MP Žygimantas Pavilionis

Ambassador Žygimantas Pavilionis is a career Lithuanian diplomat since 1993. He attended Vilnius University where he earned a master’s degree in philosophy and PhD in political science. Pavilionis was assistant director of policy from 1994-1995, leading political section of European Integration Department as Associate European Correspondent from 1995-1999. He worked in Brussels, Belgium, at the Lithuanian Permanent Mission to the EC from 1999-2002 as Co-Secretary of Association Council, Accession Conference to the EU, Deputy Chief Negotiator. Pavilionis was then promoted to lead the European Union Department from 2002-2004, became Political Director and Deputy Foreign Minister from 2005-2009. Most recently he served as Chief Coordinator for Lithuania’s presidency of the Community of Democracies (2009-2010), Lithuanian Ambassador to the US and Mexico (2010-2015) and Ambassador-at-Large for Europe’s East (2015-2016). In 2016 he was elected to Lithuanian Parliament by the votes of global Lithuanian diaspora and is currently chairing Transatlantic and Democracy Subcommittee, as well as is Deputy Chair of European Affairs Committee. He is International Secretary of the main Lithuanian center-right party Homeland Union (Lithuanian Christian Democrats).