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Model OAS General Assembly Inaugurated in Cochabamba

The Secretary of External Relations of the Organization of American States (OAS), Ambassador Alfonso Quiñonez, today opened, on behalf of OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, the 30th Model OAS General Assembly (MOAS), which will be held until May 19th in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

The MOAS, part of the events leading up to the 42nd General Assembly to be held in Cochabamba from June 3 to 5, was held at the Universidad del Valle headquarters and included the participation of the Minister of Education of Bolivia, Roberto Aguilar; University Rector Gonzalo Ruiz Martinez; the Governor of Cochabamba, Edmundo Novillo Aguilar; the Mayor of Cochabamba, Edwin Castellanos; and the Mayor of Tiquipaya, Saúl Cruz Pardo.

Ambassador Quiñónez thanked the Universidad del Valle and the government of Bolivia for “their great efforts in making possible the realization of this new version of the MOAS," and stressed the value of the program "in contributing to respect for diversity and multiculturalism."

Quiñónez also recalled that the meeting represents a great opportunity and responsibility to the young participants, as it puts them in position to “provide solutions to major challenges facing the Americas," and in particular for the contributions they can offer on the theme of the upcoming Assembly "Food Security with Sovereignty."

For his part, Minister Aguilar stressed that education is “a fundamental factor in building democratic leaders and in the promotion of inclusiveness and integration in all of society.”

Rector Ruiz Martinez welcomed the participants and stressed that MOAS is "a mechanism of integration and youth participation that encourages consensus," and highlighted the innovative and unprejudiced contributions made by young people through this kind of activity. In his speech, Governor Novillo emphasized the pride the people of Cochabamba take in holding the event and expressed “the need to live in a world with social justice and food security that promotes, at the same time, the participation of young people."

The goal of the 30th MOAS is to sensitize the youth of the hemisphere and the Bolivian people on the priorities of the Inter-American agenda to be discussed at the General Assembly. The event involves about 500 students and teachers from Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, France, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

Participants will discuss issues related to food security, control of the manufacture of firearms, the right to water, the incentives to micro and small-scale farming through the recovery, promotion and marketing of native crops, and the channeling of resources for priority projects in the region, among others. At the conclusion, the group will issue a statement on "Food Security with Sovereignty in the Americas" to be presented to Member States at the next Assembly.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-178/12