationally. 📸 Apply by 30 June and lear more: https://lnkd.in/eeTvjv4w #UNESCOSilkRoads

The expansion of higher education over the past two decades has been significant, but uneven across regions. While around 80% of young people in Western Europe and Northern America are enrolled in higher education, the figure falls to just 9% in sub-Saharan Africa. Completion rates reveal similar disparities. UNESCO's Higher Education Global Trends Report highlights that expanding enrolment alone is not enough. Ensuring equitable access to quality higher education remains essential to building more inclusive, resilient and sustainable societies. 👉 Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e7HBhefP

Quantum technologies are advancing rapidly, but participation in this field remains uneven. Insights from #UNESCO’s Global Survey on Quantum Research and Infrastructure show that gaps in skills, training and access continue to shape who can contribute to the future of quantum science and technology. Strengthening education, training and talent pipelines is not just a workforce challenge. It is essential to ensuring more equitable access to emerging technologies and the opportunities they create. Explore the full analysis in the Global Report of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025, led by UNESCO. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eBFwtCZx

UNESCO pays tribute to the memory and immense philosophical legacy of Edgar Morin, a towering figure of thought and a close friend of UNESCO. Through his articles, books, and lectures —always marked by immense generosity— Edgar Morin gave voice to nuance, complexity, and the essential dialogue between disciplines, standing against the dangers of extreme specialization. He offered us the exceptional gift of delivering UNESCO’s centenary keynote lecture, spanning a century of reflection and engagement—perhaps the best introduction for those discovering his work today. Edgar Morin’s intellectual journey is a method for the future: an art of patience and a true initiation into the art of human creativity and reflection, at a time shaped by machines and artificial intelligence. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eRc_P3qt ➡️ Watch Edgar Morin’s keynote lecture delivered at UNESCO on the occasion of his 100th birthday: https://lnkd.in/eKUqYy5f ➡️ Explore Edgar Morin’s articles and reflections in the UNESCO Courier: https://lnkd.in/egz_Qe_X ➡️ Rediscover his landmark work on the future of education, published with UNESCO in 1999 and more relevant than ever today: https://lnkd.in/eb9RGwQr

In the context of the recent aggravation of hostilities in Lebanon, UNESCO is deeply alarmed by the verified damages affecting Chama’ Citadel as well as the reported strikes in the immediate vicinity of Beaufort Castle, both properties provisionally inscribed on the List of enhanced protection of the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. UNESCO is also concerned about the state of conservation of Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a site under enhanced protection, in the light of recent alarming developments that may expose the site to further damage and potential looting. UNESCO strongly condemns unlawful attacks against cultural property. Sites under “enhanced protection” benefit from the highest level of legal protection against attack and use for military purposes. Damage to such institutions deprives communities of access to culture and shared spaces that are essential for recovery and social cohesion. UNESCO and its Regional Office in Beirut will continue to work with the Lebanese authorities in assessing damage to cultural institutions and in reinforcing urgent safeguarding measures within its mandate. https://lnkd.in/ew5yEXxf

Reshaping Creativity Policies for Innovation How can cultural policies help shape more sustainable and inclusive creative economies? In this interview, Jordi Baltà Portolés, editor of UNESCO’s Re|shaping Policies for Creativity report series, reflects on how cultural policies can respond to rapid technological, social and environmental change. Drawing on insights from the 2026 edition, the conversation explores governance, digital environments, sustainability and the conditions needed to support artists, cultural professionals and diverse creative sectors. Aligned with UNESCO’s work under the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the discussion highlights the role of culture and creativity in shaping more resilient and inclusive societies. Hosted by Gabrielle Menezes, UNESCO’s Chief of Digital Channels. 🔗 Read the report: https://lnkd.in/eeYib2c2

In this room, memory is stored on tape. For decades, the Radio Mogadishu archive has preserved voices, music, poetry and stories that shaped Somalia’s modern history. But analogue heritage is fragile. Time, environmental conditions and years of exposure to risk can erase these recordings forever. What is being preserved here is not only sound. It is a living record of memory, identity and cultural expression. The Radio Mogadishu archive is one of East Africa’s most significant audio collections. Its thousands of recordings connect generations, preserving not only historical events but also the voices, creativity and experiences that continue to shape Somali society today. Archives are not only about safeguarding the past. They create bridges between generations, strengthen belonging and help communities access and understand their own histories. Through digitisation, documentary heritage becomes more resilient, more accessible and ready to inspire future generations. This work is being carried out through UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme -JFIT initiative, funded by the Japan - The Government of Japan, in collaboration with partners working to protect and preserve Somalia’s documentary heritage for generations to come. https://lnkd.in/e88hS-Gw #ForThePeople #MemoryOfTheWorld

As artificial intelligence transforms how knowledge is produced, accessed and shared, education has a critical role to play in strengthening creativity, critical thinking and human agency. In this context, the 2026 UNESCO ICT in Education Prize highlights innovative initiatives showing how AI can support meaningful learning experiences while preserving learners’ capacity for critical thinking, discernment and imagination across formal, non-formal and informal learning environments. 📣 Applications are open until 29 May 2026. Learn more: https://unes.co/ozkx17