Launching of the economics training school seeks to contribute to the development of leaders of the Pacific

In order to commemorate the birth of pacifist leader Martín Luther King, the Economics Popular School was launched at the Banco de la Republica de Quibdo on January 19th. The event included the participation of Christian Asinelli, Director of Institutional Development at CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, and Ana Maria Ibañez, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at the Universidad de los Andes, who was in charge of opening the meeting with the conference Economics and Conflict: the challenges of building peace in the Colombian Pacific .

Leaders and members of the Pacific Power of the "Manos Visibles" Corporation shared ideas on re-defining the region's economic development, and reflected about insertion in the national economic system from a conflict and post-conflict scenario. 

Christian Asinelli, CAF´s Director of Institutional Development, expressed, "At CAF, we consider that education is one of the most effective tools for the development and growth of countries. In this respect, supporting the non-formal education program of the Poder Pacificio Economics School is an important step forward to strengthen the capacities of leaders who are willing to understand the region's economic context and to acquire new skills to enable them to generate strategic initiatives which impact on the development of the Pacific". 

Asinelli spoke with leaders of the 2015 School of Economics and visited some youth organizations in Quibdo which, with different social, community, ecologic, and cultural approaches, have reached solutions that contribute to the transformation and change of the Colombian Pacific. 

With the support of CAF, the Universidad de Los Andes, and the Ford Foundation, the initiative seeks to promote intellectual and human values among regional leaders.