India re-elected as member of UNESCO's top decision-making executive board

New Delhi: India was on Thursday re-elected as the member of the UNESCO’s executive board, its top decision-making body, an official said. The election was held at the 39th session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in Paris, he said. [caption id=“attachment_4136875” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of UNESCO headquarters. AP[/caption] “The news is quite significant and indicates the position of India globally. The executive board is the top decision-making body, so it is an important achievement,” the official of the UNESCO India office here said. The General Conference consists of the representatives of the States Members of the organisation. It meets every two years, and is attended by Member States and Associate Members, together with observers for non-Member States, intergovernmental organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), according to the UNESCO. “Each country has one vote, irrespective of its size or the extent of its contribution to the budget. The General Conference determines the policies and the main lines of work of the organisation. “Its duty is to set the programmes and the budget of the UNESCO. It also elects the Members of the Executive Board and appoints, every four years, the Director-General,” it said.