(VOVworld) – The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization convened its 37^th session at its headquarters in Paris on Tuesday to work out its action strategy for the coming years.

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova spoke at the General Conference (Source: VOV)

President of the UNESCO General Conference Katalin Bogyay, Chairperson of the UNESCO Executive Board Alissandra Cummins, and UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova stressed the need to promote the organization’s role in the context of increasing changes and challenges to world peace and development. For two weeks, the Conference will focus on eight-year medium-term and four-year short-term budget programs in line with UN development strategies. The programs define UNESCO’s financial contribution after the year 2015 when the UN Millennium Development Goals will be completed and new goals will be launched globally. Apart from education development, UNESCO’s new strategy will mainly focus on reforms to meet the demands of the new global context. Vietnamese ambassador to UNESCO Duong Van Quang talked about UNESCO’s measures to deal with financial difficulties: "3 main measures have been worked out: First, establish a special fund and urge countries to make further financial contributions, Vietnam has already responded to the UNESCO director general’s appeal. Second, reduce expenses related to administrative costs and UNESCO recruitment. Third, call on the organization’s members to perform UNESCO activities in their own countries. For example, last year, Vietnam was in charge of organizing a consultation conference between regional countries in preparation for the 37^th UNESCO General Conference". 

At the 37^th General Conference, UNESCO will elect a Director General, the Chairperson of the Executive Board, the Chairperson of the General Conference, and functional UNESCO committees.