US Withdrawal From UNESCO Signals a Dangerous Step Back for Global Science

In a world where infectious diseases, climate change, and misinformation spread across borders with alarming speed, the need for global scientific collaboration has never been more urgent. And yet, the US has announced its intention to withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)—again. This decision, slated to take effect in December 2026, is more than a bureaucratic reshuffling. It’s a symbolic and strategic retreat from the kind of global cooperation that helps save lives.

In a new opinion piece published on LinkedIn, Infection Control Today^®’s (ICT^®’s) lead editor, Tori Whitacre Martonicz, MA, explores the implications of this withdrawal—not just for diplomacy, but for science, public health, and infection prevention. ICT® contributor and 2024 Infection Control Today Educator of the Year™ Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA, calls the move “a step backward” and warns that it risks weakening the very networks of education and science the world depends on to fight emerging threats.

The newsletter article, titled "A Blow to Global Science: US Withdraws from UNESCO—Again," traces the history of the US’s current rocky relationship with UNESCO and places this latest exit in the broader context of past withdrawals from key international institutions, including the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accord. It also underscores how global initiatives—like those supported by UNESCO in climate education, AI ethics, and gender equity in STEM—are vital to the infection prevention community and beyond.

The piece is not just a warning; it is a call to action for health professionals, scientists, and educators to advocate for stronger international engagement. As the article reminds us: “Infections don’t stop at arbitrary political lines.” For those working in infection prevention and control, the loss of US participation in UNESCO is more than a political headline. It’s a disruption to global knowledge sharing and, potentially, a threat to future preparedness for outbreaks.

You can read and engage with the full opinion piece on LinkedIn in the Behind ICT’s Mask newsletter. Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7283245581337014274