Irina Bokova

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Irina Bokova
Ирина Бокова
Bokova in 2009
10th Director-General of UNESCO
In office 15 October 2009 – 10 November 2017
Deputy	Getachew Engida
Preceded by	Kōichirō Matsuura
Succeeded by	Audrey Azoulay
Minister of Foreign Affairs Acting
In office 13 November 1996 – 13 February 1997
Prime Minister	Zhan Videnov
Preceded by	Georgi Pirinski
Succeeded by	Stoyan Stalev
Personal details
Born	(1952-07-12) 12 July 1952 (age 72) Sofia, People's Republic of Bulgaria
Spouse	Kalin Mitrev
Alma mater	Moscow State Institute of International Relations
Signature
Website	Official biography

Irina Georgieva Bokova (Bulgarian: Ирина Георгиева Бокова; born 12 July 1952) is a Bulgarian politician and a former Director-General of UNESCO (2009–2017).^[1][2] During her political and diplomatic career in Bulgaria, she served, among others, two terms as a member of the National parliament, and deputy minister of foreign affairs and minister of foreign affairs ad interim under Prime Minister Zhan Videnov. She also served as Bulgaria's ambassador to France and to Monaco, and was Bulgaria's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. Bokova was also the personal representative of Bulgaria's president to the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (2005–2009).^[3]

On 15 November 2009, she took office^[4] as the ninth Director-General of UNESCO, marking two firsts: she became both the first female and the first Southeastern European to head the agency. At UNESCO, Bokova advocated for gender equality, improved education and preventing funding for terrorism, especially by enforcing the protection of intellectual goods. A firm opponent of racism and anti-Semitism, Director-General Bokova led UNESCO's activities on Holocaust remembrance.