President ECOSF meets the DG UNESCO in Islamabad
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The President of ECO Science Foundation Prof. Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro had an opportunity to meet with DG UNESCO H.E. Ms. Irina Bokova in the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of Pakistan at Islamabad. The DG UNESCO was visiting Pakistan as a State Guest from 5-7 February 2014. On 6th February, she held a formal meeting with the Science and Technology Institution Heads in Islamabad under the leadership of Minister of Science and Technology, Government of Pakistan and current Chairperson of ECO Science Foundation's Board of Trustees (BoT) H.E Mr. Zahid Hamid. President ECOSF was especially invited in the meeting because of his long scientific and educational interaction with UNESCO. Ms. Bakova was warmly welcomed by the Minister flanked by H.E. Mr. Baligh-ur-Rehman Pakistan's Minister of State for Education, Training and Standards in Higher Education, Prof. Soomro and numerous heads of other organizations. The Minister of S&T/Chairperson ECOSF's BoT briefed the DG UNESCO on the working of the Ministry of S&T, its departments and other Science and Technology institutions based in Pakistan including the ECOSF. There was an honorable mention of ECOSF in the briefing by the Minister with particular reference to the collaborations and contributions developed by Prof. Soomro as Chairman of Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) during the past almost 4 years. Prof. Soomro especially talked to her about the ECOSF, its aims and objectives and collaborations with ISTIC-UNESCO Kuala Lumpur- Malaysia and La main a la pate Foundation, France for implementation of Inquiry Based School Education (IBSE) in the ECO Region.
Pakistan's Minister for Science and Technology H.E. Mr. Zahid Hamid briefing the visiting Director General UNESCO H.E. Ms. Irina Bokova, 6 Feb 2014, Islamabad
The Minister particularly highlighted revival of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme in Pakistan as well as UNESCO's support in disaster management, rehabilitation and development of early warning system in Pakistan. It is pertinent to mention that Dr. Soomro was the team leader and very instrumental in reviving the MAB programme in Pakistan during 2012 which resulted in bringing Pakistan back on the map of world biosphere reserves network with declaration of Ziarat Juniper Forests of Balochistan as biosphere reserves in 2013 by UNESCO and bringing the South and Central Asia MABs Network (SACAM) chair to Pakistan in 2013.
DG UNESCO, H.E. Ms. Irina Bokova (middle) flanked by Prof. Manzoor Soomro on her right and Director UNESCO-Pakistan Dr. K. K. Nagata on her left, listening to Pakistan's Minister for Science and Technology, H.E. Mr. Zahid Hamid
The DG UNESCO on her part thanked the Minister and Government of Pakistan for welcoming her and assured of continuous technical support in the sectors of science, education and culture. Subsequently, the DG called upon the President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan where she was conferred upon Pakistan's highest civil award for any foreign national, or the "Hilal-e-Pakistan" for her contribution and support to the country.
Later on, she participated and spoke in Youth Forum at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) on a forum on girl's education. Earlier during the day the DG UNESCO signed a MOU with the State Minister of Education for implementation of the "Malala Education Fund" established in UNESCO with the contribution of US$ 10 million from the Government of Pakistan; and US$ 7 million will be spent on girl's education in Pakistan.