Dr. Musa Bin Jaafar Bin Hassan
President of the General Conference of UNESCO, 33rd session
His completed his primary education in the Sultanate of Oman at Al-Saidiya school in Muttrah and his preparatory and secondary studies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He continued his university studies in Beirut, Lebanon, and Alexandria in Egypt. He obtained a degree in General Geography and joined the University of Paris V, Sorbonne René Descartes, to continue his higher education and obtain his Doctorate in Law in 1990 with honours.
After his graduation, he was immediately appointed in 1976 Director of Cultural Relations at the Ministry of Education of the Sultanate of Oman and in 1982 he was appointed Director-General of missions and external relations.
In 1984 he moved to Paris and was appointed Permanent Delegate of the Sultanate of Oman to UNESCO and in 1991 he was named Ambassador to UNESCO and has remained in post until 2009.
On the 3rd of March 2009 the Royal Decree No. 11/2009 was promulgated and promoted him to the rank and grade of Advisor with Special (Undersecretary, Advisor). Since that date he has the post of Adviser at the Permanent Delegation of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization “UNESCO”.
In addition to his work, he chaired the Group of Arab States to UNESCO in 1986 and 2004, his country’s delegation to the General Conference of UNESCO in 1985 in Sofia, Bulgaria and his country’s delegation to the International Conference on literacy in Paris in 1985.
He took the presidency of his country’s delegation at the International Conference on Education in Geneva in 1988 and the Presidency of the Omani Delegation to the General Conference of the Arab Organization for Education, Science and Culture in Tunisia in 1981.
He was elected Chairman of UNESCO Headquarters’ Committee from 1989 to 1991 and from 1999 to 2003, Chairman of the Nominations Committee of the General Conference in 1989 and 1995, Chairman of the Executive Board’s Financial and Administrative Committee 1994, Chairman of the Executive Board’s Non- Governmental Organisations Committee from 1993 to 1994, President of the Group 77 in 1992 and 1993 and a member of the Administrative Board and then vice Chairman of the Arab World Institute (IMA: Institut du Monde Arabe), in Paris from 1985 to 1993.
He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the College of Bahrain - Gulf Polytechnic College-, Secretary-General of the Circle of Permanent Delegates to UNESCO since 1986 and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Planning and Development of Arab Culture (Plan Arabia) in 2000 and 2004 and since 2008.
All that, in addition to his chairmanship and membership to numerous committees and councils at the international level.
He is the author of several essays on culture, heritage, arts and social sciences. He is a lecturer in International Relations and Diplomacy in the Middle East and North Africa at the American Graduate School of International Relations and Diplomacy.
Author of several publications, including the evolution of administrative Omani law in Arabic, French and English.
He presented a series of plays and participated in the direction and presentation on stage in Muscat, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Beirut. Among his major publications: Audat Shanjoub (the return of Shanjoub), Wain Zamanak ya Bahr (The Lost Glory of Seafaring days), Min al Hayat (from life) and The Al-Darawish sketches.
He was awarded the Order of Merit of the grade Commander of Arts and Letters by the Minister of Culture and Communication of the French Republic (2008), the Presidential Medal of Honour awarded by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2008 ), the Gold Medal of UNESCO awarded by the Director General of UNESCO (2007), the title of “Ambassador for Peace” award from the Federation for Universal Peace (FUP) and Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace (2007), three silver medals of UNESCO, (1991,1993,1995) and an Honorary Diploma from the International Association of Plastic Art to UNESCO (1995).