[ 08 September 2009 ]

Paris, 07 Septembre – The 35th session of UNESCO’s General Conference will take place from 6 to 23 October in Paris. Among the tasks facing the session will be the naming of a new Director-General to replace Koïchiro Matsuura of Japan whose mandate comes to an end.

The General Conference, UNESCO’s supreme ruling body, is composed of representatives of the Organization’s 193 Member States, usually of ministerial rank. Several Heads of State or Government pay official visits to UNESCO during each session of the General Conference.

The Conference determines the policies and main lines of work of the Organization, particularly through the examination and adoption of the biennial Programme and Budget. It also adopts international standard-setting instruments in the fields of competence of the Organization. The General Conference elects some members of the Executive Board of the Organization every two years and, every four years, it elects the Director-General of UNESCO.

Other than the election of a new Director-General (afternoon of 15 Octobre) and the adoption of the 2010-2011 Programme and Budget, the agenda of the 35th session features a Ministerial Forum (8 October), a Ministerial Roundtable on education (9 October and morning of 10 October) and another Ministerial Roundtable about ocean management (12 and 13 October).

A detailed programme of official visits and other activities and exhibitions taking place during the General Cofnerence will be posted at www.unesco.org