Venezuela supports a regulatory instrument on young people and digital environments at Unesco

Published at: 20/10/2026 07:43 PM

The permanent delegate ambassador of Venezuela to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Ernesto Villegas, expressed support for a regulatory instrument on children and young people in digital environments in the current technological era.

During the 225th session of the Executive Council of UNESCO, held in Paris, he expressed the country's position regarding the preliminary study on the technical and legal aspects related to the appropriateness of this regulatory instrument.

The diplomat said that Venezuela is open to the future, “that includes an openness to new technologies as tools for peace, inclusive development and coexistence.”

“Children and young people are growing up in a digital environment that arouses enormous enthusiasm, but that is not exempt from providing them with questions and legitimate concerns, so we support the director general's initiative and the convening of an extraordinary general conference in January 2027 for this topic,” he said.

In addition, he assured that artificial intelligence, without any framework, can threaten the survival of the human species, citing experts.

Faced with this situation, he considered that “a UNESCO regulatory instrument could constitute our greatest contribution to allowing today's girls, boys and young people to truly have a future”.

“We propose that the instrument make explicit mention of a higher purpose for technological development, inspired by what UNESCO is already doing in relation to education for peace. Not just any development, but technological development for inclusion and for peace; not for exclusion, for the widening of gaps and human subordination to algorithms,” he said.

He also proposed that UNESCO should look at the Venezuelan code of ethics for artificial intelligence as a reference, as well as the country's experience in the Scientific Seedbeds Program.

Villegas also warned about the collateral damage caused by wars, blockades and unilateral coercive measures by disrupting the development of girls, boys and young people “in an inclusive and sovereign way”.

Finally, the ambassador quoted Pope Leo XIV as stressing that artificial intelligence must never supplant human dignity.