Blog of Joseph Mason, SI Advocacy and Communications Coordinator.
At the close of 2024, from 17 to 19 December, UNESCO hosted its biennial International Conference of NGOs (ICNGO), a key platform for civil society actors to convene, exchange ideas, and strengthen partnerships to advance UNESCO’s mission across the next biennium of centre work. The theme for this ICNGO was ‘Building Capacity for Action’, with sessions dedicated to exploring success stories and opportunities for collaboration, as well as discussions on how capacity for action, advocacy, and partnerships, taking centre stage throughout.
As this was my first time attending a UN conference, I found the ICNGO to be a welcome opportunity to gain better understanding of the centre’s relationship with partner NGOs, and of the day to day work of Soroptimist International’s permanent representatives at UNESCO.
Opening Sessions: Strengthening Partnerships for Peace and Progress
The conference was opened by three key figures within UNESCO operations. Firstly, UNESCO Deputy Director General, Xing Qu, briefly welcomed everyone in attendance and highlighted the importance of NGO cooperation in addressing complex challenges around the world, noting the shared commitment between NGOs and that the strength of our partnerships allows us to be resilient.
The President of the UNESCO General Conference, H.E. Ambassador Simona-Mirela Miculescu, emphasised that together, civil society organisations represent a force for peace. Despite UNESCO’s modest budget, particularly in relation to other UN entities, its impact has been amplified through strategic partnerships with NGOs. These collaborations are not symbolic but essential in ensuring that UNESCO’s reach and influence continue to expand. The way that NGOs have embraced digital tools was also noted, along with the potential for new and emerging technologies to enhance collaboration and empower marginalised voices.
The conference also included a farewell to Nick Newland, Chair of ICNGO, recognising his contributions in steering the work of NGOs within UNESCO’s mandate. Nick addressed the escalating impact of global conflicts, the triple planetary crisis, and the rising political polarisation, all of which disproportionately affect the world’s most vulnerable communities.
A special welcome was extended to young representatives and observers, highlighting UNESCO’s commitment to intergenerational dialogue. The participation of youth ensures that their voices are included in decision-making processes and that capacity-building efforts continue to develop agile and effective NGO partnerships.
Conference Programme
Following the opening sessions, Jullien Pellaux, the Director of the Division of Partnerships covered the conference agenda, making note of important sessions and side events. In particular, NGOs were encouraged to actively contribute to the ongoing development of UNESCO’s strategic plan – with the draft to be agreed on the final day of the conference. The ICNGO also saw several elections to the NGO UNESCO Liaison committee, including the new Chair of the ICNGO, to be voted in throughout the course of the conference.
Mr. Pellaux also highlighted the vibrancy of the conference, with 300 registered participants engaging in discussions on strengthening existing NGO work and preparing for the next four years as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approach their conclusion.
Funding Challenges and NGO Contributions
During the following session, Zazie Schafer, Director of the Bureau of Strategic Planning for UNESCO, addressed the broader challenges facing multilateralism, including declining solidarity, a decrease in evidence-based decision-making, and the need to redefine UNESCO’s vision to align with transformation. A rise in global uncertainty has been noted, as well as rising inequalities and a general lack of imagination when envisioning a shared future. To remain relevant, UNESCO must adapt to a rapidly changing context while ensuring accountability to the communities it serves.
The critical importance of funding was also addressed. UNESCO receives less than 1% of overall UN funding, underscoring the need for strategic financial management and advocacy for increased resources. While many NGOs may not be in a position to fund large-scale UNESCO programmes, their contributions in terms of knowledge and expertise are invaluable.
Parallel Events and Panel Discussions
The rest of the day saw several parallel events and panel discussion take place. The first two discussions, on Priority Africa: Considering Capacity for Action and Successes, Challenges, and Lessons Learned were held in the main conference room, while the afternoon parallel events provided a chance to explore more of the UNESCO Headquarters and hear more about what different NGOs had to say about their own partnerships and collaborations.
Africa Plenary: Priorities and Ethical Considerations
Firstly, the Africa Plenary focused on the ethical use of emerging technologies, particularly AI, and the need for digital skills development and technological capacity building. Civil society plays a crucial role in addressing Africa’s priorities, leveraging both international networks and local expertise.
Key discussions also touched on cultural attitudes toward witchcraft and broader issues of social justice. Representatives such as R. Agoi, Secretary General of the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO, and organisations like the Social Justice League in Kenya emphasised the significance of partnerships and collaboration in advancing UNESCO’s mission on the continent.
Successes, Challenges, and Lessons Learned
In the afternoon, this session focused on the role of culture within the international development agenda and the importance of fostering dialogue beyond the confines of UNESCO. A. Navarro highlighted the existing mechanisms for cooperation between UNESCO and civil society, underlining the critical role national commissions play by amplifying NGO voices. The discussion also explored the interface between NGOs, ministries, and UNESCO, reinforcing the need for greater mobilisation of civil society energy to support international cooperation.
Communication and Information Sector Parallel Session
The communications parallel session addressed media and information literacy as a fundamental component of digital competencies and bridging the digital divide. As a highly interactive session, the panellists invited the audience to discuss the challenges posed by the vast availability of information online and the importance of media literacy in navigating digital landscapes. UNESCO’s efforts in this field include global awareness-raising initiatives such as Global Media and Information Literacy Week and the promotion of open educational resources. The session also tackled concerns about digital exclusion, algorithmic biases, and the role of digital platforms in shaping information accessibility. A key theme was the governance of digital platforms and the responsibility of stakeholders to ensure transparency, accountability, and user empowerment.
The workshop component of this session examined other contemporary challenges such as misinformation and disinformation, using UNESCO’s guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms as an analytical lens, under the acronym of ‘TRUTH’ – standing for Transparency, Responsiveness, Understanding, Trust, and Human Rights. The discussions here emphasised that solutions to misinformation must be human-rights based, ensuring that addressing one issue does not necessarily infringe upon another. In addition, the need for new processes and guidelines to properly manage digital spaces was acknowledge, with information integrity being recognised as a growing concern.
Youth Working Group
The final session of the day was of particular interest to me as a youth representing Soroptimist International. For the last 20 years, ‘Youth’ has been a priority group for UNESCO, where all sectors and programmes in partnership with UNESCO are encouraged to develop activities with and for young people. Based in UNESCO itself, this has included the establishment of a Youth Working Group in 2023, as well as the inclusion of a Youth Liaison within the NGO UNESCO Liaison Committee).
The youth working group provided an opportunity for youth representatives of different organisations to engage with one another and with the process of determining and setting different strategic priorities. The session facilitators, Anna and Hannah, set the task of suggesting priorities for youth that could be proposed as contributions to the UNESCO programme zero draft in the coming days – with issues including mental health, education, peacebuilding, environment, art and culture, and sustainability being identified by the group as some of the main priorities for Youth.