The former President of Peru, Alejandro Toledo, will be speaking in Person Theatre on Thurs., Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.
"I think that it is amazing that a former president from another country will be coming to SSU," said Jessica Dela Cruz.
Toledo, who was president from 2001 to 2006, was the 46th president of Peru and the first Native American in 500 years to be democratically elected President.
His lecture is titled, "A New Social Agenda for Democracy," and discussion will include some of his concerns, such as rights for the indigenous people, education and democracy.
"Alejandro Toledo is an acquaintance of mine, as we went to college together," said Dr. Andrea Neves, Emerita Professor of Education.
"We decided to ask him to speak because of the issues he is concerned with," said Neves.
Toledo was born in a tiny and secluded village in the Peruvian Andes to a family who lived in severe poverty.
He came to the California Bay Area in 1965, when he was nineteen-years-old, to study at the University of San Francisco on a one year scholarship.
He ended up staying and living in the Bay Area while getting two masters and a doctorate from Stanford.
He then worked for The World Bank and the United Nations in New York, and taught at Harvard before moving back to Peru in 1994.
He ran for presidency in 1995, but lost with only four percent of the votes.
In 1996, Toledo became known internationally after he led an opposition to stop the oppressive rule of Alberto Fujimori, who had held the presidency since 1990.
Fujimori decided to resign unexpectedly in 2000, and an election was held to determine the next president of Peru.
Toledo won and was elected president in 2001.
The first thing he did was decide to cut military spending by 20 percent and use that money towards health and education.
There was huge economic growth during his presidency. In two years, the employment rate grew at about six percent. In the five years of Toledo's presidency, the economy grew at a rate of about six percent, making it one of the quickest economy growths in Latin America.
During his presidency, Toledo's main focus was on fighting poverty. In five years, severe poverty was lowered by 25 percent.
One of the main ways Toledo tried to lower severe poverty was through a program called "Juntos" that he created. It was a contingent cash exchange plan aimed towards women head of household's living in severe poverty.
He began the program in 2005, the same year in which 100 thousand families profited from it. In 2006, the budget was raised and 200 thousand families were able to be helped through "Juntos".
Although Toledo made many efforts to fight poverty throughout the country, the majority of the poor in the country hardly benefited. Fifty percent of Peru lived in poverty and fifteen percent lived in severe poverty during his presidency.
The rate of people living on less than one dollar a day fell six percent to 18 percent during his presidency.
The approval rate during his first three years of presidency was around ten percent, and went up to only 34 percent during his last six months in office.
"Alejandro Toledo came to presidency during a bad period of history. He attempted to do a lot in the country, but sadly it didn't all get accomplished," said Neves.
After his presidential term, he moved to the San Francisco Bay, settling down in the Palo Alto area.
During the 2006-2008 academic years, Toledo was a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.
During the 2007-2008 academic year he was also a Payne Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at the Freeman Spogli Institute of International Studies' Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law.
Toledo now delivers speeches throughout the world on issues such as poverty and democracy and is currently the President of the Global Center for Developmental and Democracy.
"The topics he will be discussing sound very interesting and informative," said Selina Anjum.
Toledo's upcoming presentation will be the fourth installment of the Andrea Neves and Barton Evans Social Justice Lecture Series.
Toledo, however, is the first international speaker symbolizing a range of social justice to speak as part of the series.
This event is being organized by the School of Education and School of Social Sciences and is cosponsored by the School of Extended Education, the Associated Students, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
The Andrea Neves and Barton Evans Social Justice Lecture Series is in its fourth year.
Previous speakers in the series include Morris Dees, a civil rights attorney and founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
There is no cost for SSU students to attend this event, and it is open to the public.
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