TASHKENT, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The 43rd session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) opened on Thursday in Uzbekistan's historic town of Samarkand to discuss the organization's future priorities.

Running through Nov. 13, the session's key agenda includes the official appointment of UNESCO's next director-general and the adoption of the first global Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology.

It is the first time in 40 years that UNESCO's general conference has been held outside its Paris headquarters. Uzbekistan is currently implementing a five-year cooperation program with UNESCO through 2027. Samarkand, located in southeastern Uzbekistan, is a UNESCO-listed world heritage site known as a crossroads of cultures along the ancient Silk Road.

Addressing the UNESCO gathering's opening ceremony, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed UNESCO's growing role in preserving the national identity of peoples and their cultural heritage worldwide.

Noting that geopolitical tensions and armed conflicts are causing damage to unique monuments and cultural heritage, and that the widening gap in access to knowledge and digital technologies is deepening global inequality, he called for solidarity and efforts to respond to the challenges, including the development of inclusive education and the use of artificial intelligence technologies. ■