HE Miguel Angel Solano-Lopez Casco gave an excellent and colourful talk illustrated with booklets on the history and wildlife in Paraguay, particularly birds.
Paraguay is a landlocked country bordering with Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia. It is politically divided into 17 Departments and the capital is Asuncion with a population of 600,000. The Tropic of Capricorn passes through the city of Belen dividing the country into a tropical area to the North and a temperate one to the South.
The country has a surface area of 407 square km. The two main rivers crossing the country are the Paraguay and the Parana. The Guarani Aquifer, considered one of the biggest fresh water reserves on the planet, flows underground.
Paraguay was the centre for Spanish conquerors wishing to explore other destinations around the continent. The Franciscans arrived in Paraguay in 1550s and founded several communities throughout the country, encouraging the local Guarani language and Spanish. Their cultural influence was enormous and there are works of art and churches still in evidence in a number of towns.
A substantial chapter in the history of the country was the presence of the Jesuit missionaries from 1609 - 1768 and their influence over the Reduction of Guarani tribes.
Paraguay became independent of Spain in 1811.
H E MIGUEL ANGEL SOLANO – LOPEZ CASCO
AMBASSADOR OF PARAGUAY
Married to María Mercedes TROXLER C.
12/2009 Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s
03/2009 Head of Protocol of the Ministry for Foreign Relations
01/2007 National Coordinator of the Paraguayan Chapter of the Consultation
Group of Municipalities, Federated States, Provinces and Departments ( FCCR ) of MERCOSUR
01/2006 Head of Protocol of the Ministry for Foreign Relations
01/2005 Director General of the Diplomatic and Consular Academy of the Ministry for Foreign Relations
02/2004 Legal Advisor for Integration and for International Economic
Negotiations for the Ministry for Foreign Relations
12/1996 Ambassador to Japan
12/1989 Ambassador to the Republic of China on Taiwan
06/1984 Yacyretá Binational Authority, Administrative and Financial Directorate
02/1977 Itaipú Binational Authority, Financial Directorate
Academic Activities:
1989 Executive Director of the Master’s Degree Program in Business
Administration; Catholic University of Asunción
1988 Auxiliary Professor of Public Finances, School of Law; National University of Asunción
1987 Auxiliary Professor of Introduction to the Legal Sciences, School of Law; Catholic University of Asunción
1988 Founding Member and Chief Drafter of the By – Laws of the
Paraguay Chapter of TESOL International (Teacher of English to Speakers of other Languages)