Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral
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Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral | |
|---|---|
 Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral, Director General, ICCROM | |
| Director-General of the ICCROM | |
| Assumed office 1 January 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Webber Ndoro |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 June 1977 Italy |
| Education | University of Gorizia Venice International University Società Italiana per l'Organizzazione Internazionale (SIOI) |
Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral (born 6 June 1977) is an Italian international development expert who has served as the 11th Director-General of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) since 1 January 2024. Elected by ICCROM's Member States at the 33rd Session of the General Assembly on 3 November 2023, she is the first woman to hold this position.[1] With over 20 years of experience in the public and international development sectors, Gujral previously worked for 18 years at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), where she held senior roles across multiple countries and regions, contributing to strategic planning, programme management, and policy development.
Early life and education
[edit]Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral was born on 6 June 1977 in Italy to an Italo-Indian family, reflecting a multicultural background. She pursued higher education in international relations and development, earning an MSc in International Diplomatic Sciences, Public Policies, and International Cooperation from the University of Gorizia, graduating with honours (110/110 cum laude). She later obtained a Master’s in Project Management & Design from Venice International University in 2005 and a Diploma in International Relations Studies for Public Officials from the Società Italiana per l'Organizzazione Internazionale (SIOI) in 2007. Additionally, she completed a Diploma in International Humanitarian Law at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in 2003.[2]
Career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Gujral’s career began in the late 1990s when she worked as an Institutional Relations Specialist and Exhibitions Curator at the Italian Cultural Institute of Paris in France from 1999 to 2000. Between 2004 and 2005, she served as an Assistant Professor in International Cooperation and Project Manager/Microcredit Specialist at the University of Trieste and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. In 2006, she briefly worked as a Policy Advisor and Project Analyst for the Society for International Development (SID) in Italy, followed by a role as a Multilateral Cooperation Specialist at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation from 2004 to 2006.[3]
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
[edit]Gujral joined the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2006, where she spent 18 years in various leadership roles across country, sub-regional, regional, and headquarters levels. Her positions included:
- Programme Management Specialist and Donor Relations (2006–2010, HQ Italy)
- Programme Coordination Officer for Sub-Saharan Africa (2010–2013, Ghana)
- Head of Policy, Planning and Programming Unit (2013–2015, Somalia/Kenya)[4]
- Partnerships Officer for GCC Countries (2015–2016, United Arab Emirates)
- Programme Development and Resource Mobilization Officer for the NENA Region (2016–2017, Egypt)[5]
- Strategy and Planning Officer (2017–2020, HQ Italy)[6]
- Senior Adviser to the Deputy Director-General (2020–2023, HQ Italy)[7]
- Adviser, Strategy and Policy Coherence at the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub (2023, HQ Italy)[8]
In her role as Senior Adviser to the Deputy Director-General, she contributed to transforming FAO’s business model, enhancing policy coherence, and aligning strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda. She worked in countries such as Jordan, Sudan, Kenya, and the Central African Republic, focusing on cross-sectoral policies, resource mobilization, and sustainable development programmes. Her contributions are reflected in FAO evaluations and strategic frameworks, notably in Somalia, where she supported programme planning and policy development.[9]
Director-General of ICCROM
[edit]Gujral was elected Director-General of ICCROM on 3 November 2023 during the 33rd Session of the General Assembly and assumed office on 1 January 2024, succeeding Webber Ndoro. As the first female Director-General in the organization’s history, she serves as Chief Executive Officer and Legal Representative, overseeing leadership, governance, and strategic direction. Her mandate focuses on:
- Promoting the conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage globally.
- Strengthening ICCROM’s role as an intergovernmental organization and its reputation among Member States.
- Developing strategic objectives in consultation with Member States and the ICCROM Council.
- Leading resource mobilization and fostering partnerships with external stakeholders.
- Managing a diverse team of heritage professionals.[10]
Her leadership emphasizes participatory and systems-thinking approaches to integrate cultural heritage into sustainable development frameworks.
Publications
[edit]- Contributor to Water and the Rural Poor: Interventions for Improving Livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa (FAO-IFAD, 2008).[11]
- Contributor to Il Vocabolario della Fraternità (Fondazione Fratelli Tutti, 2024).[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "ICCROM 33rd Session of General Assembly Concluded in Rome". ICCROM. 7 November 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "Director-General - Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral". ICCROM. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "Curriculum Vitae - Aruna Gujral". LinkedIn. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "Evaluation of FAO's Contribution to the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus 2014-2020". FAO. 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "Participants - Regional Strategic Meeting 2016" (PDF). FAO. 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "Evaluation of FAO's Country Programme in Somalia 2017-2019". FAO. 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31". FAO. 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "2021 Report: Inter-Regional Dialogue and Stocktaking for South-South Cooperation" (PDF). United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation. May 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "Evaluation of FAO's Contribution to Somalia 2017-2020". FAO. 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ "ICCROM and FAO Sign a Memorandum of Understanding". ICCROM. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ Water and the Rural Poor: Interventions for Improving Livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa. FAO-IFAD. 2008. ISBN 978-92-5-105982-1.
- ^ Il Vocabolario della Fraternità. Fondazione Fratelli Tutti. 2024. ISBN 978-88-171-9179-1.