People and peace Egypt’s UNESCO DG nominee Dr. El-Enany speaks about his vision

• Dr. El-Enany appreciated the fact that Sri Lanka is a powerful advocate for intercultural and inter religious dialogue
• He said that the first challenge for UNESCO is with regards to finances and that a paradigm shift is needed to mobilise resources
• Dr. El-Enany said that Sri Lanka stands as a powerful example of how cultural heritage can serve as a bridge for intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence
• World Heritage inscriptions must no longer be seen as mere labels or status symbols. These sites are living heritage – vital links between the past and present 

Egypt has nominated Dr. Khaled El-Enany as its candidate for the position of Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the 2025-2029 term. El-Enany is a former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt. He is also the UN Tourism Ambassador for Cultural Tourism. 

During his brief visit to Sri Lanka while on his campaign trail, Dr. El-Enany sat for an exclusive interview with the Daily Mirror. Here he spoke about his vision and aspirations for UNESCO. “If I am honoured with the trust of member states, my leadership will be rooted in a firm conviction: UNESCO must act for the people, with the people and in service of the people,” he said. 

His experiences from being a tour guide to a field Egyptologist to university lecturer and then the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities have taught him that decision-making must be shared. “Those closest to the ground – who understand the daily realities of the communities we serve – must be equipped with the flexibility and tools to act. This is how impact is achieved,” Dr. El-Enany added. 

He said that Sri Lanka has a unique and essential role to play in this journey. He appreciated the fact that Sri Lanka is a powerful advocate for intercultural and inter religious dialogue. “This is the kind of leadership our Organisation needs today. It’s environmental and cultural commitment is equally inspiring, offering a model for how culture, sustainability and socio-economic development can reinforce one another,” he said.

Speaking about challenges that persist at UNESCO, he said the first challenge is with regards to finances and that a paradigm shift is needed to mobilize resources. He said that in order to support member states more effectively within its mandate, UNESCO must diversity its funding sources and seek greater flexibility. “This means exploring responsible private-public partnerships, engaging philanthropic actors and embracing innovative tools such as social impact bonds,” Dr. El-Enany explained further. 

According to Dr. El-Enany, the second challenge is with regards to trust and he reiterated the importance of effective communication, elevating voices of those working in the field, ensuring greater transparency and making results visible and understandable. Reflecting on his tenure as the Minister for Tourism and Antiquities, he spoke about the initiatives he launched to make museums and heritage sites more accessible, especially for young people as he believes that culture and knowledge must be universal in order to build inclusive societies. 

He said that the third challenge is with regards to agility and as part of the UN system, UNESCO should look at simplifying procedures, streamlining programme delivery and strengthening regional and international coordination across transnational and cross-cutting issues. He stressed on his intention to foster an ethical, transparent work culture and to promote greater geographic and professional diversity among the staff. 

When asked about preserving and upgrading Sri Lanka’s world heritage sites Dr. El-Enany said that Sri Lanka stands as a powerful example of how cultural heritage can serve as a bridge for intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence. “World Heritage inscriptions must no longer be seen as mere labels or status symbols. These sites are living heritage – vital links between the past and present,” he added.

He further said that cultural tourism is a powerful opportunity to align economic development with the safeguarding of cultural heritage. “UNESCO has a key role to play in sharing best practices and supporting countries in designing responsible, forward-looking strategies,” he opined. 

Having started his campaign in April 2023, Dr. El-Enany has so far travelled to 50 countries, discussing his vision and requesting support to accede to this important position. Having had discussions with policymakers, schools, local communities and civil society groups in different counties, Dr. El-Enany says that the aspirations are different from country to country. However, people and peace lie at the core of his vision. From Sri Lanka he then visits Indonesia, Philippines, Europe, Latin America and continues to gain maximum support from member states. He plans to visit around 15-20 countries prior to the election in October. 

If elected he would be the first Arab-African individual to ascend to the rank of UNESCO DG. If he plans to dedicate his first 100 days to dialogue – engaging with every member state to build lasting channels of cooperation with the objective of developing an inclusive, practical and ready-to-be-implemented roadmap from Day 100. “UNESCO must become a proactive actor in risk prevention – by harnessing indigenous knowledge, supporting long-term planning and providing tools that member states require in order to adapt and lead,” he said in conclusion.