U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday lobbied for the United States to be re-elected to UNESCO's board, promising to work with Congress to restore funding after Washington cut off its contributions in 2011 in protest over the Palestinians being admitted as full members.

In a speech at UNESCO's Paris headquarters, Kerry said the United States had led new initiatives and deepened its involvement with UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural and educational arm.

"The United States is a proud candidate for re-election to UNESCO's executive board, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be here just to talk with all of you ... but really to explain to you the depth of the commitment that the United States has to this body, as well as our high hopes for the future," Kerry told UNESCO ambassadors and officials.