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What does the title of Hanoi Honorary Citizen mean to you, as well as to UNESCO, in promoting the values of education, science, culture, and peace in Vietnam?

From UNESCO's perspective, being awarded the Hanoi Honorary Citizen title signifies the strong and enduring partnership between Vietnam and our organization.

I am deeply honored and grateful to receive the Hanoi Honorary Citizen title. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Hanoi City and the Vietnamese Government for this recognition. I also share this honor with my UNESCO colleagues in Vietnam, who work tirelessly to promote UNESCO's mission and values in partnership with the Vietnamese people.

Award Ceremony of Hanoi Honorary Citizen Title to Firmin Edouard Matoko, UNESCO assistant director-general for External Relations and Africa, on October 25th. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

How do you evaluate the role and effectiveness of Vietnam's cultural diplomacy policies, and how can UNESCO support further promotion of this process, contributing to building cultural bridges between Vietnam and the international community?

Cultural diplomacy has been a focus of UNESCO's work for many years. While we've made progress, it's clear that in today's divided world, political diplomacy alone is insufficient.

We need to strengthen cultural diplomacy efforts, as culture has the power to foster understanding, respect, and harmony among different peoples.

We appreciate and recognize Vietnam's efforts to promote cultural diplomacy, not only in the region but also globally. Therefore, UNESCO is ready to support Vietnam's cultural diplomacy initiatives.

What is your assessment of the role young people play in preserving Vietnamese culture and introducing it to the international community, particularly in today's increasingly globalized world?

For the past 25 years, UNESCO has prioritized youth engagement. Every two years, we host the UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris, providing a platform for young people from around the world to connect, share ideas, and propose projects. Young people from around the world come together at the forum to exchange ideas and develop projects. We at UNESCO believe that young people are the key to shaping a better future, and we are committed to supporting their initiatives.

UNESCO Assistant Director-General Firmin Edouard Matoko.

It's important to empower young people by giving them a voice and enabling them to make informed choices. That's why we have developed a wide range of programs to educate and engage young people on social issues. Ultimately, we believe that young people should have the opportunity to shape their own futures.

How do you envision future collaborations between Vietnam and UNESCO, particularly in light of the global challenges Vietnam is facing, including heritage preservation, sustainable development, and climate change adaptation?

The world today is grappling with a host of complex challenges, including the misuse of artificial intelligence, new technologies, and social media, which can lead to serious consequences such as the spread of misinformation and fake news. We hope that countries like Vietnam, with their strong technological capabilities, will prioritize the ethical use of technology in their policies. It is crucial to ensure that technology benefits all people equally and does not exacerbate existing inequalities.

Given the proliferation of information on social media, it is essential to equip young people with the digital literacy skills needed to navigate the online world responsibly. We hope that Vietnam will take a leading role in this area, alongside addressing issues such as climate change and environmental protection.

I commend Vietnam's innovative approaches to sustainable development, such as the establishment of biosphere reserves. We are confident that our partnership with Vietnam will continue to grow in these areas.

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