Speaker
Danilo TÜRK
- Affliation
- Former President of the Republic of Slovenia
Biography
Emeritus Professor of International Law, diplomat and politician. He was third President of the Republic of Slovenia (2007 – 2012). In 2016 he was one of the candidates for the post of the Secretary – General of the United Nations. He is currently President of Club de Madrid, organization of 125 former, democratically elected Presidents and Prime Ministers from 73 countries from all parts of the world.
Prior to his work in diplomacy and politics, he was teaching international law at the faculty of Law, University in Ljubljana (1982 – 1992 and 2005 – 2007). He also worked as human rights expert, both in Slovenia and within the UN. He wrote the first comprehensive treatise on international law in Slovenian language (in 2007, second edition in 2015), translated into Russian, Czech and Hungarian. In 2016, he became Professor Emeritus of the University in Ljubljana.
Upon independence of Slovenia (1991), he worked as expert at the Conference on Yugoslavia (1991-1992). After that, he was appointed Ambassador of Slovenia to the UN (1992-2000) in New York. He managed Slovenia’s campaign for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council in 1996-1997 and served as member of the UN Security Council in 1998-1999. Following the successful conclusion of his term, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan invited him to serve as UN Assistant Secretary-General for political Affairs (2000-2005).
He returned to Slovenia in 2005 where he wrote his book on international law and was elected third President in for the term 2007 -2012.
Since 2013 he is member of the World Leadership Alliance - Club de Madrid and since 2018 a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. In 2019, he was elected President of the organization. In 2022, he was re-elected for the second three-year term.
He is also member the Inter Action Council, another group of former Presidents and Prime Ministers.
In the years 2015 – 2017, he was Chairman of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace which produced its report “A Matter of Survival.”
In 2022, the UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres appointed him as member of the High Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism, a body assisting the UN Secretary General in the preparation of the UN Summit of the Future. The report of the Advisory Board was published in April 2023.
Mr. Danilo Türk is also serving on different boards and panels in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Prior to his work in diplomacy and politics, he was teaching international law at the faculty of Law, University in Ljubljana (1982 – 1992 and 2005 – 2007). He also worked as human rights expert, both in Slovenia and within the UN. He wrote the first comprehensive treatise on international law in Slovenian language (in 2007, second edition in 2015), translated into Russian, Czech and Hungarian. In 2016, he became Professor Emeritus of the University in Ljubljana.
Upon independence of Slovenia (1991), he worked as expert at the Conference on Yugoslavia (1991-1992). After that, he was appointed Ambassador of Slovenia to the UN (1992-2000) in New York. He managed Slovenia’s campaign for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council in 1996-1997 and served as member of the UN Security Council in 1998-1999. Following the successful conclusion of his term, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan invited him to serve as UN Assistant Secretary-General for political Affairs (2000-2005).
He returned to Slovenia in 2005 where he wrote his book on international law and was elected third President in for the term 2007 -2012.
Since 2013 he is member of the World Leadership Alliance - Club de Madrid and since 2018 a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. In 2019, he was elected President of the organization. In 2022, he was re-elected for the second three-year term.
He is also member the Inter Action Council, another group of former Presidents and Prime Ministers.
In the years 2015 – 2017, he was Chairman of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace which produced its report “A Matter of Survival.”
In 2022, the UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres appointed him as member of the High Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism, a body assisting the UN Secretary General in the preparation of the UN Summit of the Future. The report of the Advisory Board was published in April 2023.
Mr. Danilo Türk is also serving on different boards and panels in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
