Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Fourteen UNESCO Chairs from the fields of education, sciences, culture, communication, and social transformation convened at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in Kerala, India, on 13 and 14 May 2026 to strengthen regional collaboration and align their activities with UNESCO's priorities for 2026–2027.
The meeting, organized by the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia in partnership with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, provided a platform to review two years of collective progress and foster joint initiatives under UNESCO's Regional Support Strategy for South Asia.
Participants emphasized a renewed commitment to intersectional approaches, linking sectors such as education, science, culture, and technology to better serve women and girls, youth, marginalized communities, and vulnerable groups throughout the region.
According to the meeting, the 24 UNESCO Chairs in South Asia collectively contribute to UNESCO's global programmes by enabling stronger connections among scientists, researchers, policymakers, and communities, enhancing the response to regional and global challenges including climate change, digital transformation, and inequalities.
UNESCO’s Curtis highlighted the importance of Chairs within the United Nations system, citing UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany, who described the Chairs and their networks as powerful brokers of knowledge and essential connectors between universities, societies, evidence, policy, and action—particularly relevant amid growing challenges such as artificial intelligence and scientific trust.
The Round Table was structured around UNESCO's South Asia Regional Support Strategy 2025–2029, anchoring the Chairs' work on five regional priorities, including addressing environmental crises, digital transformation, and social equity.