Sun, Nov 22 2009

Clive Leviev-Sawyer

Editorial: Irina Bokova and Unesco

Fri, Sep 25 2009 09:59 CET byClive Leviev-Sawyer 1389 Views 4 Comments
Once the flow of congratulations to Bulgaria’s Irina Bokova on becoming the next head of Unesco has ebbed, hopefully along with the carping of her defeated rival, it will become clear that she faces a difficult job in an organisation rife with difficulties.

Bokova has used the word "reform" in relation to her plans for Unesco, a word familiar with those who observe the United Nations – a body whose stated ideals often have given way to moral relativism, inertia in the face of tragedy, and farces such as the 2001 "racism conference".

Long ago, the Soviet Union wielded Unesco as a political tool. There has been some success in ridding Unesco of its past discredited, wasteful and bloated nature, but still its sprawling and manifold ambitions, however noble, call for sterling management.

It may be that if it did not exist, Unesco would have to be invented. But it does exist, and Bokova faces the task of re-inventing it.

Comments

Anonymous Tom Miller Wed, Sep 30 2009 16:10 CET
Inappropriate comment?

Now that Bokova has come out to defend a self-confessed pedophile and child rapist will the UNESCO general conference still confirm her has its new Director-General? If it does, that will be an outrage!

Just goes to show how low the UN and UNESCO has sunk: the race for the DG post is between a oppressive Government minister of culture who threatens to burn Jewish books like the Nazis did and an Ambassador to France person who defends pedophiles and child rapists!

Anonymous Aйде бе Fri, Sep 25 2009 21:59 CET

This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained срещу журналисти.

Anonymous ЮНЕСКО Fri, Sep 25 2009 21:57 CET

This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained срещу журналисти.

Anonymous ООН Fri, Sep 25 2009 21:53 CET

This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained срещу журналисти.

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Bokova: 'I have nothing to be ashamed of'

Bokova responds to criticism of her communist past while Egypt continues to fulminate against 'Zionist pressures'.

Borissov expresses pleasure at Bokova's victory

Although Irina Bokova, the new director general of Unesco, served as a socialist in Zhan Videnov's government, Prime Minister Boiko Borissov has expressed delight at her victory

Bulgarian candidate wins vote to become next Unesco head

Bokova defeated Egyptian culture minister Farouk Hosni in the fifth round, gathering 31 votes in favour against Hosni's 27 in the Unesco council.

Process begins to choose a new Unesco chief

Bulgarian ambassador to France Irina Bokova is one of nine candidates in a tough race seen as dominated by Egypt’s Farouk Hosny, who is dogged by controversy about allegedly anti-Semitic remarks, and European Commissioner for External Relations and Austria’s former foreign minister, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

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