Cairo: Khaled El-Anany, the former minister of tourism and antiquities, has been nominated by Egypt to serve as the director general of UNESCO.
The election will take place in 2025 at the organization's Paris headquarters, and the winner will serve until 2029.
According to Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, El-selection Anany's to run was based on his credentials and his demonstrable academic and professional accomplishments in a variety of fields.
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El-Anany has more than 30 years of experience in university teaching, scientific research, Egyptology, antiquities, heritage, museums, and tourism. As a result of this experience, he emphasised El-significant Anany's contributions to science, education, and culture.
El-Anany has expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, and the prime minister has ordered all pertinent ministries to support him.
"I realise the enormity of this nomination, especially in light of the responsibilities that lie with UNESCO at this point in human history, which is facing unprecedented challenges," El-Anany, who participated in a joint press conference with Madbouly, said.
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"There are still tens of millions of uninstructed children in the world, and both the tangible and intangible cultural heritage as well as the natural heritage are threatened by numerous issues, some of which are recent, such as climate change.
El-Anany continued by stating that the need for dialogue, understanding, and a climate of tolerance, acceptance of differences, rejection of violence, hatred, intolerance, and discrimination, as well as the promotion of cultural diversity, were urgently needed on a global scale.
I am honoured to put my executive and academic experience in service of the organisation and its admirable objectives, he said. El-nomination, Anany's according to Madbouly, was the result of a National Committee choice.
From 2019 to 2022, El-Anany served as the ministry's tourism and antiquities minister. He was the first minister after their separation in 1966 to hold both positions.
He was an Egyptology professor at Helwan University's Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management.
In addition to the Order of Merit from the Republic of Poland the year before, he also received the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan in 2021.
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Egypt has had a long-standing relationship with UNESCO and was one of the first nations to ratify the organization's founding.
El-Anany is not the only Egyptian who has applied to be the director general of UNESCO. Farouk Hosny, a former minister of state for family and population in Egypt between 2009 and 2011, was a candidate in 2009, while Moushira Khattab ran in 2017.