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.
Keith Taylor MEP
Parliament:
European Parliament
Political Party:
Green Party Mr. Taylor is a Member of the European Parliament, representing the South East of England region. He sits on the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), the Committee on International Trade (INTA) and the Committee on Petitions (PETI). He is a full member of the Parliamentary delegation to Afghanistan, and in March 2011, he co-hosted an event on 'Afghan Perspectives on Civil Transition.' Mr. Taylor is also a substitute member of the Iran and Palestine delegations. He is the Vice President of the UK’s Local Government Association Group in the European Parliament – and a member of the Intergroup on LGBT Rights.
For 11 years, Mr. Taylor worked as a Green Party councilor, and in this role, he was a representative on the UN Peace Messenger City project. He served as leader of the Council’s Green group from 2001, and on the council planning committee for two years.
Mr. Taylor was a Principal Speaker for the Green Party of England & Wales between 2004 and 2006, before the party adopted a single leader structure. He has been a Green spokesperson on planning and regeneration, has led the development of the party’s manifesto, and has a history of outstanding performance in local and European Parliament elections.
Keith worked for Green Party leader Dr. Caroline Lucas MEP for five years as her Regional Liaison Officer, gaining a thorough knowledge of the South East region and developing regional economic policy.
Ms. Britta Thomsen MEP
Parliament:
European Parliament
Political Party:
Social Democratic Party
Britta Thomsen is member of the European Parliament from Denmark. She is member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Her commitment to international cooperation brought her to Brussels in 2004. She was elected to the European Parliament after having worked in the field of European policy and cooperation across borders for nearly twenty years.
Ms. Thomsen is currently member of the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality and member of the delegation for relations with the Mercosur countries.
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.
