UNESCO Head Bokova 'among Bookmakers' Favourites' for UN Top Job

Politics » DIPLOMACY | June 5, 2016, Sunday // 10:59
Bulgaria: UNESCO Head Bokova 'among Bookmakers' Favourites' for UN Top Job

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova's work at the helm of the organization is evidence she could handle a job as head of the United Nations, the Guardian's former head of International News writes.

Other strengths of Bokova, who "spent the early part of her life on the fringes of Bulgaria" as the author notes, include dynamic approach to solving complex problems.

Her contribution to UN's cultural body is highlighted. In 2011, she steered UNESCO through the crisis that began when Palestine became a full member, automatically cutting US funding.

After initial accusatons hurled at Bokova that she was out of touch with reality for caring "more about the brick and stones, the buildings" than about people's lives amidst the war in Syria, a meeting with Yazidi representatives in 2014 yielded a breakthrough in her campaign to preserve cultural heritage as she used the term "cultural cleansing" to describe the fate of Yazidis falling into the hands of Islamic State.

Charlie English also recalls her "biggest success" when she pushed for the inclusion of three paragraphs into UN resolution 2199 on measures against trafficking in antiquities.

"This was something of a coup: for the first time in history, a UN resolution made a connection between culture and global security," he points out.

She is quoted as dismissing stories ran by a number of media outlets against her bid, with some warning of her close ties to Russia.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Diplomacy » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: Irina Bokova, UNESCO, UN

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria