Irina Bokova Was Awarded The Honorary Title of Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE
The Rector Prof. D.Sc. Econ. Statty Stattev awarded the Honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE to Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO in an official ceremony at the Academic Hall of UNWE. The event was attended by the Academic Managing Body of the university, lecturers, students and journalists.
The Rector outlined some facts from the huge biography of Irina Bokova – the first woman who has headed UNESCO. He also expressed the support of academic community to her candidature for Secretary-General of UN. The Rector announced the Academic Council decision for her award of the Honorary title of UNWE “for outstanding contribution and active work for the development of education, science and culture, multilateral diplomacy, intercultural dialogue and preservation of the world cultural heritage”. The proposal for the award was made by the Media and Public Communications Department.
Prof. Stattev bestowed on Irina Bokova the academic regalia of the Honorary title – a roll in the Old-Bulgarian and Latin language and the Honorary sign of UNWE. The portrait of Irina Bokova was hanged on the wall in the Academic Hall among the photos of all persons honored to be Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE.
 |
|
The Rector Prof. Statty Stattev is awarding the roll in the Latin and Old-Bulgarian language. |
 |
|
… and the Honorary sign of UNWE… |
The title awarded to Mrs. Bokova requires responsibility and we expect that she will be among us also in the future, pointed out Prof. Stattev. He reminded that according to the tradition every year the holders of Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE should deliver a public speech.
 |
| Irina Bokova`s portrait was hanged next to the photo of Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. |
In her academic speech the Director-General of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization expressed her thankfulness for the high distinction. She outlined that it was an honour for her to be a holder of the Honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE - the title awarded to such persons as the French economist Jean-Claude Trichet, the Nobel Prize winner Prof. Joseph Stiglitz, the President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Claus, etc. She also pointed out that she hadn`t come from the academic circles and so she had accepted the Honorary title as a distinction for the UNESCO. Irina Bokova who yesterday took part in the solidarity march in Paris expressed her commitment to the suffering of French people and pointed out that the events should unite us not to lead us to the trap of hate. They are a warning to all of us to accept the diverse societies with different attitude, with a new responsibility, outlined Bokova.
 |
|
Irina Bokova |
She also examined the history of UNESCO and emphasized on some of her emblematic ideas: “A peace based only on intergovernmental economic and political agreements could not provide the unanimous, lasting and sincere consent of nations. Therefore this peace should be established on the basis of intellectual and moral solidarity of the mankind”. In relation to the 70th Anniversary from the establishment of UNESCO Mrs. Bokova outlined the mission of the Organization. She also pointed out that there had been no other world organization holding the task of encouraging the progress by the means of education, science and culture. Namely through the development and strengthening of these fields in the separate countries the UNESCO could give its unique contribution to the harmonization of social environment, unification of the efforts of man and society and establishment of balance in the inter-human relations.
 |
|
In the Academic Hall |
The free access and participation in the education, science and culture are the main vectors in the arrangement of society in all latitudes. The education is one of the main human rights and it is also the way to the knowledge, free choice, participation and contribution to the world progress and world development at all, outlined Irina Bokova. She specified that in its essence the culture had been a memory of the past, expression of the present times and an embryo of the future as well as a motive power of the progress, amazing amalgam of shapes and the separate cultures had formed a harmonious and mutually complemented diversity evolving in a permanent consonance. The cultural differences make the world more interesting but at least I think that all people are the same in their deep essence regardless of where they live and where they come from, emphasized Irina Bokova.
 |
|
The academic speech by the new Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE |
UNESCO is in fact as an agora – a place where the North and the South, the East and the West meet regularly, voluntarily and on an equal footing. As a Director-General of UNESCO I plead for a new mindset, for a social and political order which I called “a new humanism of the 21 century”, formulated her views Irina Bokova. She gathered the essence of the term in the word “solidarity” with a dynamics which respects and complies with the dignity of every person, its ancient rights and especially the right of freedom, knowledge and wealth. This triple dimension is organically woven into the program objectives and mandate of UNESCO, outlined Mrs. Bokova.
 |
| Flowers for Irina Bokova |
The new Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE defined 2015 as the year of change, the year when the world leaders would determine the next 15 years of sustainable development and social affiliation. Bokova outlined that sustainability means qualitative education, preservation of the cultural heritage, building up stable societies and equality. “The globalization, urbanization and cultural diversity create multicultural societies with lots of identities and the world faces different challenges. They make us to give a new meaning of development, dialogue, tolerance and social affiliation. Despite our diversity we all belong to one family and knowing other cultures will make us more humane and more unified, said Irina Bokova and outlined that the solidarity should develop through new forms of global citizenship.
In the end of her academic speech Irina Bokova again expressed her thankfulness for being honoured with the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE pointing it out as a motive to work for more close relations between the UNESCO and the academic community.
We look in one direction, confirmed the Rector Prof. Statty Stattev and specified some facts entering the UNWE in the educational sphere of creative and cultural industries.
 |
In the Golden Book of UNWE Irina Bokova (in the picture above) wrote: “It is an epistle of profound gratitude for the honour of being awarded to me the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of UNWE by such prestigious university which I regard with deep respect. UNESCO shares the values which guide the UNWE - a free access to a qualitative education forming creative and critically thinking citizens. Thank you!”
