Mr Koïchiro MATSUURA

• Former Director-General, UNESCO

• Keynote Speaker

The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Its Glocal Perspectives

Mr. Koïchiro MATSUURA

Former Director-General, UNESCO

Started his professional career in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan in 1959. After graduation of Faculty of Economics, Haverford College, USA in 1961, he held various posts such as Director-General of Economic Cooperation Bureau, Director-General of North American Affairs Bureau, and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sherpa for Japan at the G-7 Summit). After serving as Ambassador of Japan to France and Chairperson of World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, he was Director-General of UNESCO from 1999 to 2009. He immensely contributed to the implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003, and to the enforcement of the six UNESCO culture conventions. Presently he serves as a governing board member of IRCI from 2013.