OAS welcomes UNESCO special envoy for Haiti.

• Author: Ochoa, Gina
• Position: OAS - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's Michaelle Jean spoke at the Organization of American States

UNESCO special envoy for HAITI, Michaelle Jean, spoke to the OAS Permanent Council and encouraged member countries to join forces to "build bridges, activate cooperation agencies, and facilitate investment in the Americas in order to rebuild Haiti."

In a detailed account of the post and present of Haiti, Michaelle Jean described some of the unique characteristics of the Haitian people, including: their immense cultural wealth, their resilience, their hope, and their capacity to maintain social cohesion in development, which in her words, "are the real drivers of Haiti's reconstruction."

She then talked about the need to stay committed to reconstruction efforts and the need for the OAS to continue its work strengthening capacities and accompanying Haiti in its hour of great need. "Haitian women and men need their sisters and brothers from the Americas to support them in a new struggle for emancipation, a new process of empowerment," she said, as she invoked the need for efforts based on "powerful inter-American synergy."

The Special Envoy also discussed UNESCO's emphasis on education and her efforts to press for the implementation...