John Bowers

John Bowers (November 27, 1912 – October 11, 2004) was a British diplomat and head of fundamental education at UNESCO for 20 years from 1947. He was the architect of UNESCO's activities worldwide in literacy and adult education.

John Bowers was the son of Basil Bowers, headmaster of Cheltenham College Junior School, and was educated at Cheltenham College and Trinity College, Oxford.

While still at school, he took up an interest in bird photography and had pictures published in Country Life.

After postgraduate courses in Arabic, Islamic Culture, Anthropology and Law, he joined the Sudan Political Service in 1935. Three years later, he married Sheila Tinson, with whom he lived among the Dinka people of the southern Sudan. One night his tent was shredded by a Lion—though at the time he was not in it.