UNESCO Deputy Director-General Åsa Regnér has called Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming Paris visit timely, noting the Pontiff shares the United Nations agency’s foundational mission for peace and human rights as multilateral bodies face compounding global conflicts, climate pressures, and rapid artificial intelligence developments.
In 1980, Pope John Paul II delivered a historic address at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris. Forty-six years later, another pontiff will enter the headquarters of the organization. Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit the UN agency on September 25 as part of an Apostolic Journey to France lasting through September 28. Ahead of the visit, UNESCO’s Deputy Director-General, Åsa Regnér, spoke about the strategic importance of the Papal appearance as international bodies manage overlapping crises.
Multilateral Diplomacy Facing Modern Pressures
Founded in 1945, UNESCO was established to keep the intellectual space open, safeguarding freedom of expression, scientific inquiry, facts, and human rights free from political interference. According to the agency, that intellectual baseline allowed citizens within member states to make independent decisions regarding their lives and societies.
Today, however, international institutions confront severe friction. Agency leadership points to compounding pressures that include climate change, deep global inequalities, and an unprecedented proliferation of armed conflicts. Officials note that current hostilities are more protracted and brutal due to a widespread disregard for international law rarely witnessed in prior decades.
Addressing Ethical Dilemmas in Rapidly Evolving Technologies
Beyond traditional geopolitical conflicts, the rapid acceleration of technology causes concern among international officials and developers alike. Even creators within the tech sector have issued warnings that progress may be advancing too quickly to adequately protect human dignity, rights, and autonomy.
Pope Leo XIV has focused heavily on these ethical dilemmas, arguing that human beings must retain the right to govern technology rather than submit to it. That message aligns closely with the Pope’s encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas
, a text published months prior to the visit that generated widespread attention, particularly among younger populations.
Engaging Youth Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence
To coincide with the Papal visit, UNESCO organized the Forum for Youth in the Era of AI. The morning event brings together young women and men for a curated discussion about contemporary challenges tied to artificial intelligence before their meeting with the Pope. The forum builds on prior youth consultations held alongside French authorities, including discussions with the French Foreign Minister regarding survey data on social media and digital tools.
Young participants pushed back against the assumption that their digital fluency means they should handle these complex systems without institutional oversight. Agency officials noted that youth feedback emphasized the need for older, more experienced generations to stay involved, take responsibility, and maintain an active dialogue about technological governance.