Victoria Pelaez
Country: Guatemala City Guatemala
Languages: English, Spanish
Organizations: Guatemalan Interreligious Dialogue for Development
Expertise: Education, Social Inclusion
Focus area: Academic
Religious affiliation: Christianity
Victoria Pelaez has been a social researcher on gender, migration and social inclusion for more than 10 years. She teaches social research at Rafael Landívar University (a Jesuit university) in Guatemala. A Roman Catholic, her academic interests focus on how excluded populations can be involved in development processes with regard to human beings and ethical values. Since 2001, she has coordinated the Guatemalan Interreligious Development Dialogue and is dedicated to sharing common values, perspectives, and visions with Christian, Jewish and Mayan individuals. Victoria hopes to find ways to empower marginalized groups to become more involved in their own social and economic growth and the full realization of a higher quality of life. Within this framework, she believes that religions have an important role to play in sharing experiences, values and guidance. Every day, she asks herself one simple question: Who needs me more?