UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova will undertake her first official visit to Sri Lanka from 14 to 17 August 2016. 

She will affirm the Organization’s support to the peace and reconciliation process and the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a statement said. 

“Through a series of public events, visits to world heritage sites and top-level bilateral meetings, she will witness the transformation underway in the country and discuss measures to strengthen cooperation to build peace and a sustainable future for all, including through inclusive quality education, science, technology and innovation, cultural heritage, the promotion of cultural diversity, and environmental conservation.”

At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms Bokova will give a public lecture on 16 August on “Soft Power for Peace and Development” at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies. 

She will visit the South Asian Centre for Teacher Development, an institute under the auspices of UNESCO established in 2011, where she will address a forum on “Quality Education through Effective Teacher Development” with the Minister of Education the Hon Akila Viraj Kariyawasam on 17 August. 

In the realm of science, she will participate in a forum on “Science & Technology Education” with Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Science, Technology and Research.

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova will discover the country’s cultural wealth, through visits to several of its 8 World Heritage Sites, including the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, the Sigirya Rock Fortress, and the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. She will witness the Esala Perahera and also visit the University of Peradeniya, where she will exchange with the Vice-Chancellor and members of faculty. 

Mrs Irina Bokova is expected to meet with President Maithripala Sirisena, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera; the Minister of Higher Education and Highways, Lakshman Kiriella; the Minister of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs, Senevirathna Bandara Navinna, as well as Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe, Second Lady of Sri Lanka.