Bokov

SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Yonhap) -- Irina Bokova, former director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will join Kyung Hee University in Seoul as a chair-professor and head of its arts and humanities faculty starting next month, the university said Wednesday.

In Paris today, a session of the UNESCO Executive Board will be held at the center of which will be the launch of the UN's Director-General for Education, Science and Culture.
 

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova met with French First Lady Brigitte Macron, reports vevesti. 

They discussed topics such as the role of women in the modern world, gender equality, the importance of peace-building education and conflict resolution, and the prevention of radicalization of young people.

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova has been included in the Politico28 list of European people "shaking the world."

Topped by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, it includes at total of 28 people, one from each member state.

Bokova, currently into her second term at the helm of the UN cultural body, is called "the crusading preservationist".

The European Commission has fully rejected claims in an investigation which recently claimed she had been an informant for Soviet-era State Security (DS) in Bulgaria.

The text, published by Republicans-linked Foreign Policy Research Institute, also alleged her family ties led to Multigrup, a once powerful and notorious conglomerate.

After being unsuccessful in the round of voting, Irina Bokova is on the way of becoming Deputy Secretary General of the UN, reported The Guardian, cited by Nova TV and Darik radio.

"It is claimed that the Russians are furious that, under pressure from the European Union, Bulgaria nominated another candidate - European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva," writes the newspaper.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has blamed UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova for sabotaging the candidacy of Kristalina Georgieva for the office of UN Secretary General.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov has said his country does not reject any UN Secretary General candidate outright and will bar none from running in the race.

Minister Sergey Lavrov has already met with both Both Kristalina Georgieva and Irina Bokova, TASS quotes Gatilov as saying.

EU Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva has said she will do her best in the race to become UN Secretary General, despite the narrow deadlines she has to meet.

In an interview with daily Standart due to be published on Monday, as she appears before the UN General Assembly, she has admitted to being aware the race would be tough, given her late entry.

The official Bulgarian candidate for UN Secretary General Kristalina Georgieva has published her vision of the activity of the leader of the world organisation on the website of the United Nations Association in Bulgaria.

Georgieva states that the voice of the Secretary General must be heard constantly on a global scale and he/she must insist on action with respect to climate change.