October 31, 2025
The opening of the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference took place yesterday, 30th October 2025, at the Conference Centre in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This marks the first time in 40 years that such a gathering is held outside Paris. The decision, unanimously adopted by all 194 member states during the 42nd session in Paris, is viewed as a recognition of Uzbekistan’s recent advancements in educational and cultural reforms.
Alongside the conference, Samarkand hosted the 14th UNESCO Youth Forum and the 12th Interregional Meeting of National Commissions. Side events focused on artificial intelligence in museums, gender equality, and women empowerment. A major highlight is the official announcement of a UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Early Childhood Education in Tashkent, scheduled for 5th November 2025.
In his landmark opening address, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed pride in this milestone, highlighting that it signifies a significant step toward enhancing quality and excellence in education within the country. Uzbekistan’s new centre will be only the second of its kind regionally, after the Institute of Early Childhood Development (IECD) in Seychelles, which is a UNESCO Category 2 Institute. The IECD has achieved notable milestones and has positively impacted children’s early learning and development in Seychelles.
Mrs. Shirley Choppy, CEO of the IECD UNESCO Category 2 Institute in Seychelles, welcomed this positive development and congratulated President Mirziyoyev, stating that it will further advance early childhood education in Central Asia. She expressed IECD’s intention to collaborate and close partnership with Uzbekistan on early learning and development initiatives. Mrs. Choppy reaffirmed support for the commitments and actions outlined in the Tashkent Declaration for ECCE (2022) and SDG 4.2 (2030). Moreover, she emphasized that quality early childhood education lays the foundation for lifelong success. With the right resources, support and continuity from best practices in early childhood, Seychelles is on the path to building a high-quality education system that responds to the evolving needs of the industry and ensures a bright future for our children.
In his concluding statement, President Mirziyoyev thanked Member States and partners for their support, highlighting the event as an opportunity to showcase Uzbekistan’s civilizational potential. UNESCO officials praised Uzbekistan’s cooperation, particularly in education, heritage preservation, and science.
A Seychelles delegation, led by Ambassador George Tirant, (representing the Minister of Education), includes CEO-IECD Mrs. Choppy, Chairman of the IECD Board Dr. Javier Rose, and Mrs. Vicky Michel, Secretary General of the National Commission for UNESCO.
