UNESCO Director-General pays tribute to Jorge Semprun

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today expressed her sorrow over the death in Paris yesterday of renowned Spanish author, screenwriter, political activist and long-time UNESCO friend, Jorge Semprun.

“I am deeply saddened by the death of Jorge Semprun, a truly great man of peace and a champion in the struggle against oppression,” the Director-General said. “Jorge Semprun - through his commitment as an author, screenwriter and when he was Minister of Culture of Spain - vividly demonstrated the power of culture to defend human dignity, which became his life’s work. He contributed greatly to bringing forward UNESCO’s ideals, actively fighting against all forms of discrimination. UNESCO is deeply indebted to the legacy of Jorge Semprun.”

Jorge Semprun wrote many novels and screenplays, influenced greatly by his experiences during the Second World War as a member of the French Resistance and as a prisoner in the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald. He was most famous for the French films, “The Confession” and “Z”, which was nominated for an Academy Award. In his youth, Semprun worked for UNESCO as an interpreter.