The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) commended Qatar's significant and vital role in advancing the education agenda for the world's most marginalized children, emphasizing Qatar's dedicated efforts to provide quality education opportunities for children and youth in need, especially those affected by emergencies and conflicts.

The world celebrates the International Day to Protect Education from Attack on September 9 every year after it was approved and adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly at its 74th session, based on a draft resolution submitted by the State of Qatar.

The Qatari draft resolution, which the world celebrates for the fourth time this year, was adopted on May 28, 2020, entitled "International Day to Protect Education from Attack," and stipulates that September 9 of each year is considered a global day to protect education from attacks, and urges the international community to alleviate the plight of students affected by armed conflict.

In an interview with the Qatari News Agency on the occasion of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, HE UNESCO Representative for the Gulf States and Yemen and Director of the UNESCO Office in Doha Salah El Din Zaki Khaled lauded the long-standing collaboration between UNESCO and Qatar, stressing that Qatar, since joining the organization in 1972, has contributed significantly to UNESCO's vision, strategy, and specialized fields of focus, which encompass education, culture, sciences, communication, and information.

He explained that over five decades, UNESCO and Qatar have built a robust partnership, with Qatar consistently at the forefront of the organization's work. Since 1976, Qatar has also hosted the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, a clear testament to Qatar's commitment to supporting UNESCO's strategies and programs at the national, regional, and global levels, he pointed out.

He said that the Qatar-UNESCO partnership covers a wide range of programs and focuses on education, culture, and sustainable development.

His Excellency pointed out that in the education field, UNESCO collaborates with the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation to provide educational opportunities for children and youth in countries such as Lebanon, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and others. He underscored that Qatar's generous support contributes to the global agenda for transforming education.

He added that at the national level, Qatar joined the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPNet) in 1983, with the number of ASPNet schools in Qatar currently exceeding 100. Additionally, Qatar hosts six member municipalities of UNESCO's Global Network of Learning Cities and four UNESCO Chairs in various fields, further advancing UNESCO's work in areas such as science, technical, and vocational training and education. (MORE)

Source: Qatar News Agency