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NESCO Director General, Irina Bokova received Cuba’s Minister of Higher Education, Rodolfo Alarcón Ortiz, heading the island’s delegation to the 38th UNESCO General Conference, being held in the French capital.
During the cordial and friendly meeting the Minister thanked the Director General for her active participation in promoting the UN Post-2015 educational agenda, the organization’s main aim, and commented on Cuba’s achievements in the sphere.
He also noted that the fifth edition of the International University Congress 2016 will take place in Havana next February, under the maxim of Innovative Universities for Sustainable Human Development, and described how the encounter – held every two years – has become an important platform for regional and international exchanges on priority issues, between teachers, academics, and sector researchers.
Alarcón Ortiz gave details of the event and described its impact, which was met with a positive response from Bokova. The two officials also discussed the priority goals on the UNESCO education agenda. The meeting also served as the ideal opportunity for Alarcón Ortiz to once again extend his invitation to Bokova to accompany him at the event next year.
The Director General was joined by the organization’s Assistant Director-General for Education, Quiang Tang; and Sophia El-Akremi, Liaison Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean. Participating alongside the Cuban Minister were MES Director of International Relations, María Victoria Villavicencio, and Cuban Ambassador to UNESCO, Dulce Buergo Rodríguez.
The encounter was also a good opportunity to reiterate both parties’ interest in and commitment to continuing to develop cooperation ties between Cuba and UNESCO.
(Cubaminrex/ Permanent Cuban delegation to UNESCO)