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Secretary General Participates in Inauguration of Forum “Vanguardia Latina 2012”

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, took part in the opening of the Forum “Vanguardia Latina 2012,” a series of conferences on “The Latin-Hemispheric Agenda,” presented by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and its program BID Juventud.

The event, organized by the Mexican NGO “Espacio de Vinculacion, Asociacion Civil” (EVAC) and Grupo Televisa, will bring together until Friday more than 150 young Latin American students at the headquarters of the IBD in Washington DC to share perspectives on the future of Latin America with business leaders, diplomats and representatives of NGOs from across the region.

In his remarks to the participants, the OAS Secretary General pointed out that there is currently “a certain confidence” in Latin America, due to the performance of many of the regional economies. He stressed that, despite their differences, the United States and the rest of the region have a great deal in common. For example, in political terms, he said, the countries of the Americas constitute “the other democratic region in the world, together with Europe.” In economic terms, he added, the Americas as a region is the greatest food exporter in the world. The region also has a lot in common in human terms, he said, as migratory patterns mean that the societies of all the countries in the region are more and more connected. Finally, the Secretary General said democratic values are a factor throughout the region.

With those shared qualities as a take-off point, the Secretary General highlighted the opportunities the future will bring for the Forum’s young participants. “Today’s young people do not recognize borders; they will travel much more, speak many more languages,” he said, adding that “this interchange that we’re a part of here is a good opportunity to see which are the best avenues to unite the hemisphere as this program proposes.”

Also taking part in the inauguration were the Governor of Puebla, Mexico, Rafael Moreno Valle; Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the IDB; and Mexico’s Ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sarukhan. Emilio Azcárraga Jean, President of Grupo Televisa and of the Council of EVAC, also took part in the meeting, moderating a question-and-answer session with the students.

The President of the IBD, Luis Alberto Moreno, looked with optimism toward the future, to what could be “the decade of Latin America.” He highlighted the importance of youth: “we are above all, a young region,” he said, and stressed that “our young people are increasingly connected by technology.”

The Mexican Ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sarukhan, said the new generation is the “most educated and most connected in history.” That is a privilege, he said, but it also carries an obligation: “You will have to work with a great sense of social responsibility,” he observed.

The Governor of Puebla, Rafael Moreno Valle, called on the young people to “rise above partisan interests.” It is true the region has made great advances, he said, but it also confronts great challenges, and to face them, “we shouldn’t see ourselves as competitors; we should see ourselves as partners, because common problems require common solutions.”

The Forum will include a series of conferences on issues focused on the hemispheric agenda, with the participation of business leaders, diplomats, government figures, and representatives of NGOs from throughout the region. The Forum will close on Friday, May 4.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

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

Reference: E-155/12