Francisco Calí Tzay

Mr. Calí Tzay is Maya Kaqchikel from Guatemala, with experience in defending the rights of Indigenous Peoples, both in Guatemala and at the level of the United Nations and the OAS.

He was founder and member of different indigenous organizations in Guatemala, Ambassador of Guatemala to the Federal Republic of Germany, and President of the Committee for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination, a treaty body from which he was elected for four consecutive periods of 4 years each. 

He was Director of Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala and member of the Presidential Commission against Discrimination and Racism against Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala (CODISRA). He was also President of the National Reparation Program for Victims of the Internal Armed Conflict.