dr. Smiljana Knez
Curriculum Vitae
Work Experience:
February 2025 - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Slovenia to the Republic of the Philippines
December 2022 – December 2024 Ambassador-at-Large for Climate Diplomacy
August 2019 – December 2022 Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of the Republic of Slovenia
February 2016 – July 2019 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Slovenia to the Republic of Croatia
February 2015 – December 2015 Head of Human Rights Department /MFA
February 2011 – February 2015 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Slovenia to the Czech Republic
2008 – February 2011 Head of Human Rights Department /MFA
(1 January – 30 June 2008: EU Presidency, Chair of the EU Working Group on Human Rights)
2006 – 2008 Head of Human Rights Unit /MFA
2002 – 2006 Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Kingdom
2002 Deputy Head of the Department for Analysis and Research /MFA
2001 Counsellor in the Cabinet of the Minister/MFA
2000 Acting director of the Department for Europe and North America /MFA
1996 – 2000 Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia to the Czech Republic
1994 – 1996 Department for Europe and North America; Desk Officer for the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and the Central Asia /MFA
1992 – 1994 Department for Cooperation in Culture, Education and Science /MFA
1989 – 1992 Head of Information-Documentation Centre/ Peko
1985 – 1989 Researcher /National and University Library
Education:
2013 PhD in International Relations, University of Ljubljana
2006 MA in International Relations, King's College London
1985 BA in Sociology, University of Ljubljana
State Decoration:
2022: “Grande Ufficiale dell’Ordine al Merito de la Republica Italiana”
Dr. Smiljana Knez has contributed articles on climate diplomacy and human rights. She is a lecturer at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.