Traditionally, at the end of the year, the general meeting of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO is held in Moscow at the Reception House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. This year’s general meeting was held on December 23 presided by the Chairman of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov.

The event was attended by members of the Commission from among the leading and reputable figures and experts of our country in the field of art, culture, education, science and sports, as well as representatives of organizations active internationally in the field of public diplomacy, promoting the interests of our country in the international arena. One of these organizations is the Vernadsky Foundation.

During the general meeting, the Chairman of the Commission, Sergey Lavrov, presented the final report on the Commission’s activities in the year of 2025, on the existing challenges facing Russia’s activities at UNESCO from the Western minority and the outgoing Director General of UNESCO. Sergey Lavrov, speaking to the members of the Commission, noted that despite the efforts of a number of Western countries to politicize the work of the Organization, Russia continued to make a significant contribution to UNESCO’s work. It was emphasized that Russia hoped to establish constructive working relations with the new Director General of the Organization, Khaled al-Anani (the Arab Republic of Egypt) to depoliticize and strengthen UNESCO’s authority and equal partnership between the Organization’s Member States. An important aspect of Russia’s activities at UNESCO is the promotion of education for sustainable development, from the network of UNESCO associated schools and departments in Russia, ensuring an interdisciplinary approach to the promotion of multilingualism.

Of particular interest is also the expansion of UNESCO's network of global geoparks and the expansion of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. It was noted that strengthening Russia’s position in the humanitarian sphere remained a key task for the future.