Representing the Italian Government, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marina Sereni will go to Paris on Monday, 18 November to take part in the 40th session of the UNESCO General Conference taking place in the French Capital from 12 to 27 November 2019. She will also give a presentation.
The General Conference gathers all the Member States every two years; it is the sovereign body of the Organisation and determines the programmes and budget and elects the Director-General on the recommendation of the Executive Board.
Italy plays an important role in UNESCO, providing a real contribution in terms of resources, active presence, visibility and planning. It is the main contributor in financial terms, with a commitment in 2019 (between obligatory and voluntary contributions) of over 46 million dollars to support activities in the areas of protecting cultural heritage, education and international scientific cooperation.