Venezuela Elected to UNESCO Executive Council

Mérida, October 15^th 2009 (Venezuelanalysis.com) -- During the 35^th Session of the General Conference of the United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization (UNESCO) this week, Venezuela was elected to the UNESCO Executive Council.

In an official statement, the Venezuelan Foreign Relations Ministry said Venezuela's election by 60% of the UNESCO member countries represents "another foreign policy triumph for the Bolivarian Revolution, which promotes the strengthening of multilateralism as a fundamental strategy for the construction of a multipolar world, inspired by the principles of equality, justice, and respect among states and the rule of International Law."

The 58-member Executive Council meets at least twice per year and is charged with managing the UNESCO's budget and agenda, recommending potential new member states, recommending candidates for director general of the organization, holding non-governmental conferences on matters related to the UNESCO agenda, and convoking extraordinary meetings.

Countries are elected to four-year terms of service on the Executive Council by the General Conference, which includes all 193 UNESCO member countries. Venezuela was previously a member of the Executive Council between 2003-2007, and will now serve on the council between 2010-2013.

Venezuela has won praise from the UNESCO in recent years for its successful promotion of literacy, it's expansion of the number of public educational institutions, and the significant increases in Venezuelan educational enrollment at all levels from pre-school through the university.

On the agenda of Venezuela's delegation to the UNESCO is the principle that "globalization should be an opportunity to develop a more just world order, in which knowledge is converted in a good for all humanity, at the service of peace and of the distinct cultures that are developed on the planet," according to its website.

Along with Venezuela, Haiti, Peru, Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Grenada were the other Latin American and Caribbean countries elected to the Executive Council. Outgoing Latin America and the Caribbean countries are Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Argentina, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador and Jamaica will continue on the council until their terms end in 2011.

Also during the 35^th Session of the General Conference of the UNESCO, Irina Bokova of Bulgaria was elected as the tenth director general. Bokova is the first woman to be elected to the post since the organization was founded in 1945. fhgfdghee

Published on Oct 15th 2009 at 5.06pm