Saudi Arabia Participates in UNESCO’s 220th Executive Board Session, Highlights Leadership in AI Ethics

Riyadh, October 25, 2024 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia actively participated in the 220th session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which concluded its meetings on Wednesday at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris. Representing the Kingdom at the session was the Permanent Delegation of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO, alongside the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, as well as other national entities.

The Saudi delegation was led by Saudi Ambassador to France and the Principality of Monaco, Fahad bin Mayouf Al-Ruwaili, who also serves as the Kingdom’s permanent representative to UNESCO. During the session, the delegation emphasized Saudi Arabia's commitment to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) for the benefit of humanity, highlighting the Kingdom's leadership in adopting UNESCO's Ethics of Artificial Intelligence framework.

Saudi Arabia is among the first countries to advocate for the adoption of these AI ethics, aligning its efforts with the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) at both national and international levels. As part of its leadership in the field, the Kingdom hosts the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), promoting global cooperation to advance AI ethics and support the attainment of SDGs.

In addition to contributing to discussions on AI, the Saudi delegation participated in the national commissions meeting held on the sidelines of the Executive Board session. The session addressed procedural, financial, administrative, and substantive resolutions.

As a founding member of UNESCO, Saudi Arabia continues to play a key role in the organization’s initiatives. The Kingdom has been selected to lead the Open-Ended Working Group tasked with achieving balance on the UNESCO World Heritage List and is a member of UNESCO’s Executive Board, reflecting its active engagement in the decision-making process within the organization.

Saudi Arabia's participation in this session underscores its ongoing strategic partnership with UNESCO and its commitment to contributing to the organization’s global efforts in education, culture, and science.