The inaugural ceremonies were co-chaired by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Director-General of UNESCO and held at the New York Public Library on 13 February 2003 . The President of Mongolia , representing the nation that had sponsored the resolution to establish the Decade , was present along with other notables including First Lady Mrs. Laura Bush , who assumed the role of Honorary Ambassador of the Decade at the request of UNESCO , and the President of the United Nations Association of the United States of America ( UNA-USA ) .