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This is exactly where I believe UNESCO’s new role should be. The organization needs to give a new and modern answer. I was in Colombia a week ago. There is a very interesting agency for research and science there and I had a conversation, which I have with many ministers and political figures in many countries, about the light of this virtual space, which exists. UNESCO can contribute by making access to different research information easier. Scientists from all over the world have the need for faster information sharing. UNESCO can cooperate for removing some legal barriers so virtual scientist groups can be created, where they can work on common projects. Or if there is a need of a legal framework, UNESCO can create it. UNESCO set its first example by creating the first global digital library, which was officially opened only three weeks ago, during the last session of the Executive council. In other words such activities have already started and I believe we must continue in this direction – it will be good for everybody.

If you are chosen for General Director of UNESCO, you would be the first woman on this position. How would you support women in their pursuit of participating more actively in all spheres of public and political life and to hold leader positions?

I believe that symbolically this will be extremely important, because until now there really hasn’t been a woman on this position. It is even a bit strange and paradoxical, because in other organizations there have been women. Precisely this organization, which is spiritual, which deals with education, culture and communication, where it is believed that women are more interested in, has never had a woman General Director. According to me this would be very nice. I believe UNESCO should join more actively this global campaign for a better place for women, because humanity right now needs the active participation of women, so they can contribute in the spiritual area, in science, in economics. Humanity will gain from this. We need to use this talent in order to achieve higher prosperity, a better way of life in the different societies. What I see right now in the world, because for one reason or another as a diplomat of the Foreign Ministry I have participated in three world UN conferences dealing with women problems – in Copenhagen in 1980, in Nairobi in 1985 and in Beijing in 1995. I have the feeling that this enthusiasm, which had overtaken the world with the Decade of UN for women development, has decreased. Especially in time of crisis, women are from this part of society that is mostly influenced. Whether it is layoffs, or women raising their children alone, or they are suffering some kind of discrimination, or they are mostly affected from violence during conflicts. Women need a more active attitude towards them – something different than what we have had until now. It seems to me that UNESCO needs to take its part as a leader. For example one of the ways it can do it is to – I remember that during the Women’s Decade it was a must for governments to accept certain policies, in order to create coordination structures – administrative, which were supposed to follow that every application of a policy should pay attention of how it affects women. This does not exist anymore. I believe that UNESCO can do a lot and I have the intention, if I am chosen for this position, to pay a specific attention to the role of women in different societies.

What meetings did you have in Greece until now and are you expecting any support form the country?

I had many interesting meetings in Greece. I came here to express my gratitude towards Greece. As I have said in all meetings, UNESCO needs Greece, as Greece I suppose needs UNESCO. This is a country with a special place in world and European culture, sign of which is the fact that right now chairman of the 34^th UNESCO General Conference is Mr. George Anastasopoulos – Greek ambassador in UNESCO, former minister, former deputy chairman in the European parliament – a very respectful figure. This shows that Greece has authority in the organization. I came here to express my gratitude to Greece for being one of the closest partners of Bulgaria. Not only a neighbor but the closest partner in the EU in this world cultural space. I shared this with my Greek partners and friends – Mr. Valinakos, deputy minister of foreign affairs, Mrs. Dzidzikostas, chairwoman of UNESCO’s National Commission, Mrs. Bourdara, UNESCO representative in the Executive Council and I just had a meeting with Mr. Anasopoulos who is the director of the international organizations department in the Foreign Ministry. I shared with them the way I see the campaign. For me the procedure to choose a candidate is a process, not a one-side act. It is a process, in which many discussions take place – discussions about the role and place of UNESCO, for the necessity of reforms of how to develop in the future. I also needed to hear what Greece thinks of me and more importantly what Greece thinks about all those subjects. Of course, yes – I need their support.