Carmen María Gallardo Hernández
Encyclopedia
Carmen María Gallardo Hernández (born 28 November 1949) is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of El Salvador
to the United Nations
. She is the first woman to be appointed to that position. She also serves as Vice-Chairperson of the UN's newly created Peacebuilding Commission
and was formerly the Chairperson of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
. She also served as the Chairperson of the United Nations Development Programme
for the period January to December 2005.
Ambassador Gallardo Hernández served previously as the Coordinator for International Cooperation for El Salvador's Supreme Court
and between 1995 and 1996 she served as the Executive Director of the Salvadoran Foundation for Peace (FUNDAPAZ), an NGO formed after the country's peace accords brought to an end the 12-year civil war in 1992. Ambassador Gallardo has been a champion of the Culture of Peace, organizing among other things the first International Forum on Culture of Peace in San Salvador in 1993.
Previously Ambassador Gallardo Hernández served as Salvadoran Ambassador to France
and Portugal
(1994) and as El Salvador's permanent delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris (1992–1994). She fully supported Dr Federico Mayor
, former Director General of UNESCO.
Ambassador Gallardo has received numerous accolades over the years including being named professional of the year by the El Salvador Bar Association in 1997 and a “Doctor Honoris Causa” in international relations from El Salvador’s Technological University in 1998. The Ambassador has a Masters degree in Parliamentary Interpretation from the University of Geneva and a Bachelors degree in Clinical Psychology
from the Universidad Iberoamericana
in Mexico City
.
More recently in 2007, Ambassador Gallardo has been invited to become a member of the Core Gourp of the International Task Force on Preventive Diplomacy http://www.preventivediplomacy.org. The International Taks Force is a multi-year project composed of two structures:A regionally and institutionally balanced Task Force Core Group of 17 experts known for their engagement in preventive diplomacy/conflict prevention; and a High Level Advisory Board of 6 eminent persons, who will support the work of the Task Force Core Group by lending their advice, public outreach, moral standing, and access to media and decision makers.
Born on 28 November 1949 in San Salvador
, Ambassador Gallardo Hernández is married to F. Xavier Hernández, an international executive, and has two children and three grandchildren.
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. She is the first woman to be appointed to that position. She also serves as Vice-Chairperson of the UN's newly created Peacebuilding Commission
Peacebuilding Commission
The Peacebuilding Commission was established in December 2005 by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council acting concurrently...
and was formerly the Chairperson of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council , one of the main UN organs within the United Nations.Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender...
. She also served as the Chairperson of the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
for the period January to December 2005.
Ambassador Gallardo Hernández served previously as the Coordinator for International Cooperation for El Salvador's Supreme Court
Supreme Court of El Salvador
The Supreme Court of Justice of El Salvador is the highest court of El Salvador. The court sits in San Salvador. The current president is Judge José Belarmino Jaime, who has held the position for three consecutive terms.-Composition and criteria:...
and between 1995 and 1996 she served as the Executive Director of the Salvadoran Foundation for Peace (FUNDAPAZ), an NGO formed after the country's peace accords brought to an end the 12-year civil war in 1992. Ambassador Gallardo has been a champion of the Culture of Peace, organizing among other things the first International Forum on Culture of Peace in San Salvador in 1993.
Previously Ambassador Gallardo Hernández served as Salvadoran Ambassador to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
(1994) and as El Salvador's permanent delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris (1992–1994). She fully supported Dr Federico Mayor
Federico Mayor
Federico Mayor Zaragoza is a Spanish scientist, scholar, politician, diplomat and poet. He served as Director-General of UNESCO from 1987 to 1999.He is currently the Chairman of the Foundation for a Culture of Peace and member of the Honorary Board of the International Decade for the Promotion of...
, former Director General of UNESCO.
Ambassador Gallardo has received numerous accolades over the years including being named professional of the year by the El Salvador Bar Association in 1997 and a “Doctor Honoris Causa” in international relations from El Salvador’s Technological University in 1998. The Ambassador has a Masters degree in Parliamentary Interpretation from the University of Geneva and a Bachelors degree in Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
from the Universidad Iberoamericana
Universidad Iberoamericana
The Ibero-American University is a Mexican private institution of higher education sponsored by the Society of Jesus...
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
More recently in 2007, Ambassador Gallardo has been invited to become a member of the Core Gourp of the International Task Force on Preventive Diplomacy http://www.preventivediplomacy.org. The International Taks Force is a multi-year project composed of two structures:A regionally and institutionally balanced Task Force Core Group of 17 experts known for their engagement in preventive diplomacy/conflict prevention; and a High Level Advisory Board of 6 eminent persons, who will support the work of the Task Force Core Group by lending their advice, public outreach, moral standing, and access to media and decision makers.
Born on 28 November 1949 in San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, Ambassador Gallardo Hernández is married to F. Xavier Hernández, an international executive, and has two children and three grandchildren.