Minister Plenipotentiary Gracita Arrindell at the 43rd UNESCO General Conference.
THE HAGUE--Minister Plenipotentiary, Gracita Arrindell, underscored the importance of innovation, education, and cultural protection during her address at the 43rd General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
This year marks the first time since 1985 that the General Conference is being held outside Paris. The biennial event brings together representatives from UNESCO’s 194 Member States, observers, and intergovernmental organisations to set global priorities in education, culture, science, and communication.
Speaking on behalf of Melissa Gumbs, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Arrindell spoke of St. Maarten’s commitment to digital transformation, quality education, and cultural preservation. “AI [Artificial Intelligence – Ed.] must amplify Caribbean creativity, not appropriate it,” she stated.
Arrindell highlighted the island’s new Higher Education and Research Ordinance, which establishes national standards for quality assurance and international accreditation. The law, she said, “ensures that education remains a public trust, strengthens accountability, and affirms that learning is the foundation of national resilience.”
She also discussed St. Maarten’s initiatives to integrate AI and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education in schools, through partnerships with the St. Maarten Science Fair Foundation, the St. Kitts and Nevis Robotics Association, and the OECS Robotics Association. These collaborations aim to create a national Robotics Unit and host an annual STEAM camp.
Building on messages from previous UNESCO cultural summits, Arrindell reiterated St. Maarten’s guiding philosophy: “Culturise before you digitize. We do not reject technology; we seek to humanise it. AI must serve inclusion and integrity, not imitation.”
The Minister also pointed to St. Maarten’s leadership in heritage protection, noting the creation of the first Caribbean Cultural Emergency Response (CER) Sub-Hub and ongoing efforts toward establishing a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. “Human progress and environmental stewardship must evolve together,” she said.
Youth empowerment was another focal point of her remarks. Through the National Youth Mainstreaming Strategy, St. Maarten is embedding youth participation and evidence-based planning across government sectors. In 2025, three local high schools joined the UNESCO Associated Schools Network, connecting students with global education initiatives.
Arrindell began her address by extending solidarity to the people of Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba, and other nations impacted by Hurricane Melissa.
She concluded by expressing gratitude for UNESCO’s ongoing support and for giving small island nations a global platform: “Together, may we build a world where knowledge inspires peace, and culture lights the path forward.”
The 43rd UNESCO General Conference runs from October 30 to November 13, 2025, featuring debates, exhibitions, and side events across Samarkand, Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva, and Shahrisabz. The session will include the appointment of UNESCO’s next Director-General and the adoption of the first global Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology.
