Marilena Viviani (Director Geneva Liaison Office, United Nations Children’s Fund) Switzerland

Ms. Marilena Viviani has been appointed in late 2015 as Director of UNICEF Geneva Liaison Office, in the Public Partnerships Division. In this capacity, she’s responsible for coordinating and leveraging UNICEF’s strategic engagement in Geneva on children’s issues with Member States, UN agencies and other key partners in areas cutting across UNICEF’s work. Her professional profile is enriched by 29 years of service in the UN system, including 25 years with UNICEF, with a good combination of field experience and global positions, with several assignments in complex humanitarian situations. She spent 18 years of her career in the Middle East and in Africa, and 11 years in New York and Geneva Head Quarters, with different management and leadership positions, at multi-agency level (UNESCO, UNRWA, and OCHA, in addition to UNICEF). Prior positions held with UNICEF and with other UN agencies:

- Associate Director Programme Partnerships, Programme Division, Geneva, Switzerland (2012-2015).
- Deputy Regional Director in the Middle East and North Africa Regional Office, Amman, Jordan (2008-2012).
- Coordinator, Global Education Humanitarian Cluster, Programme Division, Geneva, Switzerland (2008).
- Chief, Inter-Agency Standing Committee-IASC Secretariat (humanitarian coordination), OCHA Geneva, Switzerland - seconded from UNICEF Emergency Programmes Section EMOPS (2005-2008).
- Senior Programme Funding Officer, Programme Funding Office (now Public Partnerships Division) New York, USA (2001-2005).
- Special Representative, Jerusalem, State of Palestine (1998- 2001).
- Deputy Representative, Jerusalem, State of Palestine (1995-1998).
- Education/Child Protection Officer, Bujumbura, Burundi (1991-1995).
- UNRWA Refugee Affairs Officer, Gaza Strip, Gaza (1990-1991)
- UNESCO Regional Office Associate Expert in Basic Education, Jordan, Amman (1987-1990).
- Italian Min. of Education, High School Teacher, University Researcher, Trieste, Italy (1985-1987).

National of Italy, holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Political Sciences/Development Studies from the University of Trieste, Italy, 1986 and a Laurea/Dottore in Middle East Studies from the University of Venice, Italy, 1985. Mother of two children. Fluent in English and French, in addition to native Italian, with knowledge of Arabic and Spanish. Wrote several publications and articles principally focusing on education in emergencies and peace education.