THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNESCO VISITS COMENIUS UNIVERSITY
On 6 May 2016, the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, spoke in Comenius University’s Auditorium on the theme of “Empowering Youth, Promoting Diversity – A New Foundation for Resilience and Peace”.
Irina Bokova was welcomed to the university by the Vice-Rector for International Relations, Prof. MUDr. Daniela Ostatníková, Ph.D., who highlighted Bokova’s activity as Director-General of UNESCO, particularly in the areas of improving education, offering the same opportunities to all people regardless of gender, cultural dialogue, and academic cooperation in the area of sustainable development. Bokova then accepted a Comenius University Gold Medal from the Comenius University Rector, Prof. RNDr. Karol Mičieta, Ph.D.
In her lecture, Bokova focused on the importance of education in achieving peace, pointing out that “peace has to be built primarily at schools and universities, because nothing is as strong as education.” The Director-General also pointed out the need for mutual cooperation, which must accept our diversity and resist the rising waves of racism and xenophobia; in her opinion, such phenomena often result from distorted information, and our very future depends on our ability to work collaboratively. In relation to this, she referred to the words of John Amos Comenius: “We are all citizens of one world, we are all of one blood. To hate a man because he was born in another country, because he speaks a different language, or because he takes a different view on this subject or that, is a great folly.”
Bokova made a personal appeal to young people, who she sees as the most educated, connected, well-travelled and open-minded generation the world has ever known, yet also the one which carries the greatest burden in bringing about auspicious change. “You are the first generation that can put an end to extreme poverty and the last one that can still stop climate change,” she said.
The Director-General also discussed the specific activities of UNESCO concerning the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She mentioned the Unite4Heritage campaign, which is helping to protect world heritage sites in areas threatened by armed conflict, including those which were occupied by Daesh.
***
Irina Bokova has been the Director-General of UNESCO since 15 November 2009 and is the first woman to hold this position. She has received many state honours from a variety of countries, and a number of prominent universities have awarded her the title of doctor honoris causa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria recently confirmed her as an official candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations.
More photographs: CU Facebook
More information on Irina Bokova’s lecture can be found in the June issue of the Naša univerzita magazine.