Amb. Boris Tarasyuk
Parliament:
Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine)
Political Party:
People's movement of Ukraine (Rukh) Amb. Tarasyuk has been an MP since 2002; he has also held the position of Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) Committee on European Integration. A career diplomat since 1975, he served in Ukrainian missions to the UN (1981-1986), as Ambassador to Brussels (1995-1998, BENELUX, NATO, WEU), Deputy Foreign Minister (1992-1994), and First Deputy (1994-1995). Amb. Tarasyuk also served two terms as Foreign Minister (1998-2000, 2005-2007). He has been the Chairman of the party “People’s movement of Ukraine” (Rukh) since May 2003, and is a member of the political leadership of Our Ukraine Block. Amb. Tarasyuk is the Founder and Director of the Institute of Euro-Atlantic Cooperation, which is an independent analytical centre. He has held the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary since 1992. In 1997 he was the winner of the national nomination for “Diplomat of the Year”. Amb. Tarasyuk is decorated with the highest state awards of Argentina, Brazil, France, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden, and is a full cavalier of the State Order of Merit of Ukraine.
Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal
Parliament:
Republica Dominicana Camara de Diputados
Political Party:
Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD) Dip. Tavárez is a second term Deputy in the Dominican Congress and president of its commission of foreign relations and international cooperation. She holds a B.A. in Hispanic Philology, as well as master’s degrees in Hispanic Linguistics and Upper Management. She has been vice chancellor in charge of foreign policy and sub-secretary of foreign relations for consular matters in the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of her country. Is a member of the Central Committee of the ruling Dominican Party headed by President Leonel Fernandez, and also of the International Council of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA). Ms. Tavárez is also the daughter of two Dominican national heroes – Manuel Aurelio Tavárez Justo and Minerva Mirabal, both founders of the anti-dictatorship movement of the 1960's.
Ms. Niki Tzavela, MEP
Parliament:
European Parliament
Political Party:
Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EFD) Ms. Tzavela has a B.S. in Industrial Psychology from Howard University in Washington DC and a G.B. Masters of Science in Labour Economics from Leeds Technical University. She is an Eisenhower, Adenauer and American Field Service Fellow.
She was elected to the European Parliament in 2009 where she now is the Vice-chairwoman of the delegation for relations with the United States, Vice Chairwoman of the EFD Group, Coordinator of the ITRE Committee and a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee for relations with Turkey. Ms. Tzavela is currently an honorary Member of the Arab International Women's Forum.
Before becoming a MEP, Ms. Tzavela was the head of the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) and a Member of the Greek Parliament (1993-96). She was also Vice-Chairwoman of the Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Albanians of Greek Descent, Vice-Chairwoman of the Intracom Telecom Company and Vice-Chair woman of the Athens Olympic Games Organising Committee (OEOA). Until 2009, she was a member of the Dean´s Council of the Kennedy School of Government of the Harvard University and Vice Chairwoman of the Kokkalis Foundation.
