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UNESCO director in Santiago strengthens regional educational cooperation in Panama during official mission
As part of her official mission to Panama on 14 May, the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, Esther Kuisch Laroche, held high-level meetings with the Executive Secretary of the Andrés Bello Agreement (CAB), Ambassador Aelín Pérez Ramírez, and the UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes.
In a regional context marked by challenges such as human mobility, educational inequality and climate change, the three international organisations reaffirmed their commitment to continue promoting collective solutions that ensure equitable access to inclusive education, with a focus on improving learning outcomes and student well-being.
As part of her agenda in Panama City, the UNESCO Director also participated on 15 May in the 6th International Congress of the, held at the headquarters of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO). The event addressed progress and challenges in hospital pedagogy as an educational modality in the region.
During her speech, the UNESCO representative emphasised that “the right to education cannot be suspended due to illness, medical treatment or a health condition. On the contrary, it is precisely in those moments when that right must be reinforced, adapted and ensured with greater sensitivity, commitment and innovation.”
She also highlighted that hospital pedagogy represents “a living expression of inclusive education, by transforming care into a learning opportunity and placing the individual at the heart of a community of affection, knowledge and hope.”
UNESCO’s participation in this congress reinforces its commitment to truly inclusive education that leaves no one behind, and to the promotion of effective cooperation between the health and education sectors as fundamental pillars of sustainable human development.
During her mission, the Director also visited the Colón Arts and Culture Centre, an emblematic space for the artistic revitalisation of the region and for strengthening the link between culture and education. On this occasion, she remarked that “91鶹Ʒ been supporting local communities for several years to build the capacities of young people, protect and promote cultural heritage, and boost creative and cultural industries. Integrating culture into educational processes not only preserves collective memory but also fosters creativity, intercultural dialogue and the building of more inclusive and resilient societies.”
