Former Director-General of UNESCO
Biography
Irina Bokova, born in Sofia (Bulgaria), has been two terms Director-General of UNESCO from 2009 to 2017. As Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova was actively engaged in the adoption of UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, particularly on “inclusive and equitable quality education and life-long learning for all”, promoting the critical role of culture and science for development, as well as the protection of the world’s cultural heritage. From 2013 to 2017 she chaired the Scientific Advisory Board with the UN Secretary General, entrusted to analyse and give recommendations to the science-policy interface within the Sustainable Development Agenda. She has received state distinctions from more than 40 countries and is Doctor honoris causa of leading universities across the world, such as King’s College, Durham University and University of Edinburgh, UK, Paris-Saclay, France, Boston University, US, Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Tonji University, China, among others. In 2016 Irina Bokova was on the Forbes list of the most influential women. In 2020, she was elected International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and in 2021 - Honorary Fellow of the World Academy of Arts and Sciences (WAAS). In 2022 Irina Bokova was elected Patron of the International Science Council (ISC). Currently, Bokova is a Member of “Ban Ki Moon Centre for Global Citizens”, Chair of the Board of Governors of the UN University of Peace, Costa Rica, Member of the Global Advisory Board of the Tsinghua School of Public Policy and Management (SPPM), Member of the Concordia Leadership Council, New York, Member of the Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), among others.