The FIDELA Award for Peace and Fellowship
Award Criteria
The FIDELA Award for Peace & Fellowship is given to a person or organization that:
1. Demonstrates commitment to address local, national or regional challenges and seeks
solutions to diverse economic, social or political problems, and works to advance a
respectful multicultural society.
2. Respects diverse points of view, inspires people to work together to find mutually
acceptable solutions to complex problems, and employs creative approaches to
solving such challenges.
3. Has made a positive difference in society and honors the human dignity of all
persons
2023 FIDELA Award for Peace & Fellowship recipient, Pan American Development Foundation (PADF)
The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) believes in creating a hemisphere of opportunity, for all. For 60 years, they have served the most vulnerable communities, investing resources throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. They partner with and enable civil society, governments, and the private sector for the greater good of the region.
2022 FIDELA Award for Peace & Fellowship recipient, Nestor Mendez
Nestor Mendez was elected to be the ninth Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) on March 18, 2015. He began serving his five-year term on July 13, 2015 with a commitment to work closely with the Secretary General and the member states to reinvigorate and modernize the institution. Prior to his election, Nestor Mendez was a career diplomat in the Foreign Service of Belize. He served as the Ambassador to the United States of America, Permanent Representative to the OAS, and non-resident High Commissioner to Canada. As Chair of the OAS Permanent Council, he used this platform to focus attention on climate change and introduced several institutional initiatives to increase awareness of the impact of this phenomenon, especially on the smaller and more vulnerable states. Ambassador Mendez previously held diplomatic posts at the High Commission for Belize in London, United Kingdom where he served as Counsellor and at the Embassy of Belize in Guatemala where served as First Secretary. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Policy and Practice from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., a Graduate Level Certificate in Diplomatic Studies from Oxford University in Oxford, United Kingdom, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University College of Belize in Belize City, Belize.