Julia Maciel

 

Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Paraguay to the United Nations

 

Julia A. Maciel G. is a Paraguayan diplomat, serving as Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Paraguay to the United Nations, in New York, since 2011. She is the Delegate of Paraguay to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, and also is responsible for a broad range of multilateral issues, with special focus on gender issues (including UN Resolutions 1325 and 2122), UN-Women and UN YOUTH agenda, as well as multilingualism issues.

 

Previously, she served as Technical Advisor to the Vice President of Paraguay. In 2004, she was appointed Minister of Planning for Economic and Social Development of Paraguay, (first woman in this post). Early in her career, she was Advisor in International Cooperation (technical and financial) at the Planning Ministry of Paraguay, she also worked as General Director of International Relations Office at the Ministry of Education. In addition, she performed various works for agencies and international organizations, including the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, UNDP, USIA, EU.

 

She was a Fulbright Scholar and holds a Master Degree in Architecture from BSU, Indiana, where she was President of the Latin America Student Association and was actively involved with international and cultural activities as an active international volunteer. She has an International Volunteer Award by Ball State University (BSU), for promoting international understanding through voluntary service.  In 1995, she entered the Diplomatic School of Asuncion to study Diplomacy. In 1997, she was awarded with the Chevening Grant from the UK Government, to pursue her post graduate studies in Foreign Service and Diplomacy at the University of Oxford, in England. She graduated with merit.  While at the United Nations, she has been taken training courses from UNITAR, such as Multilateral Negotiations Training, Women Negotiating Peace: The Role of Women in Negotiating Sustainable Peace, in New York. 

 

At present, she also gives lectures at American universities on various issues, such as: “Paraguay at the United Nations" (New York University, New York, 2014); “Paraguay, Economic and Social Development-Investment Opportunities” (Yeshiva University, New York, 2013); "Public Policy and the Reform Process in Paraguay” (College of William & Mary. Virginia, 2012). "Opportunities for Educational-Cultural and Economic-Commercial Exchange between Paraguay and the US” (AR, USA.2008); "A Vision for Peace" & "Spiritual Values as Basis for Leadership", International Leadership Conference: Towards a New Paradigm of Leadership and Good Governance. (Asuncion.2008); "The Importance of International Education for the Development of Nations-The Role of International Cooperation" (UNESCO International Symposium-RASIT. Tunisia.1998) (USA. 1997). "The role of student participation in international education as ideal forum for the resolution of conflicts and problems arising from cultural diversity" (USA.1997).  "The Importance of International Education in the New World Order" (USA.1994-1997).

 

She has been an International advocate for Peace during her entire life, her last presentation was in a Capitol Hill Forum, Washington DC, where she was a panelist for the event “The role of Women in faith in the Service of making and Keeping Peace”, in May 2014.  Previously, her last presentation was at the Global Peace Convention, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where she was a panelist for the session “Women in Leadership: Toward and Ethic of Compassion and Cooperation”, in December 2013. Also this year, she was invited by the Organization of the American States- OAS, to participate in the General Elections in the Republic of Panama as International Observer of the OAS, on 4 May 2014.