David Romero Espitia

Born in Colombia, conflict resolution, reconciliation, socio-political violence, and peacebuilding topics are at the core of David’s academic and professional interests. Growing up in Canada as a refugee, David also connected with the social realities that many newcomers and immigrants face when trying to settle and integrate into a new and unknown cultural environment. David currently works at Global Affairs Canada and leads on a variety of interesting files including youth political participation, climate change, digital inclusion and supported Canada’s Chairship of International IDEA and the Community of Democracies. David has experience working with civil society, peacebuilding, and international development issues in Colombia, Brazil, and Canada. David obtained a BA in Political Science and Latin American Studies from the University of Victoria in 2018.

My degree in Latin American studies has definitely opened huge doors of opportunities in various aspects of my life. During my undergraduate studies I had the opportunity to participate in research projects that included field work in Latin America. I was also able to live and work in Brazil and Colombia thanks to regional focus on Latin America. This also led to me learning Portuguese. After graduation, the skills and knowledge gained through the program allowed me to work on interesting topics related to peacebuilding, development and education through various civil society organizations and international organizations based in Latin America, Europe and North America. All of this experience has proven to be a great asset in my current role as policy analyst at Global Affairs Canada.