The Office of Count Jonathan of Aquitaine has reaffirmed the mission of the Centre for Education and Diplomacy in Avignon, framing its operations within the world's most significant international legal instruments. Established in August 2025 under the sovereign authority of the Republic of Aquitaine, the Centre represents a commitment to education, cultural dialogue, and humanitarian service, now explicitly aligned with binding international frameworks. Operating under the Republic of Aquitaine's constitutional framework, authenticated through the Hague Apostille Convention, the Centre situates its mission within the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 1, which establishes purposes of maintaining international peace and developing friendly relations among nations. This alignment ensures the Centre reflects compliance with binding purposes of the international order rather than mere aspiration.
The Centre affirms the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, specifically Article 26 guaranteeing the right to education and Article 27 guaranteeing participation in cultural life. These provisions reinforce the institution's dual role as both educational and cultural, echoing the Republic of Aquitaine's commitment to human dignity. Additionally, the Centre acknowledges the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing on Quality Education (SDG 4), Peace and Strong Institutions (SDG 16), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). Harmonizing with the Constitution of UNESCO, which charges the global community with advancing collaboration through education, science, and culture to foster peace, the Centre also draws grounding from the European Cultural Convention. Situated in Avignon, a city with centuries of diplomatic history, the institution embodies Europe's commitment to cultural cooperation across the continent.
The Centre advances its mission through three pillars: education promoting access to knowledge across cultures, diplomacy offering forums for dialogue strengthening mutual respect, and humanitarian service supporting cultural and charitable endeavors consistent with international law. By grounding itself in these comprehensive frameworks, the Centre positions itself as a partner in the shared responsibility of building peace and understanding globally. The explicit linkage to instruments like the UN Charter transforms the Centre's work from voluntary initiative to institutional obligation within the international system. This formal alignment matters because it elevates educational and cultural exchange from peripheral activity to core component of global governance, creating accountability mechanisms through established legal structures. The Centre's approach demonstrates how regional institutions can operationalize broad international commitments through concrete programming in education and diplomacy. This development has implications for how cultural diplomacy is conceptualized and implemented, moving beyond soft power narratives to hard legal foundations that demand consistent action and measurable outcomes in service of international peace and human dignity.
