Manama: A Qatari former culture minister hopes to become the first Arab Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
Qatar has formally announced the nomination of Hamad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Kawari, 68, as its candidate for the post that will become vacant in 2017.
This announcement was made during a reception hosted by Qatar's permanent envoy to Unesco Ali Zainal at the organisation's headquarters in the French capital Paris.
In his speech, the envoy highlighted the career of Kuwari and his rich international experience, , Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported on Wednesday.
Al Kuwari, currently Cultural Advisor to the Emir Shaikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, was ambassador of Qatar to France, the United States and the United Nations and representative at the Unesco.
He started his diplomatic career as Chargé d’affaires in Lebanon where he worked from 1972 to 1974 before he was appointed as ambassador to Syria, a post he held from 1974 to 1979.
He was then named as Qatar’s ambassador to France, and non-resident Ambassador in Italy, Greece, Switzerland, as well as the delegate of Qatar to Unesco from 1979 to 1984.
He was ambassador to the United States and non-resident ambassador to Mexico and Venezuela from 1984 to 1990.
In 1992, he held his first ministerial portfolio when he was appointed Minister of Information and Culture and kept the post until 2007. In 2008, he was named Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage.
In 1984, he was conferred the French “Légion d’Honneur” and badges of honour from Italy, Spain, Syria and Jordan.
He has authored two major books, “Dialectics of Conflicts and Settlements” (2001) and “The Deficient Knowledge” (2005). He has also written political, social and cultural essays for journals and delivered lectures.
Al Kuwari holds a PhD in Political Sciences from Stony Brook, New York University, in 1990 and a Master Degree in Political Philosophy from Paris Sorbonne in 1980.
He speaks Arabic, French and English, and has two sons and one daughter.
Qatar became member of Unesco in 1971.
