Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO, Hà Kim Ngọc. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hà

PARIS — Việt Nam was elected a Vice President of the 42nd session of the UNESCO’s General Conference, representing the Asia-Pacific, on November 8 (local time).

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hà Kim Ngọc, who is also Chairman of the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO, said the election affirms the Party and State’s sound foreign policy of multilaterisation and diversification, as well as comprehensive and effective international integration.

It also affirms Việt Nam's increasing prestige in the international arena, and is a vivid illustration of the international community’s confidence in Việt Nam's contributions to global multilateral mechanisms, he said, describing this as an outcome of the cultural diplomacy strategy to 2030.

In this position, Việt Nam will have more chances to make positive and practical contributions to the international issues before UNESCO; step up UNESCO’s programmes and orientations across the five areas of education, culture, natural science, social science, and information and communications; and capitalise on UNESCO’ initiatives to develop the nation in a sustainable and comprehensive fashion, Ngọc said.

With this election, for the first time, Việt Nam is taking on roles at four key UNESCO mechanisms at the same time, the other three being: member of the UNESCO Executive Board, Vice Chair of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for the 2021-2025 tenure, and member of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Each of these roles offers opportunities for the country to engage in the formation of policies and important decisions of UNESCO, he said. — VNS