Paris, 13 October 2025. – The Permanent Delegation of Cuba to UNESCO firmly and clearly defended on Tuesday the indispensable continuity of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and strongly condemned the genocide endured by the Palestinian people for more than two years in the Gaza Strip. The statement was delivered during the debate on agenda items of the 222nd session of the Executive Board concerning the situation in Palestine and support for UNRWA’s educational activities.
The Cuban representative reaffirmed her government’s unwavering support for the legitimate cause of the Palestinian people, recalling the historic solidarity that unites both nations. She emphasized that this position is reflected in concrete actions, such as the reception in Cuba of Palestinian medical students, who were recently welcomed at the Palace of the Revolution by President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez. This gesture, she stressed, constitutes a tangible contribution by Cuba within UNESCO’s areas of competence, particularly in higher education and scientific cooperation for human development.
Likewise, the delegation recalled the massive popular demonstration held in Havana on 9 October, during which the Cuban people marched to demand an immediate end to the aggressions and the lifting of the blockade on Gaza. This mobilization, together with the statements by President Díaz-Canel and Cuba’s official position—supporting a just and lasting solution based on the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State, within the pre-1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital—reflects the Island’s coherence and anti-imperialist commitment.
In its intervention at UNESCO today, in a context marked by the recent ceasefire and peace talks in Sharm El-Sheikh, Cuba reiterated its call on the international community to guarantee a permanent cessation of hostilities and to reject any attempt to dismantle or defund UNRWA. The delegation emphasized that this agency is a vital pillar for the survival, education, and dignity of millions of Palestinian refugees, and that its work is irreplaceable for any process of reconstruction and lasting peace in the region.