UNESCO

In July 2023, as missile strikes hit Odesa, the Odesa Archaeological Museum was not directly struck — but the damage was unmistakable. Shockwaves cracked its walls, part of the ceiling collapsed, and repeated vibrations from nearby explosions continued to increase vulnerability of the 19th-century building.

On 9 July, as South Sudan marked 15 years of independence, UNESCO Headquarters hosted Spotlight on South Sudan at 15: Empowering People and Safeguarding Heritage in Crisis.

Making multilingualism functional through Universal Acceptance Across its contribution to WSIS, UNESCO placed multilingualism at the center of inclusive and human-centered digital transformation. UNESCO’s session on Multilingualism in the Digital Age: Advancing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity for an Inclusive and Human-Centered Information Society, held on 7 July 2026, focused on how linguistic diversity can be embedded in digital policies, technologies and services.

As part of the 2026 Global Conference on the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033), UNESCO, together with the International Science Council (ISC), is hosting a thematic session entitled "Advancing Scientific Freedom and the Safety of Scientists: Enabling Responsible and Inclusive Science Systems." (17 July 2026, 15:55 – 17:10, CEST, Room IX, UNESCO HQ and online: Zoom registration link).

Leveraging the UNESCO Recognition Conventions for Regional Integration: Central Asia Higher Education Policy Dialogue UNESCO Regional Office in Almaty in collaboration with UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok organized the first in-person UNESCO Regional Policy Dialogue for Central Asian countries on the recognition of qualifications in higher education  on 17–18 June 2026 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

On 7 July 2026, Tonga deposited with the Director-General its instrument of ratification to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (Paris, 20 October 2005). In accordance with the terms of its Article 29, the aforementioned Convention will enter into force with respect to Tonga three months after the date of the deposit of its instrument, that is to say on 7 October 2026.

Story At Rwentanga Farm Institute, the Better Education for Africa's Rise project (BEAR II) helped Annet Kyarisiima to transform Agro-processing training into a pathway for jobs, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods. Across Uganda, one question continues to shape the future of vocational education: how can skills training translate directly into jobs, enterprises, and sustainable livelihoods for young people?

Story A health club at Banda Secondary School has empowered Kevin Bwire to become a confident peer leader promoting wellbeing, hygiene and student support. At Banda Secondary School in eastern Uganda, more than one thousand learners move between classrooms every day. In such a large environment, it is easy for individual struggles to go unnoticed. For many students, challenges related to hygiene, confidence, peer pressure, and adolescence remain hidden behind routine school life.