AJC Statement on the U.S. Decision to Withdraw from UNESCO

American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, released the following statement on the Trump administration's decision to again withdraw the United States from UNESCO:

"While AJC has long expressed concerns about the politicization of UNESCO, especially with regard to Israel, the organization has made notable progress to refocus on its core mission of advancing education, science, and culture," said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. "Under the leadership of Director-General Audrey Azoulay, important steps have been taken to depoliticize sensitive issues. The U.S. decision to withdraw now risks undermining this fragile progress, especially as Azoulay's term is coming to an end. Continued American leadership and engagement is critical to ensuring that UNESCO does not once again become a platform for anti-Israel animus."

Since 2018, UNESCO's member states-including Israel-have managed to reach consensus on sensitive resolutions, and the organization has launched impactful initiatives to combat antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and online hate. AJC has partnered with UNESCO on several of these efforts, including the development of educational tools to counter Holocaust distortion and teacher trainings in dozens of countries.

As UNESCO is the only UN body with an explicit mandate to combat antisemitism and promote Holocaust education, AJC believes that continued engagement with the organization is crucial. We urge the U.S. government to remain actively engaged until the withdrawal takes effect at the end of 2026, using its voice and influence to build onthe progress made thus far and work toward continued reform. We also call on other member states to recognize the damage caused by anti-Israel bias, and to work toward fulfilling UNESCO's mandate.

AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org .

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