The Statement of the NAM/UNESCO Chapter chaired by Azerbaijan was presented at the 212th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board

“Since its founding the NAM has played a fundamental role in strengthening international peace and security in accordance with the Bandung principles. Given the serious challenges that the international system faces today, NAM denounces the use Unilateral Cohersive Measures against sovereign nations. NAM will continue to advocate the strengthening of the principles of International Law as well as the principles of international relations enshrined in the UN Charter in favor of multilateralism in adherance to respect for the sovereignty, territorial unity and integrity of States, non-interference in internal affairs, the right to self-determination of peoples under foreign occupation”, – the Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Azerbaijan to UNESCO, Ambassador Elman Abdullayev, said in a Statement during the 212th session of the UNESCO Executive Board on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement/UNESCO Chapter, chaired by Azerbaijan.

He said, that NAM also stands firm for multilateral cooperation, where it also acts as an initiator of important events of global scale, including the Special Session of the UN General Assembly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic convened on 3-4 December 2020 upon the initiative of the Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev and welcomes UNESCO's efforts to eliminate the negative impacts of COVID-19 on its areas of activities.

In addition, it was noted that the NAM calls upon States and other relevant stakeholders to take appropriate measures to guarantee the fair, transparent, equitable, efficient, universal and timely access and distribution of safe, quality, efficacious, effective, accessible and affordable COVID-19 vaccines and to enable international cooperation.

NAM appreciates activities by UNESCO and its Global Education Coalition partners for the safe reopening of schools. NAM also welcomes joining forces by UNESCO under "Mission: Recovering Education 2021" to support governments in bringing all learners back to school and prepare teachers to address learning losses and incorporate digital technology in their teaching.

NAM Member States welcome the UNESCO's Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) efforts that aligns with SDG 4 on quality education and SDG 16 on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and in particular target 16.A on strengthening national institutions to prevent violence and combat crime and terrorism.

NAM reaffirms its condemnation of all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, Unilateral Coercive Measures and any kind of related intolerance, which constitute serious violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as impede equal opportunity.

The Ambassador stressed that Non-Aligned Movement reiterates its commitment to protect all the cultural properties situated in the territories of its Member States and to prevent exportation of cultural property from occupied territory in the event of armed conflict, in accordance with the principles of the 1954 Hague Convention and its Protocols.

NAM Member States express their serious concern over the problem of non-implementation of provisions of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Properties by UN Member States and urge UNESCO’s Secretariat to join their Voices to denounce vigorously these illegal crimes against national heritages and identities of the States in accordance with the  Conventions mainly 1970 UNESCO Convention and UN Security Council Resolutions 2199 (2015), 2347 (2017), General Assembly Resolution 73/130.

The NAM also expresses its commitment to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, as an important contribution of the international community in favor of the protection of the intangible cultural heritage, to ensure the validity of the cultural manifestations of States, capable of being transmitted from one generation to another, and as an instrument for peace, tolerance, coexistence, respect for human rights and the promotion of the identity and cultural diversity of the peoples.

NAM reaffirms the importance of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions by UNESCO, as a major contribution to the international community, within the framework of the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, its Action Plan and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

NAM calls on UNESCO to continue its global priorities of Africa and Gender Equality and to give a priority approach to Small Island Developing States.

NAM calls on the international community to remind Israel of its obligations under international law including UNESCO conventions. NAM reiterates its call for the realization of justice and the inalienable rights, including educational and cultural rights, in the Occupied Arab Territories as well as legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinian people in their sovereign and independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Permanent Delegate expressed the solidarity of NAM with the Haitian people following the terrible earthquake that struck the Grand Sud of Haiti causing more than 2000 deaths. NAM calls upon UNESCO to take urgent actions in Haiti, in providing appropriate school structures to enable the affected students to continue their education.

At the end, the High-Level Commemorative Meeting organized by Azerbaijan and Serbia on October 11-12, 2021 in Belgrade on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement was welcomed.