Egypt one of strongest candidates for UNESCO

Egypt State Information Service

Egypt is one of the strongest candidates for the top post of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Culture Minister Farouq Hosni said Sunday 7/9/2008.

" We should be, however, good losers if we lost the post," he told a host of intellectuals at the Egyptian Writers' Union's new headquarters in the Citadel area.

Hosni said Egypt needs to secure 30 votes out of total 58 to win the post at a complicated secret voting.

He said "the election for the post is governed by several factors, including political and economic interests among states."

He said he does have a vision and a mission if he secured the post. "My platform centers on reconciliation and co-existence irrespective of race or language."

Hosni also said Egypt's massive program to restore its ancient monuments was one of the cornerstones of his nomination to the post.