WASHINGTON -- Jill Biden gets another chance to put her ambassadorial skills to work this week when the United States formally rejoins a United Nations agency devoted to education, science and culture around the globe. Biden arrived in Paris early Monday, accompanied by her daughter, Ashley Biden, after flying overnight from Washington to join other VIPs and speak at a ceremony today at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The American flag will be raised to mark the U.S. return to UNESCO membership after a five-year absence.
UNESCO aims to foster global collaboration in education, science and culture. It also designates World Heritage sites, deeming them worthy of eternal preservation.
The agency on Sunday condemned Russia's attack on a cathedral in Odesa and other heritage sites in Ukraine in recent days and said it will send a team to the Black Sea port city to assess damage.
In a statement, UNESCO noted that Odesa's historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site earlier this year and said attacks by Russian forces contradict recent promises by Russian authorities to take precautions to spare such sites across the country.
Before returning to Washington on Wednesday, Biden will tour a historic venue in France, Mont-Saint-Michel, a 1,000-year-old Benedictine abbey that was listed as a World Heritage site in 1979. It sits on an island in Normandy, in the north of the country.
A daughter and mother of U.S. service members, the first lady will also visit Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial to pay respects to the more than 4,400 U.S. service members buried there, most of whom died in Normandy and Brittany during World War II.
She will also stop at the Elysée Palace in Paris today to catch up with Brigitte Macron, a former teacher and the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. The women have met several times over the past two years, including in Washington last December when Macron was on a state visit to the U.S.
Senior Biden administration officials said returning to UNESCO fits President Joe Biden's goal of strengthening global partnerships and recommitting to American leadership at the U.N. and other international organizations to serve as a counter to nations that do not share U.S. values.
Others said Jill Biden, who teaches English and writing at a Virginia community college, was best suited to represent the United States in Paris today.
"The first lady, as a lifelong educator and believer in the power of educational opportunity across the world, is honored to help celebrate this important milestone," said Elizabeth Alexander, a spokesperson. "She looks forward to raising the flag for the United States once again at the UNESCO headquarters, showing our country's commitment to international cooperation in education, science, and culture."
The U.S. pulled out of the Paris-based organization in 2018, under then-President Donald Trump, a Republican who claimed UNESCO was biased against Israel.
The administration of Biden, a Democrat, pushed to rejoin over concerns that China was filling the void in leadership created by the U.S. absence.
The administration announced in June that it would apply to rejoin the 193-member organization, which also plays a major role in setting international standards for artificial intelligence and technology education.
FILE - First lady Jill Biden arrives at Westminster Abbey prior to the coronation ceremony of Britain's King Charles III in London, May 6, 2023. Biden will join other VIPs and speak at a ceremony Tuesday, July 25, at the headquarters of the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization. The American flag will be raised to mark the U.S. return to membership after a five-year absence. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
FILE - The logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is seen during the 39th session of the General Conference at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Nov. 4, 2017. First lady Jill Biden will join other VIPs and speak at a ceremony Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at the headquarters of the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization. The American flag will be raised to mark the U.S. return to membership after a five-year absence. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE - First lady Jill Biden speaks during an event with the National Education Association in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in Washington. Biden will join other VIPs and speak at a ceremony Tuesday, July 25, at the headquarters of the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization. The American flag will be raised to mark the U.S. return to membership after a five-year absence. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)