UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expressed her deep appreciation for Norway’s outstanding support to the Organization: “This New Programme Cooperation Agreement marks a decisive step in the history of our longstanding cooperation with Norway. It bears witness to Norway’s strong commitment to UNESCO’s values. I see this also as a mark of confidence towards UNESCO’s reform efforts and capacity to deliver high quality programmes for its Member States,” said the Director-General.

“Norway is one of the biggest UNESCO Champions, and a strong leader in many critical areas of our work – from the protection of cultural heritage to quality education, from the safety of journalist to the strengthening of a modern and more effective multilateralism. Your trust in the Organization, materialized in the increase of your voluntary contribution with light earmarking, is critical”, she added.

H.E. Ms Elin Ostebo Johansen, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Norway to UNESCO, praised the Director-General’s leadership and highlighted her Government’s satisfaction to closely work with UNESCO on many important areas. In this regards, Irina Bokova underlined the timely importance of new priority focus areas in the Programme Cooperation Agreement such as strengthening UNESCO’s action for the protection of culture and the promotion of cultural pluralism in the event of armed conflict and natural disasters, and pointed out that the Norwegian contribution will strengthen UNESCO’s response to the 2030 Agenda through the agreed programmatic areas. 

The Programme Cooperation Agreement for 2016 foresees a programmatic focus on supporting Member States to develop education systems to foster high quality and inclusive lifelong learning for all; empowering learners to be creative and responsible global citizens; leading and coordinating the Education 2030 agenda through partnerships, monitoring and research; improving governance and fostering intergovernmental cooperation for the management and protection of the oceans and coastal zones, for the benefit of Member States; strengthening UNESCO’s action for the protection of culture and the promotion of cultural pluralism in the event of armed conflict and natural disasters; fostering pluralistic, free and independent media.