News

On 22 September, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas congratulated Bulgarian representative Irina Bokova with the nomination for the post of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General. The Minister expressed his satisfaction that solidarity of the European Union (EU) member states in unanimously supporting an EU candidate with majority of the votes was successful.

The Minister wished I.Bokova to continue strengthening the UNESCO’s role in the development of international cooperation on education, science and culture issues.

Ambassador of Bulgaria to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Irina Bokova, 57, won the election to the post of Director-General during the fifth and the last round of voting at UNESCO’s Executive Board on 22 September. Only two candidates with the majority of votes from the fourth round were competing during the last phase of election: Farouk Hosny of Egypt and I.Bokova from Bulgaria. The latter received 31 votes and the Egyptian candidate was given 27 votes. After the second round of elections, Lithuania withdrew its candidate Permanent Delegate of Lithuania to UNESCO Ambassador Ina Marčiulionytė and supported a common EU candidate.

During his conversation with I.Bokova, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed hope for the UNESCO to reform. Head of Lithuania’s diplomacy noted that the organisation had to respond to the needs of member states and become a global forum on education, science, culture and communication. Minister V.Ušackas noted that it was important to achieve that in the field of culture UNESCO stimulated dialogue of civilisations, promoted the spead of information, knowledge and ideas in electronic space and also improved education in the world as well as encouraged scientific dialogue oriented towards sustainable development.

After winning the election in the Executive Board, the candidate has to be approved in UNESCO's General Conference on 6-23 October.