Federico Mayor
Federico Mayor Zaragoza was born in Barcelona in 1934. Holding a Doctorate in Pharmacy from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid (1958), in 1963 he became professor of biochemistry in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Granada, and in 1968 he was elected Rector of that university, a post he held until 1972. The following year he was appointed professor in biochemistry at the Universidad Autónoma in Madrid.
Co-founder in 1974 of the Severo Ochoa Centre of Molecular Biology at the Universidad Autónoma of Madrid and the High Council for Scientific Research, among other political posts Professor Mayor has held those of Undersecretary of Education and Science in the Spanish government (1974-75), Deputy in the Spanish Parliament (1977-78), Advisor to the President of the Government (1977-78), Minister of Education and Science (1981-82) and Deputy in the European Parliament (1987). In 1978 he became the Vice-Director General of UNESCO, and in 1987 he was elected Director General of that organisation, being re-elected for a second mandate in 1993. After haven decided not to present himself for a third term, in 1999 he returned to Spain to create the Foundation for a Culture of Peace, serving as its President.
During his twelve years as head of UNESCO (1987-1999) Professor Mayor Zaragoza gave new life to the Organization's mission to "build a bastion of peace in the minds of all people", putting the institution at the service of peace, tolerance, human rights and peaceful coexistence, working within the scope of its powers and remaining faithful to its original goals. Under Professor Mayor's guidance, UNESCO created the Culture of Peace Programme, whose objectives revolve around four principal themes: education for peace; human rights and democracy; the fight against isolation and poverty; the defence of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue; and conflict prevention and the consolidation of peace.
Through the Foundation for a Culture of Peace, created in Madrid in March, 2000 under the sponsorship of the Department of Education of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Professor Mayor continues the task commenced as Director General of UNESCO of promoting the transition from a culture of violence and force to a culture of peace and tolerance in all walks of life.