Promoting the Second Meeting of Young Latin American Leaders

(Washington, September 21, 2011). CAF –Latin American development bank- and the Brookings Institution brought together 35 young leaders from Latin America’s public and private sectors to debate the main economic challenges, social trends, the state of democracy, and shifts in the balance of power on the region’s international scene.

The event, opened by Enrique García, CAF’s president and CEO, and Kevin Casas-Zamora, a senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, was attended by José Miguel Insulza, the secretary general of the OAS; Santiago Levy, the vice-president for sectors and knowledge at the IDB; José Antonio Ocampo, the director of Economic and Political Development Concentration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs; Moisés Naím, senior associate of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s International Economics Program; and academicians of prestige and political actors in the region.

CAF’s president and CEO stressed how important it is for CAF to foster broad, plural debate among Latin America’s young people on the main challenges and opportunities facing the region.

“We are certain that the time has come for young Latin Americans from all cultures and social sectors to have the possibility of building their sense of civic responsibility in a more inclusive region, where not only are they more visible as fundamental actors of development, but their leading role has solid institutional bases in order to achieve, in the short term, a renewed plan of development,” said García.

CAF will be bringing young people of the region together again at upcoming events that it is to organize in Latin America, Europe, and Asia via its global network of associate institutions.

“This initiative is of tremendous strategic value, as it is aimed at promoting leadership in Latin America, analyzing in depth the region’s fundamental challenges in the context of the new global and regional trends, and also at furthering an extensive network of young people who are committed to the future of their countries and will most certainly mark the next changes in Latin America,” stated CAF’s president and CEO.

The round table was the scenario for a productive debate in which ideas were exchanged on the economic situation in Latin America and the challenges for achieving sustainable growth over the long term; the role of the middle class in the development of the countries of the region; social trends and changing social dynamics; the strengths and weaknesses of Latin American democracy and the challenges for its consolidation; and foreign policy and the balance of power in Latin America.

This meeting was part of the efforts CAF is making to design a new agenda for Latin American young people called Agenda Joven-CAF.

The initiative includes, among other policies and activities, promoting and furthering development projects coordinated by young people; a program of investment and training for youngsters at risk; promoting democratic and political values and young leadership; creating and supporting networks with different establishments offering academic education and job training; supporting young people’s networks and specialist publications; and implementing a CAF Youth Observatory.

All the above will complement the programs for the social inclusion of young people that are already under way: Social Action through Music and Social Action through Sports.

See event