Under a government coalition in the 1990s, Mr Wade even reported directly to President Abdou Diouf as a minister in the presidency from March 1995 to March 1998.

BBC: Profile: Senegal's new president

The opening session will bring together Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, Abdou Diouf, Secretary-General of La Francophonie and Honorary President of the Forum, and Boutros Butros-Ghali, President of the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights and Vice-President of the Forum.

UNESCO: Detailview | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Inaugurated by Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, in the presence of Abdou Diouf, Secretary-General of La Francophonie, Nickolay Mladenov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, and Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, the roundtable will include two thematic sessions which will allow participants to respond to political, social, cultural and educational challenges resulting from present and future social change.

UNESCO: Democracy and renewal in the Arab World: roundtable at UNESCO in support of transition to democracy, 21 June | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization