Launching The National Committee for “Information for All” of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO
The first meeting of the National Committee for Information for All of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO was held on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the premises of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, with the participation of the committee’s individual and institutional members, as part of the new cycle of activities of the Commission’s specialized committees.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO, welcomed the committee members and emphasized the importance of launching the National Committee for Information for All and its role in strengthening scientific, research, and cross-sectoral cooperation in the fields of communication and information. He also stressed the need to leverage the capacities of UNESCO’s programs in these areas.
Dr. Fartousi then outlined the six core objectives of the Information for All Program. He identified strengthening information and digital literacy, working to reduce digital divides, promoting coordination and capacity-building on the ethics and responsibilities associated with communication and information, particularly in relation to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, promoting standard policy frameworks to strengthen universal access to information, and advancing linguistic diversity and multilingualism in cyberspace as among the program’s key objectives.
He emphasized that strengthening national capacities to promote freedom of expression and enhance public access to information, including in times of crisis, is among the most important missions of this National Committee.
The Secretary-General of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO described the first meeting of the new cycle of activities of the National Committee as a valuable opportunity to put the initiatives of UNESCO’s Information for All Intergovernmental Program into practice in the country. He emphasized that identifying UNESCO’s diverse capabilities and capacities in the fields of communication and information and making use of them constitutes the Committee’s primary mission in advancing the country’s scientific, educational, cultural, and communication diplomacy.
Dr. Fartousi also stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation and fostering synergies among the country’s executive bodies, academic and research centers, and other relevant institutions.
During the meeting, the committee’s individual and institutional members were introduced. They then exchanged views on cross-sectoral cooperation, developing existing capacities under the Information for All Program, expanding educational and research activities, and leveraging UNESCO’s capacities in this field.
In the final part of the meeting, elections for the committee’s executive board were held in accordance with the new regulations governing the specialized committees of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO. Based on the members’ votes, Dr. Hossein Entezami was elected Chair and Dr. Mohammad Mohsen Sadr was elected Vice-Chair of the National Committee for Information for All of Iran’s National Commission for UNESCO.
During the meeting, appointment letters for the committee’s individual members, signed by the Minister of Science, Research and Technology, were also presented to them.
