600 leaders in Peru to be trained in civic-democratic values

(Lima, May 1, 2012). CAF - Latin American development bank - and the Institute of Government and Public Administration of San Martín de Porres University (UPSMP) opened the VII CAF Leadership for the Transformation 2012 Program with the participation of some 600 leaders. The aim of the program is to strengthen civic and democratic values in citizen leadership in ten decentralized locations around the country.

 

The opening ceremony was attended by CAF director representative in Peru, Eleonora Silva Pardo, and the general manager and coordinator of the Leadership for the Transformation Program, Iván Hidalgo Romero and Jorge Gobitz, respectively

 

Silva Pardo said the multilateral institution was organizing the CAF Leadership for Transformation Program in Peru for the seventh year running, to train natural leaders representing social, cultural, indigenous, campesino, labor, and micro and small enterprises from ten regions.

 

After recalling that the program began in Colombia in 2002, the CAF representative said the training was now being replicated in Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela, with a view to identifying, selecting and training leaders to create a transformational leadership, capable of using tools for detecting community needs, and building consensus, and other actions that improve the exercise of their citizenship, contributing to the governance of their peoples and the transformation to a more democratic country.

 

The CAF executive added that the program's strategic value lay in the importance of training as a mechanism for strengthening democratic governance, improving the situation of citizens and their surroundings, and leading communities toward a better quality of life and a better dialogue between all sectors of society.

 

"From 2006 to 2011 the program directly trained 3,291 leaders from 25 regions and 433 local municipalities. By using replication in the program as an effective activity of the exercise of leadership, we estimate that due to the multiplier effect over 6,000 citizens have been trained in Peru through the program. With this activity, CAF is contributing to democratic formation in our countries," she said.

 

Hidalgo Romero emphasized the support that CAF has provided for this seventh program which this year will be held in Apurimac, Arequipa, Cusco, Ica, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martín and Tacna, as well as North, South and East Lima.

 

The CAF director said the new training cycle had brought new challenges, including securing financing for the projects submitted at the end of the training period, and stimulating the interrelation of the participating leaders with a view to creating a network of graduates from the program.