The Director-General expressed her satisfaction with the close and long-standing cooperation between UNESCO and France, as host country, in all areas of competence of the Organization.

The Director-General thanked France for its strong commitment to the protection of heritage in conflict zones. In this context, she recalled Resolution 2347 unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council last March and warmly thanked France for its commitment to this historic Resolution. She stressed the need for greater international coordination for the protection of heritage at risk.

In the field of education, the Director-General highlighted the importance of UNESCO's action in the priority areas of education for Global Citizenship, prevention of violent extremism and the fight against the radicalization of young people, including in cyberspace.

The discussion continued on UNESCO's role in Africa, particularly in the Sahel, as well as in the Middle East. The President underlined the importance he attaches to strengthening cooperation in the fields of education and culture.

The President expressed his commitment to UNESCO and his intention to strengthen France's action within the Organization in all areas of competence.

"We must act on a long-term basis to strengthen a multilateralism of intelligence and culture in the face of the tensions and fragmentations in the world," said President Macron.

The President and the Director-General discussed the challenges the Organization is facing in a global context and agreed on the need to strengthen UNESCO's role in peacebuilding.

France is a founding member of UNESCO, a Member State since 1946. There are 33 UNESCO Chairs in France and 4 UNITWIN Networks, as well as 191 Associated Schools, France joined the network of Associated Schools in 1953. France is home to 14 Biosphere Reserves and 6 Global Geoparks.

This year, the World Heritage Committee, which held its last session in July 2017 in Cracow, inscribed the cultural landscape of Taputapuātea in French Polynesia on the World Heritage List, bringing the total number of French sites on the List to 43.