Darja Bavdaž Kuret

{{short description|Slovenian diplomat, social scientist}}

Darja Bavdaž Kuret (born 1956) is a Slovenian diplomat, social scientist and women's rights advocate. Following several ambassadorial posts since 1995, she was appointed Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations in August 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/bio5002.doc.htm|title=New Permanent Representative of Slovenia Presents Credentials|publisher=United Nations|date=18 August 2017|accessdate=14 June 2020 |language=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sloveniatimes.com/bavdaz-kuret-named-new-foreign-ministry-state-secretary|title=Bavdaž Kuret Named New Foreign Ministry State Secretary|publisher=The Slovenia Times|date=4 September 2015|accessdate=14 June 2020 |language=}} Bavdaž Kuret is a keen supporter of equal rights for women.{{cite web|url=https://genderchampions.com/champions/darja-bavda-kuret|title=Darja Bavdaž Kuret |publisher=Gender Champions|accessdate=14 May 2020 |language=}} As of September 2023, Bavdaž Kuret is serving as Slovenia's Ambassador to Russia.{{Cite web |title=Slovenija letos z menjavami na čelu 15 diplomatsko-konzularnih predstavništev |url=https://www.dnevnik.si/1043029547 |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=Dnevnik}}File:The Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Slovenia, Mrs. Darja Bavdaz Kuret presenting her Credential to the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on October 23, 2013.jpg as Ambassador to India (2013)]]

Born in Slovenia in 1956, Darja Bavdaž Kuret graduated with a degree in political science and international relations from the University of Ljubljana.{{cite web|url=https://english.sta.si/123197/slovene-ambassador-to-israel-presents-credentials|title=Slovene Ambassador to Israel Presents Credentials |publisher=STA|date=21 February 1995|accessdate=15 June 2020 |language=}} From 1995 to 1999, she was appointed Ambassador to Israel, including accreditation for the Palestinian Authority. She then headed the Department for Analysis and Planning at the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs before serving as Ambassador to Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Latvia (2002–2006). From 2006 to 2008, she was Secretary-General of the Bled Strategic Forum organized by the Slovenian Foreign Ministry and the Centre for European Perspective.{{cite web|url=http://diplomacyandcommerce.si/index.php/2019/08/30/bled-strategic-forum-2019-history-and-prospects-for-the-future/|title=Bled Strategic Forum 2019 – History and Prospects for the Future|author=Gregorec, Majej|publisher=Diplomancy & Commerce|date=30 August 2019|accessdate=15 June 2020 |language=}} In 2008, during Slovenia's presidency of the European Union, she served as Chair of the Capitals Working Group on Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Belarus.

From 2009 to 2013, Bavdaž Kuret was Ambassador to Hungary before serving as Ambassador to India (2013–2015, including accreditation for Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka (2014–2015)). She then returned to Slovenia where she was State Secretary from 2015 to 2017. In August 2017, she was appointed Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the UN General Assembly in New York.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sloveniatimes.com/bavdaz-kuret-named-new-foreign-ministry-state-secretary|title=Bavdaž Kuret Named New Foreign Ministry State Secretary|date=4 September 2015}} Bavdaž Kuret completed her post as Permanent Representative at the United Nations in June 2021. In September 2021 she was appointed Special Advisor to the Office of Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th UN General Assembly.{{cite tweet|number=1436519829436043265|user=abdulla_shahid|title=Today, I have appointed Ambassador Darja Bavdaž Kuret, former Permanent Representative of Slovenia as my Special Ad… |date=11 September 2021}}