“A menos que la violencia contra mujeres pare, nada otro en Honduras cambiará. A seguir con esta violencia tiene el mismo efecto que un organismo que se está matando.”

“Many intellectuals are illiterate when it comes to social issues. We must become humble and learn from the people in the streets how to struggle for peace and how to live with death.”

“The greatest challenge of my life has been to declare in the academic world my affinity for the world of shamens and alternative medicine.”

“My greatest inspiration was my mother. Thanks to her advice, I didn’t seek refuge in alcohol and violence, which were so prevalent in my environment. When I graduated from the university, I had three callings: To work on behalf of the poor, to educate, and to dedicate myself to science.”

- Juan Almendares

About the Doctor...

Dr. Juan Almendares is an internationally known Honduran medical doctor, human rights activist, environmental leader and alternative medicine practitioner.

He also holds a Masters of Science degree in physiology from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School.

He is recognized for his work in combating alcoholism, tobacco and drug abuse, malnutrition, ecological damage, and pesticide poisoning in Honduras.

Dr. Almendares has received recognition for his outstanding and courageous work with victims of torture in Honduras. He is the internationally chosen recipient of the 2001

In addition to the above, Dr. Almendares' work and accomplishments include:

• President of the Honduran Peace Committee as well as the Secretary of the Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations
  
  
• Founder of the Honduras Academy of Sciences
  
  
• President of the Honduran National Commission for Tobacco Control
  
  
• Founding Member of the BioEthic Society in Honduras
  
  
• Representative of the Secretary for the Environment before the United Nations on pesticides
  
  
• Director of the Honduran Health Exchange, a humanitarian organization dedicated to providing health services to the poor, and training health promoters to work in urban and rural areas.
  
• Providing medical care to over 400 people from poor marginalized communities per month, himself, without charge.
  
• president of Movimiento Madre Tierra (Member of Friends of the Earth International, and 2008 host of their international conference), President of CPTRT, and the key node for COHAPAZ.
• Also Dr. Almendares has stood as a canditate for president of the republic.