Kathmandu, April 14

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova is visiting Nepal from April 17 to 19 to monitor post-earthquake recovery efforts.

She will also be visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

According to UNESCO Nepal, she will also visit UNESCO’s project sites, including World Heritage sites and community learning centers.

Joint programmes by UNESCO and the government in the fields of education and culture will also be launched during her stay, which will conclude with a press conference.

Bokova is scheduled to meet President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, among other officials, to further discuss cooperation between Nepal and UNESCO in all fields of the organisation’s competence, especially in post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.

It will also give momentum to expanding UNESCO programmes in the fields of education, culture, science and media development. Nepal became a member of UNESCO in May 1953.

The UNESCO office in Kathmandu was established in 1998. In close partnership with the Government of Nepal, UNESCO has focused on attaining quality education for all, gender equality and adult literacy.

The office has also worked to preserve cultural heritage, promote cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, and to empower people through free flow of ideas and access to information and knowledge, and to mobilise scientific knowledge for sustainable development.

UNESCO was founded on 16 November 1945 with the aim of strengthening peace worldwide, by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science, culture and communication.