Following his speech (read) at the Leaders Forum of UNESCO at celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the organisation, the President of the Republic His Excellency Paul BIYA, who was accompanied by the First Lady Madam Chantal BIYA, was again present at the seat of UNESCO at Place Fontenoy on Tuesday 17 November 2015 as other speakers took to the rostrum. The Head of State also had audience with the Director General of UNESCO, Madam Irina BOKOVA, despite her charged programme.

The solicitude of the Director General of UNESCO on this occasion is once more testimony of the good relations between Cameroon and the organisation. Relations that are characterised by serenity, the gratitude of UNESCO towards Cameroon, the Head of State and his wife. The audience ended with the Presidential Couple offering a special gift to Madam Irina BOKOVA.

Before the audience, the Head of State participated at the Leaders Forum where he listened attentively to speeches by several Heads of State or Delegation, especially the speech of French President François HOLLANDE. The French Head of State, who was making his speech in the difficult circumstances following the terrorist attacks of Friday 13 November 2015, received prolonged applause. After appreciating the presence of the delegates from all over the world as an act of friendship and solidarity, he said that his presence at the UNESCO meeting was a strong message that we should not succumb to fear, a strong symbol because UNESCO was the “moral conscience” of humanity which brings together peoples around the values of peace and culture. The French President said he was determined, just like other leaders of the world, to defend these values. After explaining the danger caused by terrorism on peace, human lives and cultural artefacts, François HOLLANDE proposed the setting up of an international fund dedicated to endangered cultural artefacts.