The 224th session of the UNESCO Executive Board is taking place at the Organization’s Headquarters in Paris from 8 to 23 April 2026. At the session, the Chair of the National Council, Olha Herasymiuk, is working as part of the Ukrainian delegation headed by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mariana Betsa.
This is the first session of the Executive Board in which Ukraine is working as a member of this body for the 2025-2029 term. The decision adopted at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand became an important diplomatic achievement for Ukraine and a signal of support at the international level.
Among the main issues are the budget for 2026-2027 and the strategic document “UNESCO80 Roadmap” up to 2030. This document is intended to define how UNESCO will further develop and how its internal work will evolve under the pressure on international institutions and limited resources.
Today, 21 April, the Commission will consider the issue of emergency assistance to Ukraine. Also on the agenda of the Executive Board session is a document substantiating the importance of marking the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster in 2026 at the UNESCO level. The main objective is not only to honor the memory of the tragedy, but also to intensify international scientific research, educational programmes, and safety measures in order to pass these critical lessons on to future generations. It should be recalled that the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to strengthen international cooperation aimed at minimizing the consequences of the accident, emphasizing that the 40th anniversary in 2026 is an important opportunity to renew efforts for rehabilitation and sustainable development.
During meetings and consultations with UNESCO leadership, the Ukrainian delegation draws attention to the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine for education, culture, science, and the media, in particular calling for strengthened international efforts to enhance UNESCO’s role in documenting violations. For example, the Russian strike on the historic center of Lviv on 24 March 2026 – a UNESCO World Heritage site under reinforced protection of the Organization. Or the sites of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which were damaged in January 2026 during a massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv. This is one of Ukraine’s most important historical monuments and a UNESCO site.
As of early April, damage or destruction has been recorded to 1,723 cultural heritage sites and 2,524 cultural infrastructure facilities. The discussions also address accountability and the return of cultural property illegally removed by the Russian Federation from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. An important issue is the preservation of assistance to our country, including monitoring the situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, temporarily occupied by Russia.
At the session of the Executive Board, Olha Herasymiuk is participating in the meetings of the Programme and External Relations Commission as well as the Financial and Administrative Commission.
On 7 November 2025, at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference held in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Ukraine was elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2025-2029 term. The Russian Federation did not receive support for election to this body.
The UNESCO Executive Board is one of the three key organs of the Organization, alongside the General Conference and the Secretariat. It is composed of 58 Member States elected for a four-year term. The Board examines UNESCO’s programme and budget, oversees their implementation, and prepares recommendations for the General Conference. It operates in the format of plenary meetings and two commissions: PX – Programme and External Relations, and FA – Finance and Administration.
