EMBASSY OFFICERS GIVE PRESENTATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001944 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL AND WHA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PHUM PREL KPAO SOCI KJUS EAID GT SUBJECT: EMBASSY OFFICERS GIVE PRESENTATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY ¶1. Embassy officers gave a presentation, entitled "Human Rights Advocacy: The Roles of the USG, Other Governments, and Human Rights NGOs," on September 19 to first and second-year international relations and journalism students at Francisco Marroquin University in Guatemala City. The presentation was part of a series of similar presentations by Embassy officers to universities and civil society groups. ¶2. Embassy Public Affairs Officer and Human Rights Officer briefed the audience of about 100 students on USG mission goals and policy objectives in the area of human rights, the role of international organizations and local NGOs, UN conventions and the UN Human Rights Council, USG-funded projects in Guatemala, and the rewards and challenges of promoting and defending human rights. ¶3. The one-and-a-half hour presentation, which prompted a range of questions, from the USG role in Iraq to the international community's lack of response to Guatemala's internal conflict to the UN Security Council and veto power of permanent members, was the first in the Embassy's 2007 university lecture series on human rights. The series is aimed at educating local students on USG efforts to promote human rights and democracy by strengthening Guatemala's democratic institutions and civil society, defending human rights defenders, and promoting transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law. Derham