Freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is a fundamental right to which everyone is entitled, everywhere. It is the essential value of the EU. This right is abused and restricted in many parts of the world. In connection with mass atrocities and persecution of religious and ethnic minorities by the ISIS in the Middle East, the European Parliament requested EU to stronger support of FoRB by a new permanent position. Therefore in May 2016 the President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker adopted the decision to create the function of Special Envoy for the promotion of the freedom of religion or belief outside the EU. Commission decided to appoint Ján Figeľ as the first Special Envoy.
Given the importance of protecting and promoting FoRB in the world in the framework of EU's dialogue, sustainable development policy and assistance programs with third countries, the Special Envoy served as Special Adviser to the Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica. This mandate was renewed by the EC until the end of November 2019.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Ján Figeľ
Nationality: Slovak
Birth date and place: 20 January 1960, Vranov nad Topľou, Slovakia
Marital status: Married, 4 children
Political and Professional Engagements
Since 2021
Member of the Governing Board of The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Budapest, Hungary
2016 – 2019
Special Envoy for promotion of freedom of religion outside the EU
2012 – 2016
Vice-President of the National Council of the Slovak Republic
2010 – 2012
First Deputy-Prime Minister of the Government of the Slovak Republic and Minister of Transport, Construction and Regional Development
2009 – 2016
Chairman of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH)
2004 – 2009
Member of the European Commission – Education, Training, Culture and Youth portfolio
May 2004 – November 2004
Member of the European Commission – Enterprise and Information Society portfolio
2003 – 2004
Head of the Standing Delegation of Observers of the National Council of the Slovak Republic in the European Parliament, also Member of the Presidency of the EPP-EP fraction of the European Parliament
2002 – 2003
Representative of the Slovak National Council at the Convention on the Future of Europe
1998 – 2003
State Secretary, Chief Negotiator of the Slovak Republic for negotiations on the accession of Slovakia to the EU
1992 – 1998
Member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, also Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Vice-Chairman of the EPP fraction in the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE (1998)
Since 1990
Founding Member of the Christian-Democratic Movement (KDH)
Academic Activities and Formation
Since 2020 Fellow of Religlaw – ICLRS, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA
Since 2018 Visiting Fellow, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
Since 2017 Member of International Advisory Council, ICLRS, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA
2002 – 2007 PhD studies at St. Elisabeth University, Bratislava, Slovakia
1995 – 2000 Lecturer in International Relations, Trnava University, Slovakia
1994 Semestrial course on International relations, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., USA
1994 Semestrial course on European economic integration, UFSIA, Antwerp, Belgium
1978 – 1983 Engineering in Power Electronics, Technical University Košice, Slovakia
Membership in Non-Governmental Organizations
Honorary Chairman of the Centre for European Policy, Bratislava
Honorary President of the Kolping Society in Slovakia, Bratislava
President of the Tunega, Púčik and Tesár Foundation, Bratislava (since 2009)
Former President of the Pan-European Union in Slovakia, Bratislava
Co-chair of the Executive IRF Roundtable, Washington D.C., USA (since 2020)
Publications
Ján Figeľ: In the Centre of Common Europe, MCP Žilina, 2011
Ján Figeľ: Maturation for Europe, Negotiator´s Chronicle, MCP Žilina, 2005
Ján Figeľ, Miroslav Adamiš: Slovakia on the Road to the European Union – Chapters and Contexts, 2003
Ján Figeľ, Wolfgang Roth: Slovakia on the Road to EU Membership (co-editor), 2002
Brett G. Scharffs, Ján Figeľ, and Jane H. Wise: Points of Light, ICLRS, Brigham Young University, Provo, USA, 2021
Orders and Awards
Knight of the Honorary Legion, President of the French Republic, France, 2004
Human Tolerance and Humanitarian Award, The Czecho-Slovak Society of Arts and Science, Washington D.C., USA, 1999
The Interfaith Golden Medallion, International Council of Christians and Jews, Cambridge, UK, 2002
Medallion of Deputy Prime Minister of the Slovak Government for Integration of Slovakia into the EU, 2004
Honorary Citizen of Vranov nad Topľou City, 2005
Award of President of the Prešov Self-Governmental Region for Personal Contribution and Effort in the EU Integration Process of Slovakia, 2006
Freedom award, International Peace Centre in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2008
Academic Awards
Doctor honoris causa, Technical University Košice, Slovakia, 2006
Doctor honoris causa, Dimitrie Cantemir University in Bucharest, Romania, 2007
Doctor honoris causa, Trnava University, Trnava, Slovakia, 2009
Doctor honoris causa, St. Elisabeth University, Bratislava, Slovakia, 2009
Doctor honoris causa, HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership, New York City, USA, 2023