GENEVA – Saudi Arabia fully supports all UNESCO initiatives focusing on science, arts, culture, technology, education, and empowering the youth as the pillars for a better future for the world, head of the Kingdom's delegation and its ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Wassil, has said. "The main strategic priorities of UNESCO are in tandem with the "Kingdom's Vision 2030", like education for all, protecting the material and nonmaterial heritage, and innovation for the sake of sustainable social development," he said. Addressing a recent reception party on the occasion of nomination of the Kingdom to the forthcoming UNESCO Executive Board elections in November in Paris, Al-Wassil reiterated that the Kingdom accords great importance to UNESCO plans and programs, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. "The Kingdom, he said, will be an active member in the international agenda for culture, science and education. He stressed that the Kingdom is striving to continue developing and enhancing its cultural heritage and improving the academic curricula and making education available to all. He said that the Kingdom has opened its doors to tourists, welcoming visitors from 49 countries and issuing them visas and e-visas on arrival. It has also opened the way for tourists to visit the cultural and heritage sites in the Kingdom. Among these are five sites listed by UNESCO among the world heritage sites, like Al-Ahsa Oasis and Al-Hajr archeological site (Madain Saleh). He added that the Kingdom has become a pioneering country in the field of innovation. Examples include "NEOM" and this is a new, unique program of a trans-border city that will become a global center for trade, innovation and knowledge. He pointed out that in 1946 when there was a global call to protect education, science and culture from wars and turmoils in the world, 20 countries came to the rescue. They met in London to sign the founding of what is known today as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Kingdom was the fourth among the 20 countries, which were and are still present with one unshakeable and deep-rooted goal — to build bridges in the service of humanity. Dr. Al-Wassil said: "The Kingdom started in 2016 a national transformation under the name "The Kingdom's Vision 2030", that aims to diversify the Kingdom's economy and develop the public services sectors, like health, education and tourism, through a roadmap to build a better future that will enable the citizens to make their dreams, hopes and ambitions come true and achieve the aspired success in a prosperous economy."
