Paris: Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Dr. Athena Michaelidou, participated in the UNESCO Ministerial Summit on Education, which took place in Paris, within the framework of UNESCO Digital Learning Week 2026, highlighting Cyprus' approach to a safe, responsible, and meaningful use of AI in education.

According to Cyprus News Agency, the Summit was attended by Ministers of UNESCO Member States, experts, and representatives of key stakeholders, including student representatives. The summit, which examined the 'Sustaining the Public Purposes of Education in the Age of AI', focused on the challenges posed by the rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence in education.

In her intervention, the Minister presented Cyprus' approach to the safe, responsible, and meaningful use of AI in education, underlining that this is an educational and social transformation and not simply a technological development. She pointed out that this issue was a major priority of the recent Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the field of education.

The Minister referred to the national policy and guidelines for the responsible and ethical use of AI in education. According to the press release, she stressed the need to protect the rights, personal data, and well-being of children. She also noted that AI should enhance teaching and learning, without replacing the teacher-student relationship.

Michaelidou also held an official meeting with the new Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Education, Professor Qun Chen. During the meeting, they reviewed their cooperation and exchanged views on how to further strengthen it, based on the common priorities of Cyprus and UNESCO, the Education 2030 Agenda, and Sustainable Development Goal 4.

In addition, they examined prospects for a more systematic development of Cyprus-UNESCO cooperation through the exchange of know-how and good practices, the use of UNESCO's experience and networks, and the development of joint initiatives in areas of mutual interest. The Minister, the press release notes, reiterated Cyprus' commitment to further deepening cooperation with UNESCO.

On the sidelines of the Summit, the Minister also had bilateral contacts with her counterparts on issues of common interest in the field of education, the press release concludes.