Adolfo Pérez Esquivel
Encyclopedia
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel is an Argentine sculptor, architect and pacifist. He was the recipient of the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize
.
to a Spanish
fisherman who emigrated to Argentina
. His mother died when he was three, and despite his poverty, he attended the Manuel Belgrano
School of Fine Arts and the National University of La Plata, where he was trained as an architect and sculptor. He was appointed professor of architecture, and for 25 years, he taught in primary schools, secondary schools and at the university level. He has worked in a number of sculptural
media. Pérez Esquivel began working with popularly based Latin America
n Christian pacifist
groups during the 1960s. He relinquished his teaching post in 1974 when he was chosen as coordinator general for a network of Latin America
-based communities promoting liberation of the poor
through non-violent means.
When systematic repression followed the March 1976 coup, which brought the dictatorship of General Jorge Videla to power, Pérez Esquivel contributed to the formation and financing of the linkages between popularly based organizations to defend human rights
and support the families of the victims of the Dirty War
. The NGO El Servicio de Paz y Justicia ("Service, Peace and Justice Foundation", or SERPAJ), which he founded, evolved in this context, and served as an instrument for the defense of human rights by promoting an international campaign to denounce the atrocities committed by the military regime.
Pérez Esquivel was detained by the Brazilian Military Police in 1975. He was jailed in 1976 in Ecuador
, along with Latin American and North American bishops. He was detained in Buenos Aires
in 1977 by the Argentine Federal Police, torture
d, and held without trial for 14 months; whilst incarcerated, he received—among other distinctions—the Pope John XXIII
Peace Memorial. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1980 for his efforts in the defense of human rights
. He remained active in support of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, of indigenous peoples of Argentina, of environmentalism
, and against the Free Trade Area of the Americas
. He was awarded the Pacem in Terris Award
in 1999.
He served as president of the Honorary Council of Service, Latin American Peace and Justice Foundation and of the International League for Human Rights and Liberation of Peoples (based in Milan
), and as a member of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal
. He published Caminando Junto al Pueblo ("Walking Together with the People", 1995), in which he relates his experiences with non-violence in Latin America, and was appointed Professor of Peace and Human Rights Studies at the University of Buenos Aires
in 1998. He campaigned during 2010 against the practice on the part of the Esquel
Police Department of training children into paramilitary
squads, an operation he compares to the creation of Nazi Germany
's Hitler Youth
.
Pérez Esquivel was appointed as a goodwill ambassador of IIMSAM
, the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition. The institution's goals are centered on making Spirulina
a key driver to eradicate malnutrition
, achieve food security, and bridge the health divide with a special priority for the developing and the least developed countries.
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
.
Biography
Pérez Esquivel was born in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
to a Spanish
Spanish Argentine
Spanish settlement in Argentina, that is the arrival of Spanish emigrants in Argentina, took place firstly in the period before Argentina's independence from Spain, and again in large numbers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
fisherman who emigrated to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. His mother died when he was three, and despite his poverty, he attended the Manuel Belgrano
Manuel Belgrano
Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano , usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano, was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader. He took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and created the Flag of Argentina...
School of Fine Arts and the National University of La Plata, where he was trained as an architect and sculptor. He was appointed professor of architecture, and for 25 years, he taught in primary schools, secondary schools and at the university level. He has worked in a number of sculptural
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
media. Pérez Esquivel began working with popularly based Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n Christian pacifist
Christian pacifism
Christian pacifism is the theological and ethical position that any form of violence is incompatible with the Christian faith. Christian pacifists state that Jesus himself was a pacifist who taught and practiced pacifism, and that his followers must do likewise.There have been various notable...
groups during the 1960s. He relinquished his teaching post in 1974 when he was chosen as coordinator general for a network of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
-based communities promoting liberation of the poor
Liberation theology
Liberation theology is a Christian movement in political theology which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of a liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions...
through non-violent means.
When systematic repression followed the March 1976 coup, which brought the dictatorship of General Jorge Videla to power, Pérez Esquivel contributed to the formation and financing of the linkages between popularly based organizations to defend human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and support the families of the victims of the Dirty War
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
. The NGO El Servicio de Paz y Justicia ("Service, Peace and Justice Foundation", or SERPAJ), which he founded, evolved in this context, and served as an instrument for the defense of human rights by promoting an international campaign to denounce the atrocities committed by the military regime.
Pérez Esquivel was detained by the Brazilian Military Police in 1975. He was jailed in 1976 in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, along with Latin American and North American bishops. He was detained in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in 1977 by the Argentine Federal Police, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d, and held without trial for 14 months; whilst incarcerated, he received—among other distinctions—the Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
Peace Memorial. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
in 1980 for his efforts in the defense of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. He remained active in support of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, of indigenous peoples of Argentina, of environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, and against the Free Trade Area of the Americas
Free Trade Area of the Americas
The Free Trade Area of the Americas , , ) was a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce the trade barriers among all countries in the Americas but Cuba. In the last round of negotiations, trade ministers from 34 countries met in Miami, United States, in November 2003 to discuss the proposal...
. He was awarded the Pacem in Terris Award
Pacem in Terris Award
The Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award is a Catholic peace award which has been given annually since 1964, in commemoration of the 1963 encyclical letter "Pacem in Terris" of Pope John XXIII...
in 1999.
He served as president of the Honorary Council of Service, Latin American Peace and Justice Foundation and of the International League for Human Rights and Liberation of Peoples (based in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
), and as a member of the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal
Permanent Peoples' Tribunal
The Permanent Peoples' Tribunal is international opinion tribunal that was founded in Bologna June 24, 1979 at the initiative of Senator Lelio Basso. - International opinion tribunal :...
. He published Caminando Junto al Pueblo ("Walking Together with the People", 1995), in which he relates his experiences with non-violence in Latin America, and was appointed Professor of Peace and Human Rights Studies at the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
in 1998. He campaigned during 2010 against the practice on the part of the Esquel
Esquel
According to the , the Esquel district had about 28,000 inhabitants, with one of the highest rates of growth in the province, mainly as result of the immigration of people from Buenos Aires, but also from other provinces. It has wide cement streets with sidewalks, and is clean and well maintained...
Police Department of training children into paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
squads, an operation he compares to the creation of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
's Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
.
Pérez Esquivel was appointed as a goodwill ambassador of IIMSAM
IIMSAM
The Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro‐algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition is an intergovernmental organization based in New York City that has a Permanent Intergovernmental Observer status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.-Purpose:IIMSAM has been established...
, the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition. The institution's goals are centered on making Spirulina
Spirulina
Spirulina may refer to:* Spirulina , a health-food supplement* Spirulina , a cyanobacterium group* Ochthephila spirulina, species of gastropod in the Hygromiidae family...
a key driver to eradicate malnutrition
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is the condition that results from taking an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, in excess , or in the wrong proportions....
, achieve food security, and bridge the health divide with a special priority for the developing and the least developed countries.