Tashkent, November 6 - Cuba reaffirmed its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people during the sessions of the 43rd General Conference of UNESCO taking place in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, as reported today by Prensa Latina.
In its intervention in the debates on the situation of the occupied Arab territories, held in the respective Commissions on Education and Financial and Administrative Affairs, the Cuban delegation expressed its support for the draft resolutions related to work with educational and cultural institutions in the mentioned territories.
The delegation also supported the educational activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), as well as the current situation in the Gaza Strip in all aspects of UNESCO's mandate, in a context of serious violations of international law and aggressions that directly affect the Palestinian civilian population.
The Cuban delegation reiterated that a peace agreement will only be viable, lasting, and just if it guarantees the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State within the borders prior to 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, respecting the right to self-determination of its people and the return of refugees.
Additionally, it reaffirmed its support for UNESCO's Action Plan in Gaza, which is being implemented amid the complex conditions imposed by the occupation, limiting the Organization's actions on the ground.
According to recent reports, around 13,000 students and over 1,000 teachers have been affected by the destruction and/or paralysis of schools and the interruption of the academic calendar.
In this context, Cuba reiterated its concrete and sustained support for Palestinian education, recalling that each year hundreds of Palestinian youth pursue higher education in Cuban institutions.
In this regard, it mentioned the recent meeting of President Miguel Díaz-Canel with more than a hundred Palestinian medical students at the Palace of the Revolution, a gesture symbolizing the deep bond of solidarity and brotherhood that unites both nations.
Once again, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism, justice, and the right to education as a tool for emancipation and development, and urged UNESCO to maintain firm and sustained support for the Palestinian people, reinforcing international cooperation in fulfillment of its mandate.
