Chairmanship

Personal Representatives of the Chairperson-in-Office to promote greater tolerance and combat racism, xenophobia and discrimination

Rabbi Andrew Baker
Personal Representative on Combating Anti-Semitism

Rabbi Andrew Baker is director of International Jewish Affairs at the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which he joined in 1979. A leading expert on anti-Semitism in Europe, he travels extensively to strengthen relations between the AJC and Jewish communities worldwide. Throughout most of the 1990s, as director of European Affairs, Rabbi Baker promoted tolerance in the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe. He is active in Holocaust restitution issues and in 2003 was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit by Germany for his work in German-Jewish relations.

Sen. Adil Akhmetov
Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims

Following a decision by the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Adil Akhmetov of Kazakhstan was appointed as Personal Representative on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims in April 2009. Ambassador Akhmetov is Secretary of the Committee on International Relations, Defence and Security, and a Member of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan. His previous positions include First Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Committee on Education of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Healthcare, and Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to the UK.

Ambassador Tetiana Izhevska
Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions

In January 2013, Ambassador Tetiana Izhevska was appointed Personal Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also Focusing on Intolerance against Christians and Members of Other Religions. Ambassador of Ukraine to the Holy See and to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, she has been in the diplomatic service since 1990. Her previous position was Director-General for Cultural and Humanitarian Co-operation at Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry. She has long been involved in activities related to gender issues, national minorities, interethnic and inter-religious dialogue. She used to be a member of the Bureau of the Council of Europe Steering Committee on Culture, a member of the Committee on Equality, Vice President of the National Commission for UNESCO and general rapporteur for numerous international conferences on the above-mentioned issues. Ambassador Izhevska has been awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX and the Order of Princess Olha.