Rigoberta Mench

Name: Fernanda Carrasco

Miss: Jacqueline Rivas
Grade: 4 A

Rigoberta Mench was born on January 9, 1959, in Chimel, Uspantn,

Guatemala.
Occupation: political activist
Guatemalan indigenous leader is a member of the Quiche Maya group, human
rights defender, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and winner of the Nobel
Peace Prize (1992) and the Prince of Asturias Award for International
Cooperation (1998).
She is the daughter of a peasant Prez Vicente Menchu indigenous activist in
defense of the land and the rights of his people and his mother Juana Tum
Kotoja, midwife indigenous (native tradition passed from generation to
generation, usually held in rural areas where there reach medical services).she
witnessed the murder of his brother 16 years by landowners who wanted to
drive the Indians from their lands.
At 19 years of age became active in the Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC)
when she had about 20 years old learned the Spanish, until then spoke Quiche
and its dialects.
Became involved in the struggles of indigenous peoples and peasants earning
him political persecution and exile.
She fled to Mexico to escape the paramilitaries at age 21 where she was
received in Chiapas Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia. The following year he returned
to Guatemala but soon took refuge in Nicaragua and then again in Mexico.
In recognition of his work and message of social justice, civic and accounting ,
was honored in 1992 with the Nobel Peace Prize . With the financial resources
received this award established the Rigoberta Menchu Tum Foundation , based
in Guatemala and offices in Mexico City and New York.
His book I, Rigoberta Mench , and so I was born consciousness, was
published in 1983 , and has since been reprinted several times and translated
into many languages. In 1998 he published Rigoberta : Granddaughter of the
Mayas with the cooperation of the Guatemalan writer Dante Liano and Italian
journalist Gianni Min . In September 2003 in Mexico City presented his second
children's book, ' The cup honey ' , which brings Mayan legends about the origin
of the world. Mench explained that the book , written with the Guatemalan
Dante Liano , is a reflection of his " family and community " .
In 1991 , participated in the preparation of the Declaration of the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples by the United Nations .

In 1998 , she was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for International
Cooperation,
In 2006 , he participated as a goodwill ambassador of UNESCO Berger. It was
mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records for being the youngest winner of
the Nobel and be the first Indian to win that award since May 2004, supports the
work and commitment of the Foundation Share . He supports his work in Latin
America, in order to educate the Culture of Peace and help defend the rights of
thousands of children.
She visited Argentina in August 1992 with the purpose of promoting his
campaign for the Nobel Prize.
With the resources obtained with this award established the Rigoberta Mench
Tum Foundation, based in Guatemala, a subsidiary in Mexico, under the legal
concept of Private Assistance Institution (IAP) and the other in New York.