UNESCO Director General visits Scotland
The Director-General of UNESCO, Mrs Irina Bokova, concluded her first official visit to Scotland this week. During her visit she met with members of the UK National Commission for UNESCO (UKNC) Scotland Committee and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh.
On 29 June Mrs Bokova held in a lively discussion with the members of the UKNC Scotland Committee. The exchanges covered issues from World Heritage Sites and intangible cultural heritage to education for sustainable development, including the role of Scotland's Creative Cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Director-General also presented also her vision for UNESCO in responding to global challenges, underlining the importance of the reform underway. She thanked the Scotland Committee "for its dynamism, its ideas, and its vision." "UNESCO needs such engagement more than ever," she said.
During her visit Mrs Bokova also received a Doctor Honoris Causa degree from the University of Edinburgh. After a ceremony in McEwan Hall and before some 500 graduating students and their families, she spoke on the importance of empathy and responsibility for the century ahead.
Written: 30/06/2011 , last modified: 13/07/2011
UNESCO Director General Mrs Irina Bokova at her meeting with the UKNC Scotland Committee