Musa Bin Jaafar Bin Hassan

Ambassador Dr. Musa Bin Jaafar Bin Hassan is a career diplomat and academic. Dr. Hassan is one of the longest serving diplomat to UNESCO as Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Oman from May 1984 to present. He has been decorated with 1 UNESCO Gold Medal, 3 UNESCO Silver Medals as well as the honorary title of "Ambassador for Peace".

Dr. Musa Bin Jaafar Bin Hassan has worked with, and chaired, a number of educational committees in Oman and has a rich experience of UNESCO’s executive bodies having attended the Organization’s general conferences since 1978. He was also Deputy Chairman of UNESCO’s Executive Board (1991–1993) and President of the Arab Group at UNESCO (1986 and 2004). Dr. Hassan has also chaired the Consultative Committee of UNESCO’s Arabia Plan since 2002 and was Vice Chairman of the Consultative Committee of UNESCO’s Silk Roads programme (1988–1999).

He has worked with the Arab League’s Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) as a member of Oman’s delegation to the general conferences of ALECSO, and as Member of the Organization’s Executive Board (1976-1981). Dr. Hassan is also Professor Lecturer on North Africa and the Middle East at the American Graduate School of International Relations and Diplomacy (Paris) and has published a number of scholarly and literary works: "The Development of Omani Administrative Law", "Audat Shanjoub" (The Return of Shanjoub), "Wain Zamanak Ya Bahr" (The Lost Glory of Seafaring Days), "Min al Hayat" (From the Life), "Kalam al Nas Youji al Ras" (Gossip Source of Headache), "Al Darawish Sketches". Dr. Hassan who is also an actor and theater director has penned several plays on social and cultural subjects.

Dr. Hassan was elected President of the 33rd session of the General Conference, UNESCO's supreme governing body, in October 2005 with the unanimous support of the Arab-Group and other electoral groups, the Executive Board, and served until the end of his mandate in November 2007. During his Presidency, he worked tirelessly with the two other organs of UNESCO (the Executive Board, the Secretariat) to oversee the implementation of the resolutions and decisions that different Ministers of Education had decided on during the deliberations of the 33rd session of the General Conference. A strong defender of women's rights; one of his most famous quotes which gave him a standing ovation at the opening of the 34th session of the General Conference: "May you be blessed, O women: mother, lover, sister, wife and friend, because you are my life."

He also strongly advocates the Right to Education. In his speeches he has gone on record condemning the extravagant budgets on cigarette advertisement while education remained the most under funded social right. He was amongst the first to go on record to saying that educating every single child who has not received primary education would cost a total of 6 billion dollars.

During the 34th Session of the General Conference, Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, the Director-General of UNESCO said the following on his 2-year term as President:

"...During this time you have been present on all fronts of UNESCO - if you will permit me to use this metaphor. You have been one of our best ambassadors to the world, and you have graced the messages of the Organization with your rich culture and wisdom..."

The Chairman of the Executive Board, Mr. Zhang Xinsheng said regarding Dr. Hassan's term:

"Your mandate as President of the General Conference may come to an end, but the echo of your contribution to our Organization will continue to resound in this House."