Peru says culture essential to economic development

According to Peruvian President Alan Garcia

Published on 21 February 2011

Author(s): Xinhua

Type:  News

Peruvian President Alan Garcia said Monday that culture is essential to economic development when he met an official from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

At a short press conference after their meeting, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova congratulated Peru on the seven-percent reduction in its illiteracy rate, which is expected to decline to four percent by the end of 2015.

Meanwhile, Garcia praised the work Bokova has done to promote the UN Millennium Goals. Bokova said UNESCO is ready to cooperate with Peru in the renovation and preservation of Machu Picchu, a 15-century Inca site, to prepare for the centennial of its discovery.

UNESCO will hold a meeting in Paris in May to analyze and discuss cooperation on the project, Bokova said. Bokova plans to meet other ministers and visit Machu Picchu and Chan Chan, another archaeological site in Peru.

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