Senegal is mourning the loss of Amadou Mahtar Mbow, a statesman and former UNESCO director general who passed away on September 27 Mbow was a man of conviction and vision who led UNESCO for 13 years and was a strong advocate for the New World Information and Communication Order (NOMIC)
He was also a pioneer for decolonization and his legacy continues to be celebrated and recognized worldwide
Mbow was the first black African to head a United Nations organization and his tenure was marked by an alternative framework for the production of knowledge and information, moving away from Eurocentric tendencies and encouraging the diversity of experiences and cultures
