Samarkand, a city at the crossroads of civilisations along the Silk Road, was chosen for its rich cultural heritage and growing role as a hub for international dialogue. The event also extended to other Uzbek cities, including Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva, and Shahrisabz, reflecting the country’s ambition to showcase its cultural and historical assets.
November 25th 2025, by Alison Smedley
The 43rd Session of UNESCO’s General Conference took place from 30th October to 13th November 2025, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This was the first time that the conference had been hosted away from UNESCO Headquarters in Paris since 1985.
The General Conference is UNESCO's biennial decision-making body, where all member states have the opportunity to debate and decide on UNESCO policies and activities, and where budget decisions and elections to key roles are held.
UK National Commission Chair, Professor Anne Anderson, and Secretary-General, James Bridge, joined the UK Permanent Delegation at the event, at the request of UK Ambassador to UNESCO, Anna Nsubuga.
Among the key highlights of the conference were:
Delegates formally appointed Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz of Egypt as UNESCO’s next Director-General, following his nomination by the Executive Board. He will succeed Audrey Azoulay and take office on November 15, 2025.
The conference adopted the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology, a groundbreaking step in addressing the societal impacts of emerging technologies.
During their time in Samarkand, James and Anne held meetings with representatives from over 30 other countries, discussing soft power, UKNC brokerage, and the role that UNESCO designations in the UK play in delivering UNESCO's work in and beyond the UK.
Ahead of the General Conference, a meeting of National Commissions took place, where Secretary-General James Bridge played a leading role. James was also a keynote speaker and panellist for the UNESCO NGO-Liaison Committee meeting on National Commissions and NGO cooperation and best practice, with the new Chair of the NGO Liaison Committee.
