Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic
Encyclopedia
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović (born April 29, 1968) is a Croatia
n diplomat
. She currently serves as the Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy at NATO. She is the first woman ever to be appointed the position of Assistant Secretary General at NATO. From 2008 to 2011, she was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Croatia to United States. She was sworn in as ambassador on March 19, 2008. From 2005 to 2008 she was the foreign minister
of Croatia
.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
.
Kolinda Grabar was born in Rijeka
, Croatia
. She lived in the United States
for part of her childhood and graduated from Los Alamos High School
in Los Alamos, New Mexico
. She then attended the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
, graduating in the study of English and Spanish language in 1992. Later she obtained a masters degree in international relations
from the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb. From 1995 to 1996, she attended the Diploma Course at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.
In 1992, Grabar-Kitarović became an advisor to the international cooperation department of the ministry of science and technology of Croatia. In 1993 she moved to the foreign ministry, becoming an advisor. In 1995 she became the head of the North America
n department of the foreign ministry, remaining in that position until 1997. In 1997 she began to work at the Croatian embassy in Canada
, as a diplomatic councilor until October 1998 and then as a minister-councilor. She remained in Canada until 2000.
In 2001 Grabar-Kitarović became a minister-councilor to the ministry of foreign affairs. She left that position in 2003. In November 2003 she was elected to the Croatian Parliament from the seventh electoral district as a member of the Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ). In the government formed in December 2003, she became the minister of European integration
, beginning negotiations in 2004 for Croatia to join the European Union
. In February 2005 she was nominated to become the foreign minister of Croatia.
She was confirmed by the parliament and sworn in to that position on February 17, 2005. Her main task as foreign minister was to guide Croatia into the European Union
.
She was succeeded as foreign minister by Gordan Jandroković
in January 2008, following the November 2007 parliamentary election
.
Grabar-Kitarović is married to Jakov Kitarović. They have two children. She speaks Croatian, English, Spanish
and Portuguese
fluently.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. She currently serves as the Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy at NATO. She is the first woman ever to be appointed the position of Assistant Secretary General at NATO. From 2008 to 2011, she was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Croatia to United States. She was sworn in as ambassador on March 19, 2008. From 2005 to 2008 she was the foreign minister
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (Croatia)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Croatia is the ministry in the Government of Croatia which is in charge of foreign relations and admission into the European Union.-Foreign affairs ministers:...
of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy is an international, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Berlin. Founded in 1999 by Mark Donfried, its activities focus on promoting and developing the field of cultural diplomacy by conducting research, initiatives and programs, holding...
.
Kolinda Grabar was born in Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. She lived in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for part of her childhood and graduated from Los Alamos High School
Los Alamos High School
Los Alamos High School, often called LAHS, is the public high school in Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. The school opened in 1946, and was originally supported by the Atomic Energy Commission. It has been academically recognized by Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and the New Mexico Public...
in Los Alamos, New Mexico
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Los Alamos is a townsite and census-designated place in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States, built upon four mesas of the Pajarito Plateau and the adjoining White Rock Canyon. The population of the CDP was 12,019 at the 2010 Census. The townsite or "the hill" is one part of town while...
. She then attended the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences or the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb is one of the top faculties of the University of Zagreb.-History:...
, graduating in the study of English and Spanish language in 1992. Later she obtained a masters degree in international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb. From 1995 to 1996, she attended the Diploma Course at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.
In 1992, Grabar-Kitarović became an advisor to the international cooperation department of the ministry of science and technology of Croatia. In 1993 she moved to the foreign ministry, becoming an advisor. In 1995 she became the head of the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n department of the foreign ministry, remaining in that position until 1997. In 1997 she began to work at the Croatian embassy in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, as a diplomatic councilor until October 1998 and then as a minister-councilor. She remained in Canada until 2000.
In 2001 Grabar-Kitarović became a minister-councilor to the ministry of foreign affairs. She left that position in 2003. In November 2003 she was elected to the Croatian Parliament from the seventh electoral district as a member of the Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union
The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. It is the biggest and strongest individual Croatian party since independence of Croatia. The Christian democratic HDZ governed Croatia from 1990 to 2000 and, in partial coalition, from 2003...
(HDZ). In the government formed in December 2003, she became the minister of European integration
European integration
European integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe...
, beginning negotiations in 2004 for Croatia to join the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. In February 2005 she was nominated to become the foreign minister of Croatia.
She was confirmed by the parliament and sworn in to that position on February 17, 2005. Her main task as foreign minister was to guide Croatia into the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
She was succeeded as foreign minister by Gordan Jandroković
Gordan Jandrokovic
Gordan Jandroković is a Croatian diplomat and politician. Currently, he is the foreign minister of Croatia.Jandroković was born in Bjelovar. He graduated from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering in 1991, and obtained a diploma from the Faculty of Political Sciences in...
in January 2008, following the November 2007 parliamentary election
Croatian parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections to the Croatian Parliament were held on 25 November 2007 in Croatia and on 24 November and 25 November 2007 abroad. The campaign officially started on 3 November...
.
Grabar-Kitarović is married to Jakov Kitarović. They have two children. She speaks Croatian, English, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
fluently.