Cinthia Heanna graduated in law in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a focus on international law. She was admitted to the Brazilian Bar Association in 2006. Her professional experience includes positions in international NGOs and within the framework of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She holds a post-graduate Masters degree in Peace and Security from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg, Germany, where she later worked as a researcher. On her return to Brazil she contributed to the development of Mayors for Peace with an initial endorsement by the Frente Nacional de Prefeitos, a national association of local governments comprising almost 200 of the largest cities in Brazil. She envisions a more prominent role for Latin America in international peace and security. She speaks Portuguese, English, German and Spanish.