UNESCO CHAIR For Inter-Religious Dialogue Studies in The Islamic World
Paris – Dr. Alaa Shatnan, Director of the UNESCO Chair and representative of the University of Kufa, took part in the proceedings of Digital Learning Week 2025: Harnessing Technology for Education, held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 2–5 September 2025 under the theme: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Education: Disruptions, Dilemmas, and Horizons.
Active Participation on the First Day – 02/09/2025
The opening day centered on exploring the multifaceted impact of artificial intelligence on education—covering teaching, curricula, assessment, and administration.
On the sidelines of the conference, a meeting was convened, bringing together representatives of UNESCO Chairs and twinning networks from universities worldwide. The gathering witnessed fruitful discussions on the progress of the Chairs, exchange of expertise, and exploration of future avenues for joint initiatives.
Subsequently, three workshops were held addressing different dimensions of AI:
- Critical perspectives on artificial intelligence.
- Opportunities for integrating AI into local education systems.
- An advanced executive training course on AI for diplomats.
The Official Opening Ceremony
The evening session marked the formal inauguration of the event in the presence of Ms. Stefania Giannini, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General, who delivered a keynote speech. She emphasized that the rise of artificial intelligence in education has ignited a profound global debate on its implications.
Giannini urged the need to envision the future of education by directing AI to serve equity, embedding ethics at the heart of its design, and safeguarding human agency as the guiding principle.
She further called on teachers, students, and policymakers to deepen their understanding of AI, to employ it responsibly, and to take an active role in shaping standards and policies that ensure its ethical use—both within education and beyond.
The first day concluded with a lecture and a roundtable discussion examining the influence of AI on curricula and assessment methods.
