Foto: Alexandre Saad
In a meeting with the Secretary for Science, Technology and Higher Education of the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, Narcio Rodrigues, the UNESCO general director Irina Bokova praised the initiative of the Brazilian state in establishing the UNESCO-HidroEX City of Waters and defined it as model of innovation that has been used by UNESCO to encourage the establishment of other projects around the world.
“I give the example of HidroEX to all of those who come to me with the intention of creating a UNESCO center”, said Bokova during the meeting at UNESCO headquarters, in Paris. On the occasion, Narcio Rogrigues delivered a document signed by the governor of Minas Gerais, Antonio Anastasia, which describes the progress in establishing the City of Waters, in Frutal (Triângulo Mineiro).
The document also states the interest of the Minas Gerais government in creating the Minas Inhotim Water Observatory through the Minas Gerais State Department for Science, Technology and Higher Education (SECTES). This center will monitor all information related to 17 large drainage basins throughout the world, contributing also to controlling the management quality and preventing the occurrence of natural disasters.
Irina Bokova was formally invited to make a new visit to the state of Minas Gerais in order to announce these projects involving UNESCO and the Brazilian Government. At the end of the meeting, Narcio Rodrigues declared the intention of turning HidroEX into a UNESCO global campus for Water Education, with actions focused on Latin America and the Caribbean.
This issue will be discussed in September by UNESCO’s Executive Board. If the application is submitted, HidroEX may become the second UNESCO’s Category I center in the whole world.
In the meeting with Bokova, the Brazilian Ambassador to UNESCO, Maria Laura Rocha, the HidroEX vice-president, Alexandre Saad, the UNESCO advisor, Richard Meganck, and the representative of UNESCO-HidroEX in Paris, Igor Tameirão were also present