UAE to participate in Unesco meeting

The meeting, which starts tomorrow will last until November 3.

The UAE is taking part in the UN meeting in response to an invitation received from Unesco Director General Koïchiro Matsuura.

Dr Hanif will attend a series of specialised meetings for ministers of education including the first round-table on relationship between education and economic development.

The important meeting will guide Unesco to to set its priority agenda and direct its activities and programmes..

He will also attend the opening sitting of the meeting of heads of Arab delegations which will tackle a wide range of issues.

While in Paris, the UAE minister will hold talks with his French counterpart and other top French educational officials.

He will also tour a number of French schools and universities.

The biennial event, which is expected to draw delegates from over 197 countries, will discuss among other topics the mid-term strategy for 2008-2013, the budget and programmes.

The delegates will also look into a proposal to accept Palestine as an active member instead of just an observer.

Awad Saleh, Secretary-General of Unesco’s national committee in the UAE and coordinator of Arab Group, will chair the meeting of the secretaries-general of national committees.