STUDENT PROFILE
That cultural family influence, coupled with exposure to Model United Nations simulations in high school, shaped the 29-year old’s career path and his outlook on the world. “Through the United Nations simulations, I developed a special interest in international cooperation as it relates to development, conflict resolution and peace-building,” says Shahani. His current job is testament to those continued beliefs. As program manager for the Latin American division of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Rule of Law Initiative, Shahani helps make global public service projects a reality. The ABA is the largest voluntary professional association in the world, with more than 400,000 members. “For more than 15 years, the Rule of Law Initiative has lent technical and project management expertise to public service projects around the world,” explains Shahani. As program manager for Latin America operations, Shahani oversees various projects and their implementation in different Latin American countries. He has assisted with a USAID mediation project involving the opening of 38 court-annexed mediation centers in 22 Mexican states; an anti-trafficking project in Nicaragua that aims to effectively prosecute offenders, protect witnesses and victims and inform the general public; and a criminal justice program in Ecuador that supports cooperation between the national police, prosecutors and the judiciary. “These projects provide technical and legal assistance, facilitation and training,” explains Shahani, who coordinates activities and initiatives in each of the ongoing projects. He wears an equally socially responsible hat in a pro bono capacity as well. Serving on the advisory and editorial board of the nonprofit organization, Global Majority, Shahani works to promote non-violent conflict resolution education, mediation and advocacy. “We believe that principled dialogue is imperative and must replace violent conflict if humankind is to thrive,” he says. “I give personal and professional input to ongoing programs and initiatives.” |  |
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Some might say Arjan Shahani Moreno ’09 was destined for a global career. The son of a Hindu Indian and a Catholic Mexican, he was exposed to cultural diversity from the moment he took his first breath. “It rarely gets more global than that,” says Shahani of his parents. 
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