Julio Antonio Carranza Valdés

Cuban economist. UNESCO Regional Advisor on Social Sciences in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Doctor in Economic Sciences from the University of La Habana, visiting university professor at various universities in Latin America, Europe and the United States. Former Sub-Director of the Center for Studies on America in La Habana, former UNESCO Advisor for Social and Human Sciences in Latin America and the Caribbean. Author of several books and articles on Cuba and Latin American issues. Currently Director and UNESCO Representative for the countries of Central America.

From 1981 to 1996, Mr. Carranza was a researcher, Department Head and Sub-Director General of the Center for Studies on America in La Habana Cuba.

Mr. Carranza has been a professor at the University of La Habana, visiting professor and lecturer at various universities in Latin America, the United States and Europe.

He is an author and has published several books and numerous academic articles. He has also been a film screenwriter. In 2003, he received the Prize for Caribbean Thought in México, State of Quintana Roo.

His career at UNESCO began in 1998 as a Specialist in the Education Sector of the Regional Office of Culture in La Habana, Cuba. From 2004 to 2006 he was coordinator of the Program on Social and Human Sciences for the Caribbean at the UNESCO Office in Kingston, Jamaica, and from 2006 until 2014 he has been Regional Advisor on Social and Human Sciences for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Regional Office of Science for Latin America and the Caribbean in Montevideo, Uruguay. During this period, he coordinated the MOST Program in Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Forum of Ministers of Social Development of Latin America, the MOST Regional School and the research program "Rethinking Latin America". The Regional Programs on Youth and Human Rights have also been under his coordination.

Since August 2013, he was appointed as Officer in Charge of the UNESCO Office in Guatemala and, in May 2014 he was confirmed as UNESCO Representative and Director in Guatemala.