Irina Bokova, Director

Overview of Irina

Director candidate in Whiteshield. She has previously served as Director-General of UNESCO, and was actively engaged in international efforts to advance quality education for all, gender equality, cultural dialogue and scientific cooperation for sustainable development and was leading UNESCO as a global advocate for safety of journalists and freedom of expression.

Irina Bokova was Executive Secretary of the Steering Committee of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), co-Vice-Chair of the Broadband Commission and chair of the UN High Level Committee on Management.

She also was President and founding member of the European Policy Forum.

Career

• United Nations Department, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria in 1977
• Member of Parliament (1990 and 2001-2005), she participated in the drafting of Bulgaria’s Constitution, contributing to the country’s accession to the European Union
• Minister for Foreign Affairs, Coordinator of Bulgaria-European Union relations and Ambassador of Bulgaria to France, Monaco and UNESCO

Education

Moscow State Institute of International Relations
University of Maryland (Washington)
John F. Kennedy School of Government (Harvard University).