US first lady attends American flag-raising ceremony at UNESCO

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - US first lady Jill Biden attended a flag-raising ceremony Tuesday in Paris to mark Washington's re-entry into UNESCO.

"I was honored to join you today as we raise the flag of the United States, a symbol of our commitment to global collaboration and peace," she said. "The United States is proud to join as a member state of UNESCO."

She expressed gratitude to all of the UNESCO goodwill ambassadors for their "tireless efforts."

The US rejoined UNESCO on Friday, after withdrawing in 2018 under former President Donald Trump.

The Trump administration, after accusing it of harboring anti-Israel bias, withdrew from the UN's specialized agency aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture.

UNESCO member states overwhelmingly approved the return of the US after a long absence in a vote at an extraordinary session of the General Conference that began Thursday.

According to a statement on the UN body's official website, 132 member states voted in favor of the US rejoining, while 10 voted against it.