- Speaker Highlights:
- Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to the United States since 2020.
- Former President of the Andean Parliament (2007-2009).
- Minister of Industries and Productivity in Ecuador (2003-2005)
- First woman Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to the United States of America
- Master’s in Public Administration - Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; Master’s in Public Policy - Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
- Presidential Candidate in the 2002 Ecuadorian election.
Ivonne A-Baki
Ivonne A-Baki, a multifaceted figure, presented her letters of Credence as Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to the President of the United States on February 6, 2020. Her journey spans artistry, diplomacy, environmental advocacy, and global leadership. An artist and painter, Ivonne studied at Sorbonne University and earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration and Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in 1993, fluently speaking five languages. She founded the Harvard Arts for Peace Foundation, fostering peace through art exhibitions in conflict zones, and established the Beyond Boundaries Foundation, instrumental in eradicating river blindness in Ecuador. As Ecuador's Ambassador to the U.S. (1998-2002), she extended Andean Trade Preferences to combat drug trafficking, while her response to the 2001 Galapagos oil spill led to the formation of the Galapagos Conservancy Foundation. Ivonne also ran for Ecuador's presidency in 2002, served as Minister of Foreign Trade (2003-2005), and received the Global Citizen Prize in 2004. Her parliamentary roles included leading the Andean Parliament and the European Latin-American Parliament. From 2010 to 2013, she was Chief Negotiator for the Yasuni-ITT Initiative, preserving Ecuador's biodiverse Yasuni National Park, and she has since served as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for intercultural dialogue. Her recent diplomatic roles included Ambassador to Qatar and Ambassador Non-Resident to several Middle Eastern countries from September 2017 to February 2020. Ivonne A-Baki's life embodies a commitment to diplomacy, art, and global citizenship, leaving an indelible mark on international relations and environmental conservation.