Morocco has been elected to the presidency of the Governing Board of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) for the 2026–2028 term, in the person of Zohour Alaoui, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Berlin.
This unanimous election of Morocco by the members came at the conclusion of the 21st meeting of the UIL Governing Board, held recently in Hamburg. The meeting also saw the election of the former Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, Epsy Campbell Barr, as Vice President of the Governing Board of this UN institute.
The election of Zohour Alaoui as President of the UIL Governing Board reflects international recognition of Morocco’s commitment, as well as the pioneering role of King Mohammed VI in promoting education as a fundamental pillar of peace and sustainable development.
Morocco’s active role within UNESCO and the UIL was already recognized through the 7th International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII), held in June 2022 in Marrakech, which resulted in the adoption of the Marrakech Framework for Action and the establishment of the African Foundation for Lifelong Learning.
The Hamburg meeting of the Governing Board added the cities of Oujda and Casablanca to UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities, in recognition of their strong commitment to making the right to education for all, at all ages, a reality at the local level. Fez, Agadir and Essaouira have also been part of this global network since 2023.
