Loss Of Japanese Painter And Goodwill Ambassador

UNESCO Mourns Loss Of Japanese Painter And Goodwill Ambassador

New York, Dec 4 2009 11:10AM The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today voiced its sadness at the death of Ikuo Hirayama, a survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima who became an eminent painter and advocate for the agency’s work.

“UNESCO has lost a friend,” UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said in a news release, of Mr. Hirayama, who passed away on 2 December at the age of 79.

She noted that for more than 20 years, Mr. Hirayama had lent his tireless support to the Organization’s projects, especially in the fields of education, emergency relief and reconstruction.

“He was particularly concerned with making people aware of the value of cultural heritage as a basis for mutual understanding. He will be missed and remembered fondly by all at UNESCO,” she added. Mr. Hirayama campaigned for the preservation and restoration of the world’s cultural heritage, promoting what he called the “Red Cross Spirit for Cultural Heritage,” a movement which aims to help people in conflict or extreme poverty with financial and technical aid to preserve their cultural heritage. Having served as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 1989, he promoted the preservation of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temples, China’s Mogao Caves, Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Buddhist monuments and the Koguryo Mural Tombs in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

ENDS

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