Harold Forsyth

Harold Forsyth’s career crossed diplomacy, journalism, and elected politics. He studied journalism at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and diplomacy at the Diplomatic Academy, and pursued political science at Simón Bolívar University. He was among the diplomats dismissed during Alberto Fujimori’s government in 1992, then entered Congress for Unión por el Perú and served from 1995 to 2000. He also helped establish civil organizations concerned with democratic participation and electoral transparency. ^{1, 2}

On returning to diplomacy, Forsyth served as ambassador to Colombia, Italy, and China, and as vice foreign minister. His Rome responsibilities included the UN food agencies, with concurrent accreditation to San Marino and Turkey. As ambassador in Washington in 2011–2015, he used university visits and public lectures to explain Peru’s changing international role. Utah Valley University’s 2014 programme records a lecture, meetings at the Utah Capitol, and exchanges accompanying its year long focus on Peru. ^{1, 2}

Forsyth later represented Peru in Japan and retired from career service in May 2021. That August he returned to Washington in a different capacity, presenting credentials as permanent representative to the Organization of American States. Alongside public office, he directed media programmes and publications and wrote Conversation with Javier Pérez de Cuéllar. ^{2, 3, 1}