"Learning Together - Learning from Each Other"

• ©UNESCO/D.Bijeljac - Session

The Interregional Information Seminar for New Secretaries-General of National Commissions for UNESCO took place from 28 February to 4 March 2011, at UNESCO Headquarters.

40 new Secretaries-General of National Commissions from all regions attended that event held every two years. The Secretaries-General of the Portuguese and Uganda National Commissions as well as both Nigerian and Namibian former Secretaries-General, kindly participated to provide with their experience.

Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO met with the participants during a special session. In her address, she underscored once again on the importance of National Commissions “as a bridge to Member States”

Mr Getachew Engida, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, attended the opening session. In his welcoming speech, he highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge and information on the Organization’s new orientation as well as the development of best practices in order to improve the functioning of National Commissions.

A Working group

During the Seminar, two working groups were set up to enable participants to deeply discuss certain subjects. The works of the groups were then presented to the plenary. The selected topics were the following.

1. The Relations With the Partners of the Civil Society
2. The Cooperation with programme networks
3. The Participation Programme
4. The Extra-budgetary funding and the relations with the Private Sector

DG, ADG/ERI and the group

Mr. Eric Falt, Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Public Information closed the session by stressing the need of a continuous exchange between each other, UNESCO and National commissions.

• Source:UNESCO/hq
• 30-03-2011

• ©UNESCO/D.Bijeljac - Image 2 and 3 -