UNESCO

Should we be afraid of neuroscience? 🧠 From implanting false memories to dictating text by thought alone, advances in neuroscience are blurring the line between science fiction and reality. These breakthroughs bring hope for medical progress, but also raise profound ethical questions. How can we protect mental privacy, free will, and human identity when our very thoughts could be read or altered? Read more in The UNESCO Courier: https://lnkd.in/edAZiH3C #UNESCO #Neuroscience #Neurotechnology

Last week at the #unescoGC, H.E. Mr. Peter Pellegrini, President of Slovakia, reaffirmed the vital role of education as a foundation for peace and human dignity. UNESCO continues to serve as a unique platform connecting nations through our shared commitment to education and humanity. https://lnkd.in/eMCkfv8c

Last week in Samarkand, UNESCO united young leaders from 140 countries for the 14th UNESCO Youth Forum 🌍 Youth activists, innovators and community leaders shared solutions for climate action, clean energy and sustainable living, shaping a Youth Call to Action now on the agenda of the UNESCO General Conference. This Forum is more than just a gathering — it’s a movement where every voice can spark change and ignite a more sustainable future. Join the movement: https://lnkd.in/eY8qkvqd #UNESCOYouthForum #ClimateAction #UnescoGC

At #UNESCOGC, we celebrated the first-ever UNESCO–Uzbekistan Beruniy Prize for Scientific Research on the Ethics of AI. 🏆 Supported by the Uzbekistan Arts and Culture Development Foundation, the prize was presented as a side event of the 43rd General Conference in Samarkand, honouring groundbreaking work that puts humanity and ethics at the core of AI development. Congratulations to the laureates, your contributions are shaping a better digital future. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e7bSTTzT Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, Gayane Umerova, Professor Virgilio Almeida, Professor Claudia Roda and Dr. Susan Perry, Institute for AI International Governance (I-AIIG) at Tsinghua University, China, led by Professor Lan Xue.

For the past five years, UNESCO and LVMH have joined forces to protect biodiversity and support sustainable development. This partnership has supported local initiatives, combining traditional knowledge and innovation to protect biodiversity and empower communities. Now entering a new five-year chapter, the collaboration will go further — expanding cooperation across UNESCO’s education, science, and culture programmes, with the active support of LVMH. It also includes a new project with the Tiffany & Co. Foundation focused on the sustainable management and conservation of marine areas. For 2025–2029, the “For the Beauty of the Living” partnership will focus on three priorities: supporting sustainable economic models, measuring environmental and social impacts, and strengthening skills and knowledge. Together, we continue to build solutions rooted in nature and culture, for people and the planet. 🌍 Listen to Meriem Bouamrane and Hélène VALADE share the outcomes and spirit of the first chapter of the partnership. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eFwaBK4F #UNESCO #LVMH #Biodiversity #Sustainability #UNESCOxPartners #Culture #ForNature #Education

#Neurotechnology is evolving rapidly, but are our rights keeping pace? The frontier technology offers hope for people suffering from conditions like Alzheimer’s, but is our mental data protected? Concerns like these are why UNESCO's groundbreaking work on #NeuroEthics is so important. Watch Professor Pedro Esteban Maldonado Arbogast who wants to keep ethics at the heart of this emerging field. https://lnkd.in/ejVXjkYc #unescoGC

Violence doesn’t stop at the school gate — it follows learners online. On 6 November, the world marks the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying, under the theme “Screen smart: Learning to be safe in the digital era.” Online violence is not just a digital safety issue, it strikes at the very heart of education, undermining learners' health, well-being and participation, threatening their future and that of societies. Education must be our frontline defence. UNESCO works with governments, schools and teachers to foster safe learning environments free from violence, train educators to recognize and respond to online violence, and strengthen policies so that learning spaces — physical and digital — are safe and healthy for all. Learn more: https://shorturl.at/aQMgA #StopBullying #EndViolence #LearnAndThrive

💫 A thousand years ago, Abu Rayhon Beruniy looked to the stars, pursuing knowledge to better understand our shared world. He compiled the coordinates and sizes of 1,029 stars, calculated the Earth’s radius, and wrote across disciplines, from astronomy to history, from mathematics to philosophy. A true polymath of the Middle Ages, Beruniy’s curiosity transcended borders, from Central Asia to India, and from science to the humanities. This week, his legacy returns to Samarkand with a special edition of The UNESCO Courier, “Abu Rayhon Beruniy: A Multi-Faceted Scholar,” produced in partnership with the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, making its way to the #unescoGC. A tribute to boundless curiosity, and to the enduring human drive to understand the world. 📖 Readers are already captivated. Discover the issue and rediscover a mind centuries ahead of its time: https://lnkd.in/eYrprdVQ This was made possible thanks to the support of the Uzbekistan Art & Culture Development Foundation, the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO, and the Permanent Delegation of Uzbekistan to UNESCO.

Join us LIVE at the 43rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference for the inaugural Award Ceremony of the UNESCO–Uzbekistan Beruniy Prize for Scientific Research on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This event honors outstanding contributions that advance ethical #AI research, foster international cooperation, and promote responsible innovation. Featuring three distinguished laureates whose influential work shapes the ethical governance of frontier technologies, the ceremony underscores the vital role of #Science and #Ethics in leveraging emerging technologies. This event is organised in partnership with the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, and the National Commission of Uzbekistan. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eVWGzpn8 #unescoGC Gayane Umerova

Neurotechnology has the potential to define the next frontier of human progress, but it is not without risks. The UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of neurotechnology, adopted at #unescoGC, is setting clear boundaries, enshrining the inviolability of the human mind. The adoption of this normative instrument marks the culmination of a broad process launched in 2019 by Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, and is closely linked to UNESCO’s work on ethics of artificial intelligence initiated in 2018. This text embodies a deep conviction: that technological progress is only worthwhile if it is guided by ethics, dignity, and responsibility towards future generations. Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/e5Y_TG-K #Neuroethics