Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), announced this in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Pololikashvili lauded El-Enany’s achievements and dedication to education, science, cultural tourism, and heritage preservation.

“His dedication to education, science, and culture is truly admirable. I wish him the best of luck on his journey to lead the UNESCO,” Pololikashvili wrote, praising El-Enany’s achievements as a visionary leader in cultural tourism. He highlighted his efforts to preserve Egypt’s historical treasures while promoting sustainable tourism practices. 

Speaking to Ahram Online about his recent visit to Spain, as part of his international campaign for the UNESCO leadership role, El-Enany shared details of his meeting with Pololikashvili.

The discussion focused on strengthening collaboration between UNESCO and UN Tourism to leverage tourism as a tool for fostering global connections, enhancing cultural diversity, and contributing to global prosperity and sustainability in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), El-Enany said.

“I firmly believe in the power of tourism to build bridges between nations, promote cultural diversity, and drive sustainable progress worldwide."

“I deeply value my relationship with the UN Tourism, with whom I collaborated extensively during my tenure as Egypt’s minister of tourism and antiquities. Together, we made significant advancements in showcasing Egypt’s heritage and promoting sustainable tourism,” he stressed.

El-Enany is touring several countries, gathering insights and perspectives for his vision, which he plans to present next March at UNESCO.

He met with government officials, intellectuals, artists, and civil society members during his tour. 

Following the announcement of his candidacy in April 2023, the African Union (AU) expressed its support in February 2024, followed by a similar decision by the Arab Summit in Manama in May 2024.

Former minister of tourism and antiquities Khaled El-Enany is the third Egyptian nominated by Cairo for the post of UNESCO director-general. The election will take place in the last quarter of 2025.

In 2009, Egypt nominated former minister of culture Farouk Hosny for the post of UNESCO director-general, but he lost his bid to Bulgarian former foreign minister Irina Bokova.

Egyptian politician and diplomat Moushira Khattab was also Egypt’s candidate for the post of UNESCO director-general in 2017.

Khattab, who served as minister of state for family and population between 2009 and 2011, lost her bid to Audrey Azoulay, a former French minister of culture who is the current UNESCO director-general.