The 43rd UNESCO General Conference, currently being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, is expected to ratify the decision taken by its Executive Council last April to establish February 9 as the World Day of the Greek Language. This historic decision is awaited with particular satisfaction in Athens, as it will constitute international recognition of the timeless contribution of the Greek language to the cultural heritage of humanity.

During the General Conference, the Egyptian candidate Dr Khaled El Enany will be elected as the new Director-General.
On Thursday, at the start of the proceedings, the Permanent Representative of Greece to UNESCO, Georgios Koumoutsakos, was elected President of the Culture Committee of the General Conference.

At the biennial session of UNESCO, Greece is represented by Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yannis Loverdos, Deputy Education Minister Nikos Papaioannou, and the Secretary-General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy at the MFA Maira Myrogianni.

Messages at the event will be delivered by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cyprus’ President Nikos Christodoulides.
On October 28, UNESCO officially announced the appointment of Konstanza Smpokou-Konstantakopoulou as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the Protection and Promotion of Culture.