He is a pacifist, humanitarian, theologian, and research professor. From a very young age, he was known for his ideals of service to humanity and his earnest desire to promote the construction of a more just, tolerant and inclusive society. These values led him to specialize in the study of the Scriptures, Ancient History, and the History of Israel, developing his vision as an activist for the human family.
Awards and Honors:
• Honorary Doctorate in Theology, Cambridge International University
• Professor Publicus Ordinarius, Honoris Causa in Corpus Doctorum, Cambridge International University
• Honorary Doctorate in Human Rights, Universidad Metropolitana de Asunción, Paraguay
• Honorary Doctorate in Humanities, Universidad Interamericana del Norte, Mexico
• Honorary Doctorate in Religious Studies, Cambridge Faculty of Theology, Anglican Province of Ecuador
• Francisco de Paula Santander Judicial Award of Merit, Universidad Catolica, Colombia
• Judicial and Humanitarian Award of Merit, Colegio de Abogados Casacionistas, Colombia
• Professor Emeritus, Universidad Libre, Colombia
• Professor Honoris Causa, Universidad Autonoma Gabriel Rene Moreno, Bolivia
Dr. Soto was declared an Honorary Citizen, Distinguished Visitor and Distinguished Guest by the heads of states and congresses of different countries.
Due to his work in favor of the human family, he has received honors and awards from various governmental and academic institutions, including:
• Universidad Iberoamericana, Paraguay
• Universidad de la Integración de las Américas, Paraguay
• The Federal Senate and House of Representatives of Goias, Brazil
• La Sociedad de Escritores del Paraguay (The Writers’ Society of Paraguay)
• Universidad Libre Faculty of Law, Colombia
• Colegio de Abogados - Universidad Catolica, Colombia
• Colegio de Jueces y Fiscales de Antioquia, Colombia
• The Congress of the State of Tabasco, Mexico
• Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosi, Mexico
• La Sociedad Argentina de Letras, Artes y Ciencias (The Argentine Society of Letters, Arts and Sciences)
• Universidad de San Carlos, Guatemala
Initiatives:
International campaign: A Signature For Peace, 2006. The campaign was carried out in various countries during the war between Israel and Hezbollah’s armed movement, collecting over two million signatures for peace in one month. The signatures collected were delivered to former UN Secretary Kofi Annan, during the General Assembly of that year in New York City.
International campaign: Agents of Peace. The campaign was launched on September 13, 2006, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, drawing millions of volunteers of all ages around the world to act as propagators of a culture of peace in the fields of health, education, environment, cultural art, sports, communications, politics and religion.
President of the Jerusalem International Conference (JIC), held from 2006 to 2010. The JIC was a platform to strengthen ties of friendship and interfaith dialogue among governmental, academic and judicial officials of Latin America, Europe and Israel.
International campaign: Let’s Raise Our Voice: Peace in the Holy Land, 2011. The campaign called on international authorities to take conciliatory positions to resolve the conflict between Israel and Palestine through dialogue and bilateral agreement.
Dr. Soto’s latest contribution is the project Traces to Remember. This project aims to preserve the testimony of Holocaust survivors, in order to prevent the recurrence of the most horrific chapter in human history: the Holocaust. The project is currently being carried out in different countries in Latin America.
In a few words, Dr. William Soto Santiago is a humanitarian. He is a researcher of the answer to the existential anguish of humanity, the origin of man, and man’s constitutional elements consisting of soul, spirit and body, as well as the reoccurrence and prevention of crimes against humanity, especially genocide. As for the prevention of genocide, Dr. Soto asserts that before making a criminal policy, one must plan, and implement a social policy based on education, respect for human dignity and constitutional principles such as the equal recognition of fundamental rights. His life’s devotion to research and his tireless work for peace make Dr. Soto a proactive researcher. His theory on the importance of teaching respect for diversity minimizes violence, as he contributes with international projects that achieve positive results, building a more inclusive, just and peaceful society.