First Lady, UNESCO Director General hold heart-to-heart talks. . . pays tribute to Dr Mnangagwa’s initiatives

Tendai Rupapa in PARIS, France

CHARITY work and cordiality were palpable when First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa met with UNESCO Director-General Ms Audrey Azoulay on the sidelines of the Africa Week celebrations in Paris, France, where the two sat down for a heart-to-heart motherly talk on a range of issues.

The mother of the nation is here at the invitation of UNESCO as guest of honour in recognition of her efforts in the promotion and preservation of culture and heritage in Zimbabwe and Africa.

In the meeting, Dr Mnangagwa expressed gratitude for the invitation to her and extended an invitation to her host for a reciprocal visit to Zimbabwe.

Cultural and Heritage patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa shares a lighter moment with UNESCO’s Director of Division of Priority Africa Co-ordination and external relations Mr Mohamed Alfarnawany at a meeting on the sidelines of the Africa week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France yesterday

In response, the director-general said she was gratified the First Lady had accepted her invitation to become the keynote speaker at the colourful event and congratulated both the First Lady and President Mnangagwa over former Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry who won the International Olympic Committee presidency.

The mother of the nation, who told the UNESCO chief that it was joyful to have a woman at the helm of such a big institution, spoke about her educational programmes and environmental interventions, including the planting of trees.

Ms Azoulay weighed in saying education was key to continuing with the sustainability of UNESCO with science and innovation playing a big role.

Cultural and Heritage patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, UNESCO Director General Ms Audrey Azoulay and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to France Sekai Nzenza listen as Mr Jasper Mandizera explain the Zimbabwean costume Marina of the soil being exhibited at the Africa week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France yesterday

The First Lady emphasised that Africa needed to continue with the preservation of its culture and history for the benefit of future generations. The director-general concurred and said UNESCO worked with a group from Africa in preserving the continent’s history.

Speaking about their meeting, Ms Azoulay spoke glowingly of the First Lady and the various life-changing programmes she is undertaking for the benefit of the people of Zimbabwe.

“We are very happy here at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, we received the First Lady of Zimbabwe at the occasion of the Africa Week because there is a very special relationship between UNESCO and Africa in terms of supporting, the memory, the history, the crafts , the knowledge and on this occasion we have seen the beauties prepared by our member states here from Africa including Zimbabwe that are showcased here in Paris. And as well, it was very important to have a conversation with the First Lady where we discussed education and culture as part of her action and commitment in Zimbabwe and beyond, discussing the priorities we share with UNESCO between two women, the responsibilities, it was a pleasure for me,” she said.

Ms Azoulay said Dr Mnangagwa was playing a very useful role in promoting culture in Zimbabwe.

UNESCO Director General Ms Audrey Azoulay admires the Zimbabwean costume Marina of the soil as Mr Jasper Mandizera explains while First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa looks on during the Africa week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France yesterday

“It is very important that there is the First Lady who is safeguarding and protecting the cultural heritage of one’s own history in the country and this is important. For the tangible heritage there is education so that the younger generation knows about the history of their country and the capacity to know your own history from elementary even in the world of technology, in the world of digitization. Without these roots, it’s very difficult to be part of the future,” she said affably.

The First Lady also met Mr Mohamed Elfarnawany, a director in the UNESCO Division of Priority Africa Coordination who said he felt honoured to meet and discuss with the First Lady.

Cultural and Heritage patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, UNESCO Director General Ms Audrey Azoulay and Mr Jasper Mandizera look at the Zimbabwean costumes namely: Marina of the soil, the Zimbabwean seed and the Zimbabwean Elegance being exhibited at the Africa week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France yesterday

“It’s a pleasure and honour to have the First Lady here at UNESCO and we discussed what Zimbabwe offers in the context of the UNESCO mandate which is many great things from the range of work that is being undertaken in Zimbabwe in the fields of education, the fields of culture and heritage, the field of supporting the youth, youth empowerment, in the field of helping the young look at the future.

“We clearly underlined that UNESCO stands ready through engagement here at UNESCO Headquarters and also through general offices in Harare to really continue to support Zimbabwe and to really work also at a regional level on a whole number of issues. The programmes being undertaken by the First Lady through her Angel of Hope Foundation, are topics that are close to the hearts of all of us here at UNESCO and to the mandate of the organisation as I mentioned there is education, there is culture, there is also history.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, UNESCO Director General Ms Audrey Azoulay and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to France Sekai Nzenza look at the dresses from African countries being exhibited at the Africa week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France yesterday

We also discussed how we could collaborate and work together with the First Lady to promote the positive agenda mainly in youth,” he said.

Prior to his elevation, Mr Mahomad Elfarnawany had been senior advisor and head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Institute of Peace in Brussels, Belgium.

He has also served his country in various capacities at Egypt’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York and as senior advisor in the executive office of the United Nations Secretary-general.

UNESCO Director General Ms Audrey Azoulay expresses her admiration and appreciation of Zimbabwean sculptures and cultural artifacts and utensils while Culture and Heritage patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, Ambassador Sekai Nzenza and Zimbabwean sculptor listen at the Africa week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France yesterday

His father served as a diplomat in Zimbabwe in the 1980s during which he attended school at St George’s School in Harare. Because of this background, the First Lady invited Mr Elfarnawany to revisit his former school, an invitation he gladly accepted.

UNESCO Director General Ms Audrey Azoulay and Culture and Heritage patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa look at Burkina Faso’s traditional fashion being exhibited at the Africa week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France yesterday. — Pictures: John Manzongo

He also expressed willingness to assist the country as far as he can on UNESCO programmes.

He has undertaken many flagship programmes including enhancing open science, reinforcing capacity building in basic and applied sciences and scientific research to strengthen innovation and technology development and use in Ocean Science, climate change resilience and water resource management in Africa.