Ambassador Vassilis Kaskarelis has been Greece’s Minister for Foreign Affairs since May 2023.
Ambassador Kaskarelis had previously served as Senior Advisor to the
Board of Directors at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) from June
2013 until May 2023.
He joined the Greek Foreign Service in 1974 and retired in 2013 after having served as Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the final year of his career.
He was Ambassador in Washington, D.C. from 2009 to 2012 after 16 consecutive years of international experience in key international organizations.
As Greece’s Permanent Representative to the European Union (2004-2009), he actively participated in the decision-shaping of major developments, among others, the Lisbon Treaty, EU financial perspectives, enlargement, transatlantic relations, relations with Russia and justice and social affairs. He negotiated the final phase of the full membership of the Republic of Cyprus to the EU and the starting of the negotiations with Turkey.
He was Permanent Representative to NATO (2000-2004) during the 9/11 events, the stabilization of the Western Balkans region, the Afghanistan operations and the Iraq war, while also serving as Head Negotiator for the Confidence Building Measures between Greece and Turkey.
As Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1994-2000), he had the coordination and overview of all UN issues while being Deputy Negotiator for the solution of the name issue between Greece and the then Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
His other posts included Ankara and Nicosia and Berlin (West) at the time of the fall of the Wall. Ambassador Kaskarelis is the recipient of many Greek and foreign distinctions.
In 2011, when he was Ambassador in Washington, D.C., he was selected, among 183 foreign Ambassadors, and named Diplomat of the Year by the World Affairs Council.
Special Olympics Global Leadership Coalition for Inclusion
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Dr. Timothy Shriver
Chairman, Special Olympics International -
Didier Drogba
Global Ambassador, Special Olympics International -
Nyasha Derera
Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger and Chair of the Global Athlete Congress, Special Olympics International -
Ambassador Vassilis Kaskarelis
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece -
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director General, World Health Organization -
Her Excellency Pastor Dorcas Rigathi
Second Lady, Republic of Kenya -
The Honorable Clifton Grima
Minister of Education, Republic of Malta -
Madam Sujing Zhao
Vice President, China Disabled Persons’ Federation, People’s Republic of China -
William Alford
Law Professor, Harvard University -
The Honorable Olivia Grange
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Jamaica -
His Excellency Sarkhad Zulpkhar
Deputy Minister, Labour and Social Protection, Mongolia -
The Honorable Samantha Sacramento
Minister of Equality, Government of Gibraltar -
Douglas X. Alexander
Chairperson, Lions Club International Foundation -
Ásmundur Einar Daoason
Minister of Education and Children, Iceland -
Ian McFarlane
Director, Division of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) -
The Honorable Helena Dalli
European Commissioner for Equality -
The Honorable Miomir Vojinovic
Minister of Education, Montenegro -
Gillian Triggs
Assistant High Commissioner, United Nations Refugee Agency -
Dr. Eric Nkansah
Director General, Ghana Education Service (GES) -
Ambassador Ahmed Alattar
Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Federal Republic of Germany -
His Excellency Dr. Ashraf Sobhy
Minister of Youth and Sports, the Arab Republic of Egypt
