2 0 1 1 , ▁Amb assador ▁Kh att ab ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁speaker ▁and ▁panel ist ▁in ▁key ▁events ▁related ▁to ▁women ' s ▁rights , ▁children ' s ▁rights ▁and ▁development ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁international ▁ ▁events . ▁ ▁C andid ature ▁for ▁UN ES CO ▁Director - General ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Egypt ▁announced ▁that ▁Kh att ab ▁will ▁be ▁Egypt ' s ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁UN ES CO ▁Director - General ▁at ▁the ▁elections ▁due ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁The ▁announ cement ▁was ▁made ▁against ▁the ▁back drop ▁of ▁The ▁Egypt ian ▁Museum ▁to ▁symbol ise ▁Egypt ' s ▁strong ▁culture ▁and ▁rich ▁her itage ▁and ▁also ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁found ing ▁members ▁and ▁earliest ▁partners ▁of ▁UN ES CO ▁including ▁the ▁re location ▁of ▁the ▁Ab u ▁Sim bel ▁tem ples ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁among ▁many ▁others . ▁Kh att ab ' s ▁candid ature ▁was ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁the ▁African ▁Union ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 7 th ▁A U ▁sum mit ▁held ▁in ▁K ig ali ▁from ▁ 1 0 – 1 8 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁Hon ours ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Kh att ab ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Good ▁Hope ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁South ▁Africa , ▁the ▁highest ▁order ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁awarded ▁to ▁a ▁foreign