The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Irina Bokova, will arrive in the island on an official visit, later day.
During the visit, Director-General Bokova is expected to call on President Maithripala Sirisena on 17th of August. She will also meet Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Ministers Lakshman Kiriella, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, and Susil Premajayantha. She is scheduled to visit Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, and Kandy during her stay.
Irina Bokova was elected as Director-General of UNESCO in November 2009 and re-elected in 2013. She is the first woman to head the UNESCO. This is her first official visit to Sri Lanka in her capacity as the Director-General of UNESCO.
Sri Lanka joined UNESCO in 1949 prior to becoming a member of the United Nations Sri Lanka was elected to the Executive Board of UNESCO for the term 2015-2019, in November 2015.
The decision to pursue membership in the UNESCO Executive Board was a manifestation of the Government’s policy of renewing engagement with the international community and reaffirmation of the principles of the Government including strengthening democracy and good governance, ensuring justice, liberty, equality, freedom and dignity for all, aimed at achieving a durable peace and the harmonious celebration and preservation of Sri Lanka’s multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-lingual character which are in line with the purposes and principles of UNESCO.
The visit of the Director-General is expected to further strengthen ties between Sri Lanka and UNESCO and an opportunity to discuss measures to strengthen cooperation aimed at reconciliation, development and peace through education, scientific advancement and cultural understanding.
