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Denver – The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday re-elected French-Moroccan politician Audrey Azoulay as Director-General.
Azoulay, who is of French-Moroccan Jewish descent, has held the position since 2017, after a career in France’s Ministry of Culture. The UNESCO chief is the second woman to hold the organizations’ head leadership position. She ascended to the role following Irina Bokova, who made history as the first female director-general in 2009.
Azoulay was born in Paris, the daughter of a Moroccan Jewish family from Essaouira. Her father, Andre Azoulay, is a senior adviser to Morocco’s King Mohammed VI; he also previously advised the King’s late father, Hassan II
During her first mandate as director-general at UNESCO, she worked to promote peace and education. During a speech in Tunis at the site of the historical city of Carthage, Azoulay implored member states to place peace and education higher on the agenda “in the long term” to promote global stability.
UNESCO’s key missions include the preservation of the world’s important cultural and historical landmarks and customs. The organization includes 193 member states around the world and is mostly known for its World Heritage Site list, denoting landmarks of global importance.
In addition to its preservation efforts, UNESCO also works to promote equal access to technology and education, with the hope of bridging the gap between developed and developing nations.
