WATANI International
20 June 2011
UNESCO’s director-general in Egypt
The director-general of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, visited Egypt on 13 and 14 June to convey the organisation’s support of Egypt during the democratic transition following the 25 January Revolution.
Mrs Bokova was visiting Egypt at the invitation Education Minister Ahmed Gamal Eddin Moussa. While here she conducted bilateral meetings with the ministers of foreign affairs, culture, higher education and scientific research, and communications. Mrs Bokova also visited the Egyptian Museum, where she said that UNESCO would help protect Egyptian cultural heritage and prevent illicit trafficking of artefacts.
She concluded her short visit by meeting the Prime Minister Essam Sharaf to brief him on the outcome of her visit.
Translating books from the US
In support of the US-Egypt Science Year, the US Embassy has announced the release of 12 translated American children’s science publications which will be distributed free to Egyptian students. The embassy also announced the release of translated American books on interfaith dialogue, American history, classic American novels and corporate social responsibility.
The books aim to provide Arabic translations of key American books in the areas of culture, science, education and economic development.
For a complete list of released publications, visit the website: http://egypt.usembassy.gov/pa/rbo_.html.
UNESCO’s International Youth Year
On 9 June UNESCO’s Cairo Office launched a series of seminars to debate youth, civic engagement and democracy-related topics. The first seminar was intended to provide an interactive platform where representatives of the youth movement from different backgrounds, interests and affiliations could debate “Democracy and Ethics”. The objectives of the seminars are to discuss the role of young people in fostering a democratic society in Egypt.
The seminar opened with a lecture by Professor Richard Beardsworth from the American University in Paris on “Ethics and Democracy in the Egyptian Context”. This was followed by a question and answer session, after which the participants divided into three working groups to share experiences and debate the coordination and cooperation mechanisms among youth organisations and other stakeholders and the priority objectives, actions and needs towards the full participation of the youth movement.
UNESCO hopes the seminars will encourage young people to implement a larger and more-relevant future initiative in Egypt through networking, action-oriented reflection, studies and analyses. Researchers and academics and observers from the United Nations and bilateral donors have been invited.