DUSHANBE, December 13, 2011, Asia-Plus — The Palestinian flag will be raised at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris today to mark Palestine’s admission to the Organization.
According to UNESCO, the ceremony is being presided over by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, as well as Foreign Minister Riad Maliki.
The President of the UNESCO’s General Conference Katalin Bogyay and the Chairperson of the Organization’s Executive Board Alissandra Cummins, are also being present.
The flag raising ceremony will take place at 12:00 noon.
We will recall that UNESCO’s General Conference admitted Palestine as the Organization’s 195th Member on October 31 this year. Membership became official on November 23, when Palestine signed and accepted UNESCO’s Constitution at the National Archives in London.
The step will cost the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization one-quarter of its yearly budget — the 22 percent contributed by the United States (about $70 million) plus another 3 percent contributed by Israel.
The United States on November 1 announced to stop financial contribution to UNESCO after the UN body voted to admit Palestine as its full member, which the Obama Administration termed as regrettable and premature.
The US, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Israel voted against Palestinian membership. Countries such as Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa, Austria and France voted in favor. Britain and Italy reportedly abstained.
