Memoria de la V Conferencia Nacional sobre Derechos Humanos

WELCOMEM.A. MARÍA ELISA SANDOVAL ARGUETA*DIRECTORHUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTESAN CARLOS UNIVERSITY OF GUATEMALA–IDHUSAC–Members of the directive table, ladies and gentleman, may you all have a good evening.The project “Support to Education, Training and Research in Human Rights in Central America”,better known as Finland Plan, receives financial support from the Government of Finland and thetechnical assistance of the United Nations Development Program –UNDP-.As background we must indicate that Phase I was carried out during the years 2001 to 2003 andit was conducted at national level. Currently, Phase II covers the years 2004 to 2008 and has spread,besides Guatemala, also to Honduras.In this context, its goal, in general terms, is the awareness, formation and increase in professionalizinghuman resources in the field of Human Rights, for that one, along with other actions, is the fundamentalsolution to the biggest challenge for the consolidation of democracy, the culture of peace, respect forhuman rights and to counteract the non-compliance of law.The project is aimed at increasing the general knowledge and understanding of human rights in theregion, and we are confident that this will contribute to change attitudes, which in turn will lead to thefull exercise of human rights, so desired by the people with democratic vocation.We also want to respond to the need to support cooperation among universities, NGOs andgovernmental institutions, national and international institutions of human rights in the participatingcountries, thus creating a culture of joint work.* Master in Mercantile Law with Doctorate studies at the same University. Bachelor in Juridical and Social Sciences, Attorney at Law and Notary graduated from the SanCarlos University of Guatemala –USAC–. Main Professor of the subjects Civil Law, Procedural Civil Law and Mercantile Law. Head of the Area of Private Law at theSchool of Juridical and Social Sciences of the USAC. Currently she is Director of the Human Rights Institute of the San Carlos University of Guatemala –IDHUSAC–.– 421 –