Corporate body

Director General of UNESCO

The first Director-General of UNESCO was Julian Huxley. Since its inception, UNESCO had been headed by 10 Director-General, coming from the United Kingdom, Mexico, the United States, France, Senegal, Italy, Spain, Japan and Bulgaria. Since 2009, the Bulgarian Irina Bokova serves as UNESCO first female Director-General.

The office of the Director General of UNESCO is located at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris

The Director-General is the head of the UNESCO Secretariat. He is appointed by the General Conference on the recommendation of the Executive Board.

The Director-General is the chief administrative officer of
the Organization. He is responsible for the effective and rational execution of the programmes approved by the General Conference.

Duties of the Director-General (see UNESCO Constitution, Rule 49):

• The Director-General or his representative shall participate, without the right to vote, in all meetings of the General Conference, including the meetings of its committees, commissions and other

subsidiary organs.

• The Director-General, or a member of the Secretariat designated by him, may at any time, with the approval of the presiding officer, make to the Conference, committee, commission or other subsidiary organ, either oral or written statements concerning any question under consideration by them.
• The Director-General shall place at the disposal of the General Conference a staff member who shall act as Secretary of the General Conference.
• The Director-General shall provide the staff required by the General Conference or by any organs it may establish.

A new Director-General is elected every four years (previously every six years) by the General Conference.

Matsuura, Koïchiro (1937-)

Mayor, Federico (1934-)

M'Bow, Amadou-Mahtar (1921-)

Maheu, René (1905-1975)

Veronese, Vittorino (1910 - 1986-09-03)

Evans, Luther (1902-1981)

Taylor, John W. (1906-2001)

Torres Bodet, Jaime (1902-1974)

Huxley, Julian

<a href="http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/director-general/the-organization/the-directors-general/">Further information about the Director-General of UNESCO</a>.