Awards honor promoters of culture

Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, former director-general of UNESCO, a United Nations agency that promotes international collaboration, received the Lifetime Honorary Award at the second Orchid Awards held in Beijing on Thursday.

Launched by the China International Communications Group in 2022, the Orchid Awards recognize non-Chinese individuals or organizations for outstanding contributions to cultural exchanges, mutual learning and the promotion of Chinese culture.

Bokova, the first woman to lead UNESCO, has visited China more than 10 times and advanced numerous collaborations between China and UNESCO in education.