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PERUVIAN UNIVERSITY SAN MARTÍN DE PORRES EXTENDS COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH OAS AND DONATES BOOKS TO COLUMBUS MEMORIAL LIBRARY

Peruvian University San Martín de Porres and the Organization of American States (OAS) signed a one-year extension to the cooperation agreement between both institutions, by which the university continues to sponsor the Lecture Series of the Americas.

During a ceremony held at the office of the OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, Dean Raúl Bao García recalled that the Lecture Series has been a successful mechanism for debate since 2004, and it has “acquired great relevance, its own identity, and great importance, because in this forum issues of much content and importance for the Latin American community and the countries of the American States are discussed.”

For his part, Insulza reiterated the value that the Organization places on these lectures, saying that by “renewing your support, without which this initiative could not be possible, is a high honor, an example of academic cooperation between a member country of the Organization and our Secretariat, and an example of things we could do of the same level in the entire region, if there was the same enthusiasm, dedication and commitment we have seen from you.”

Created by the OAS Permanent Council to promote principles and values in the countries of the hemisphere, the Lecture Series of the Americas invites internationally renowned speakers to address key issues such as democracy, human rights, social development, hemispheric security and the fight against poverty. The conferences are possible thanks to financial contributions from Peru’s San Martín de Porres University and the governments of China and France.

Later on, during a ceremony headed by the Secretary General Insulza, the Dean of the Peruvian San Martin de Porres University donated several books to the OAS Columbus Memorial Library.

“We are presenting books published by the San Martín de Porres University which will contribute to enrich the bibliographic heritage of the Columbus Memorial Library. I would also like to announce that in the future, we will provide this Organization with all the new titles that continue to be published by our University,” said Bao García during the ceremony.

Also participating in the event were the President of the Group of Friends of the Library and Permanent Representative of Panama to the OAS, Ambassador Arístides Royo, the Permanent Representative of Peru, Ántero Flores-Aráoz, and the Head of the Columbus Memorial Library, Beverly D. Wharton-Lake.

Flores-Aráoz noted the predisposition of the San Martin de Porres University to attend to his own request of collaborating with the OAS Library, an institution that is permanently visited by academics, researchers, students and diplomats.

For her part, Beverly D. Wharton-Lake thanked the generosity of the San Martín de Porres University, and of Peru in particular, since this same month, that country donated 500 volumes to the library.

Reference: E-265/07