Maryia Gabriel

Mariya Gabriel is a distinguished European leader currently serving as the Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO. With a career spanning over 15 years at the highest levels of national and international governance, she is recognized as a leading architect of digital policy, innovation ecosystems, and diplomatic cooperation.

Prior to joining UNESCO in 2026, Ms. Gabriel served as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria (2023–2024). In this role, she was instrumental in steering Bulgaria’s strategic integration into the Schengen Area and strengthening the nation’s influence within both the European Union and NATO.

Ms. Gabriel holds the distinction of serving in two consecutive mandates at the European Commission: as Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth (2019–2023) and Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society (2017–2019).  A dedicated advocate for European values, Ms. Gabriel was elected three times as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) within the EPP/GERB group (2009–2017) and was Vice-President of the EPP Group (2014–2017).

She holds a Master’s degree in Comparative Politics and International Relations from the Institut d’études politiques de Bordeaux (Sciences Po Bordeaux) and a Bachelor’s degree in Bulgarian and French Languages from Plovdiv University.