Sharing an inspiring come back to Chile. A country I’ve had the opportunity to work with for many years—first supporting its accession to the OECD, and more recently through regional leadership in artificial intelligence and the use of sports as a force for good.

The cherry on top? A powerful conference on education, culture, and science in the age of AI at Julio Portales University.

Reflecting on a recent article by Kumudini Hettiarachchi, I share how my early experiences in Mexico shaped my commitment to building a UNESCO that meets today's global challenges.
From a public school classroom to the global stage, my journey is driven by a deep belief in education, culture, and science as forces for peace, development, and inclusion.

I had the pleasure of delivering a public lecture at the India Habitat Centre, hosted by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS). joining diplomats, scholars, and policy experts for a forward-looking dialogue on Artificial Intelligence and ethics. I shared UNESCO’s global AI ethics framework—endorsed by 194 countries and now guiding capacity-building in over 70 nations—as a powerful example of multilateralism in action.

I had the opportunity to meet with Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Minister of Education MP Dullas Alahapperuma, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Vijitha Herath. Accompanied by Ambassador Federico Salas, we engaged in a constructive exchange on the future of UNESCO and the evolving role of multilateral institutions in tackling the pressing challenges facing global education systems.

During my recent visit to Dhaka, I had the honor of meeting Nobel Laureate and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. Our exchange reaffirmed my deep commitment to inclusive development, cultural cooperation, and principled leadership—values that lie at the heart of my vision for UNESCO […] I was particularly impressed by Bangladesh’s achievements in education, culture, and social equity. As I shared with Professor Yunus, “UNESCO sees Bangladesh not just as a member, but as a partner with real promise.”

It was a pleasure to catch up with Jaume Collboni, the first mayor to address the UNESCO Executive Council. Building on the momentum of the 4th Forum Against Racism and Discrimination in Barcelona, he presented the Global Anti-Racism Alliance—an initiative that received a favorable vote from 49 countries.