Girardi-Jurkic became assistant education, culture and sports minister in 1991 and held the office of education, culture and sports minister in 1992-94, during the Homeland War.
After that, she was appointed Croatia's first ambassador to UNESCO in Paris, where she stayed until 2001.
Girardi-Jurkic was the curator of more than 120 exhibitions in Zagreb, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Venice and the United States.
Thanks to her, the Euphrasian Basilica in Porec and the old town of Trogir were included on the World Heritage List in 1997 and St. Jacob's Cathedral in Sibenik in 2000.