Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has symbolically raised the Palestinian flag above the UNESCO headquarters in Paris to the backdrop of the Palestinian national anthem, marking the first time the flag has flown above a UN agency.
Addressing the crowd at UNESCO, Abbas said,
"This is truly a historic moment. This admission is the first recognition of Palestine."
"It is moving to see our flag raised and for it to be flying in this beautiful city of Paris, among all the other states. This bodes well for Palestine becoming a member of other international institutions,"
See a video below from the Guardian of the flag raising ceremony and excerpts from Abbas’s and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova speeches.
