Michał Łabenda

He holds an M.A. in Arab studies (Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 1999).^[1] In 2006, Łabenda defended at the University of Warsaw, Institute of Oriental Studies his Ph.D. thesis on Muslim movements in the Fergana Valley. His doctoral supervisor was Anna Parzymies.^[2]

Łabenda worked at the KARTA Center between 1998 and 1999. In 1999, he started his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2000 to 2001 he was an intern in Osaka. He has been Second Secretary at the Polish Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (2002–2005), deputy director of Eastern Department (2007–2010), ambassador of Poland to Azerbaijan (2010–2014), visiting ambassador of Poland to Mongolia (2015–2018)^[1] and, since October 2018, ambassador of Poland to Egypt, with accreditation to Sudan and Eritrea.^[3] He ended his term on 18 August 2023.^[4] Since September 2024, Łabenda is serving as Chargé d'affaires of Poland to Kazakhstan.^[5] He has been also lecturing at the University of Warsaw.^[6]

Łabenda is married and has a son Jan. He speaks English, German, Russian, Kazakh, Arabic, Uzbek, Azerbaijani and French.^[3]

• Język kazachski ["Kazakh language”], Dialog, Warszawa 2000, ISBN 83-88238-59-0
• Islam a terroryzm ["Islam and terrorism"], (ed. Anna Parzymies), Dialog, Warszawa 2003, ISBN 83-88938-44-4
• Muzułmanie w Europie ["Muslims in Europe"], (ed. Anna Parzymies), Dialog, Warszawa 2005, ISBN 83-89899-08-6
• Życie codzienne w Samarkandzie ["Everyday life in Samarkand"], (with Abdurasul Niyazov), Dialog, Warszawa 2007, ISBN 978-83-89899-69-9
• Dolina Fergańska w czasach islamu ["Fergana Valley during Islam times”], Dialog, Warszawa 2016, ISBN 978-83-8002-329-1