Minister of Education Visits UNESCO Headquarters to Discuss Enhancing Cooperation in Education and Culture Development

Minister of Education Eng. Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaee paid an official visit to the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, the French capital, on the sidelines of his participation in the “Transforming Education Summit+4.” During the visit, he held a series of meetings with senior officials of the organization to discuss prospects for joint cooperation on a number of educational and cultural files of mutual interest, in the presence of Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Dr. Ali Al-Mudhaf, and Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs, Hamad Abdullah Al-Hamad, at the Ministry of Education.

During his visit, the Minister met with the current Director-General of UNESCO, Dr. Khalid Al-Anani. They emphasized the importance of strengthening the partnership between Kuwait and the organization, and expanding areas of cooperation to support efforts to develop education, and to benefit from international expertise in implementing educational initiatives and projects that keep pace with global changes and enhance the quality of the educational process.

The Minister also met with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Tong Sheng, where both sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation and exchange expertise in the educational field, and to benefit from international experiences and practices. This aims to introduce global standards into teacher skills development programs and to enhance their professional competencies, in line with the rapid changes in the education system.

During the meeting, Minister Eng. Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaee reiterated the Ministry of Education’s commitment to expanding cooperation horizons with specialized international organizations, and to benefiting from global expertise in developing the education system, particularly in the field of teacher professional development, as they are the fundamental pillar for achieving educational quality and improving its outcomes. He highlighted the importance of exchanging expertise and building partnerships that support the implementation of best educational practices according to international standards.

The meeting also addressed opportunities for joint cooperation in several priority educational areas, and discussed mechanisms to enhance coordination between the two sides, thereby supporting Kuwait’s efforts to develop education, enhance the efficiency of educational cadres, and contribute to achieving educational development goals.

In the cultural dimension of the visit, Minister Al-Tabtabaee met with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, Naif Al-Faiz. They discussed several files related to inscribing Kuwait’s tangible heritage sites on relevant international lists, and explored ways to accelerate work and enhance continuous coordination between Kuwait and UNESCO. This aims to support national efforts to safeguard Kuwaiti cultural heritage and highlight its historical and civilizational value.

The meeting also discussed prospects for enhancing joint cooperation in the cultural field, and exchanging artistic and specialized expertise, to support Kuwait’s presence on the global cultural heritage map, both tangible and intangible. This underscores the country’s rich heritage sites and assets that reflect its national identity and civilizational legacy, within the framework of continuous cooperation with UNESCO to achieve common goals in the fields of culture and heritage protection.