Mehmet Duman was born in 1955 in Bergama, Izmir. He graduated from Gazi University Department of English Language in 1980 and English Programme in Gazi University Department of Foreign Languages in 1989. In 1991, Mr. Duman continued studying in UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IIEP) in Paris while pursuing his master’s degree at Gazi University Institute of Social Sciences Department of Public Administration, Politics and Social Sciences. Mr. Duman who started his public career in 1976 at the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry continued his career at the Ministry of Education, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Adapazarı Metropolitan Municipality and Prime Minister’s Office with various high-level administrative roles including director, head of department, secretary general and principal consultant. Mr. Duman is still the Vice President of Turkey-Turkmenistan Friendship and Solidarity Association, Member of the Executive Committee of the World Institute of Glocal and City Diplomacy (WIGCD), Deputy President of the Executive Committee at the İstanbul Environmental Protection and Waste Processing Corporation (İSTAÇ), Advisor to the Mayor at İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, President of the Executive Committee at World Academy for Local Government and Democracy (WALD) and Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA). Mr. Duman who speaks English is married and father of two children.

Jean-Marie Garelli is the Deputy Representative for Operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ankara, Turkey since September 2016. He started working with UNHCR in 1994 and since then has been posted to several countries including Mauritania, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Eritrea, Serbia and Chad. From 2006 to 2010 he worked in UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva on the Desk covering Southeast Asia. Between 2011 and 2013, he was seconded to the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in New-York and worked in the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), a United Nations pool fund aimed at providing financial support to respond to emergencies.In September 2013, he was appointed Assistant Representative (Programme) in the UNHCR Representation for Lebanon, in Beirut, where he has been serving until September 2016. He is graduated in Political Science, in Contemporary History and in International Law.

Lado Vlademir Gvilava was born in 1961 in Tbilisi. He took his high school education from the Komarov School of Physics and Mathematics (1976-1978). He graduated from Technical University of Georgia, Faculty of Engineering and Physics with specialization in Semiconductor Physics and Electronic Technology (1978-1982). He completed his PHD studies in Technical Elements of Cybernetic and Control Systems at the Georgian Academy of Science, Institute of Control Systems (1986-1990) and his masters in Humanitarian Operations and Supply Chain Management (MASHOM) at Lugano University (USIA), Switzerland (2013-2014). Prior to his career with IOM, Mr. Gvilava worked as the Head of Research Unit and Chief of Production line in Scientific-Industrial Complex “Mioni” in Tbilisi, Georgia (1983-1993). During his IOM carrer, Mr. Gvilava assumed the roles of Logistician with IOM Georgia (1993-2000), Head of Logistics/Procurement Unit with IOM Kosovo (2000-2002), Head of Logistics/Procurement Unit with IOM Macedonia (2002-2003), Head of Logistics/Procurement Unit with IOM Iraq (2003-2007), Global Logistics Coordinator at the Department of Operations and Emergencies with IOM Iraq (2007-2014) and Head of IOM Iraq Regional Hub (2009-2015). Since 2015, Mr. Gvilava has been the Chief of Mission at IOM Turkey in 2015. He speaks English, Russian and Georgian.

Mr Claudio Tomasi was appointed as UNDP Resident Representative for Turkey in December 2018. Previous to that, he served as UNDP Country Director for Turkey from July 2016 to November 2018. Before joining the Turkey Country Office, he was UNDP Deputy Representative in Cuba (2012-2016), in Nicaragua (2008-12), and in the Dominican Republic (2003-2007). With UNDP, he also worked in Panama as Assistant Resident Representative (2002) and in India as Governance Programme Officer (2001). Previous to his engagement with UNDP, Claudio Tomasi worked for the European Union and as a United Nation Volunteer (UNV) in India where he started his international career. Mr. Tomasi has collaborated with several NGOs, development research institutes, local based organizations and cooperatives. Claudio Tomasi has 20 years of experience in development work in three continents in a variety of capacities, mainly in management, partnership building, policy advise, programme design, project implementation, advocacy and research. Claudio Tomasi is a sociologist of Italian nationality. He graduated in Sociology and Social Planning at the University of Sociology in Trento (Italy) and holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London (UK). He was also a visiting graduate student at the Department of Political Sciences at CUNY, City University of New York (USA). Mr. Tomasi is currently married and father of two, Fabrizio and Maia.