A high-level meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) between UNESCO Pakistan and the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), chaired by Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, to discuss strategic collaboration opportunities under UNESCO’s Country Cooperation Strategy 2026–2030 and explore ways to align UNESCO’s development priorities with PMYP’s national youth development initiatives.
The purpose of the meeting was to position PMYP as UNESCO Pakistan’s strategic implementation partner by leveraging its nationwide youth development ecosystem in the areas of education, skills development, youth empowerment, digital inclusion, climate resilience, and economic opportunities.
The meeting was attended by Fuad Pashayev, Director UNESCO, and Ayesha Nisar, Programme Assistant (Youth) from UNESCO, alongside Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan and members of the PMYP team.
Fuad Pashayev is the Chief of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Office (UNESCO) and Representative to Pakistan, with extensive experience in international relations, diplomacy, and development cooperation. He previously served in senior UNESCO leadership roles, including Head of the National Commissions and Fellowships Unit and Officer-in-Charge of the UNESCO Office in Tashkent. Dr. Pashayev holds advanced degrees in political science and international relations from leading French universities and is fluent in English, French, Russian, Turkish and is currently learning Urdu.
Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan briefed the UNESCO delegation on PMYP and its flagship initiatives, including the Digital Youth Hub (DYH), PM Youth Skills Development Programme, Matric-Tech Programme, Green Youth Movement, National Volunteer Corps, National Youth Council, and the PM Youth Business & Agriculture Loan Scheme. He noted that these platforms collectively connect education, skills, innovation, entrepreneurship, climate action, and employment opportunities for youth across Pakistan.
Fuad Pashayev appreciated Pakistan’s rich cultural and historical heritage and remarked that the country possesses immense potential for additional UNESCO-recognized heritage sites. He also reaffirmed that youth development remains one of UNESCO’s core global priorities.
The UNESCO Director praised the Digital Youth Hub as an innovative national platform capable of connecting young people with opportunities in education, technical training, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement. He further emphasized the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), stating that while it may not be possible to place every child into conventional schooling systems, vocational and technical training can effectively bridge educational and economic gaps by equipping youth with employable skills.
Both sides discussed collaboration in priority areas including educational inclusion, initiatives for out-of-school children, digital literacy, STEAM education, climate resilience, green skills development, youth participation, and TVET reforms. Discussions also focused on integrating UNESCO’s technical and vocational standards into PMYP programmes, particularly the Matric-Tech and PM Youth Skills Development initiatives.
The meeting also explored the possibility of establishing the Digital Youth Hub as a national platform for UNESCO youth engagement, beneficiary outreach, and impact tracking. Additionally, both parties discussed institutionalizing youth policy dialogue through the National Youth Council and strengthening climate-related entrepreneurship through green TVET pathways and youth financing initiatives.
Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan thanked the UNESCO delegation for their visit and emphasized PMYP’s commitment to building a strong and long-term partnership with UNESCO Pakistan. He stated that PMYP offers UNESCO a ready implementation ecosystem with nationwide institutional outreach capable of operationalizing youth-focused development initiatives at scale.
The meeting concluded with both sides expressing mutual interest in formalizing cooperation through a structured collaboration framework aimed at empowering Pakistani youth through education, skills, innovation, sustainability, and economic opportunities.
