20 Quotes by Koichiro Matsuura

Literacy is inseparable from opportunity, and opportunity is inseperable from freedom. The freedom promised by literacy is both freedom from - from ignorance, oppression, poverty - and freedom to - to do new things, to make choices, to learn.

We did everything possible to prevent this happening but we have failed miserably.

Fourteen member states have already started putting things in place, ... They have shown their readiness.

From prehistoric times until today, humanity's dealings with water have greatly influenced the sustainability of societies.

For scientific achievements to serve the most possible people, scientists should work in a responsible way, with respect for cultural diversity, personal freedom and human dignity,

Good governance is essential for managing our increasingly stretched supplies of freshwater and indispensable for tackling poverty.

It is abominable to witness the cold and calculated destruction of cultural properties which were the heritage of the Afghan people, and, indeed, of the whole of humanity.

Managing water is as much cultural as technical, reflecting how peoples and communities relate themselves to nature.

When a language dies it is a vision of the world that disappears.