Meeting with Maria Clara Martin, Chief, Section Americas, Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

On June 17^th, 2011 an informal meeting between Maria Clara Martin Chief of the Americas Section of the Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division of the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, and some members of the IIMA Human Rights Office.During the meeting, Sr. MariaGrazia Caputo, Director of the Office, presented the future projects of IIMA, focusing on the Side Events that IIMA will organised on the occasion of the 18^th and 19^th sessions of the Human Rights Council. The first Side Event, set out by VIDES International, and co-sponsored by IIMA, is scheduled for September 2011 and will be about the engagement of youths and volunteers for human rights. The second Side Event, planned for March 2012 by IIMA, will be focused on the right to education for peace for children and youths of the Middle East, with a special regard on Lebanese children.

Mrs. Martin enthusiastically welcomed both the projects, offering her support to their realization.

During the meeting Sr. MariaGrazia Caputo referred that Sr. Maria Antonieta Amazonas, with the collaboration of some Yanomami educators, concluded the translation on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the Yanomami language.

On the other hand, Maria Clara Martin illustrated the activities carried out by her office in Latin America, notably she pointed out the project “Seguridad ciudadana y derechos humanos”.

Furthermore, she expressed her wish to know the places in Latin America where IIMA works for the purpose of promoting a closer cooperation even on the ground.

The meeting was a further confirmation of the good collaboration that the IIMA Office can establish with some important officials of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.