UNESCO member states give green light to US return, Blinken says

The member states of the United Nations' cultural agency backed the United States' return to the organization almost five years after then-President Donald Trump withdrew, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday.

"I am encouraged and grateful that today the (UNESCO) membership accepted our proposal, which will allow the United States to take the next, formal steps toward fully rejoining the organization," Blinken said in a statement.