More than 500 business leaders, heads of state, prominent scholars, social innovators and leaders of government gather to discuss effective solutions for today’s society and expand economic opportunities across Latin America.
Featured speakers include Vinicio Cerezo, Former President of Guatemala; Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera, Former President of Uruguay; Enrique V. Iglesias, Ibero-American Secretary General and Yoani Sanchez, famous Generation Y Cuban blogger.
Miami, Florida. October 16, 2014 – The Zambrano Foundation proudly announces its Third Annual Democracy in The Americas Symposium (DITAS 2014) taking place on November 6-7 at Miami Dade College – Wolfson Campus in Downtown Miami. The event brings together prominent political figures, business executives, community leaders, prominent scholars and students to discuss ways to bolster the democratic process and create new economic development opportunities for individuals and communities throughout the hemisphere.
The symposium’s goal is to educate, shape and mentor a new generation of leaders who can help their societies prosper and thrive within their democratic framework, throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as in the United States. The Zambrano Foundation also seeks to help South Florida’s business community explore new trade and investment opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean through networking and workshops during the symposium.
“Defending and strengthening democracy demands positive action from society as a whole. An event like DITAS allows us to explore ideas in a forum, which can later translate into actions that will improve the democratic process in the Americas,” said Foundation’s Chairman, Jose Zambrano.
Among this year’s keynote speakers are: former President of Guatemala, Vinicio Cerezo; former President of Uruguay, Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera; and former Ibero-American Secretary General, Enrique V. Iglesias.
“There is a lack of civil society participation in the system after an election, and citizens must be vigilant to ensure that their elected representatives fulfill their campaign promises,” said Lacalle Herrera. “The threat against judicial independence is the ultimate guarantee of individual rights,” Lacalle concludes.
Other speakers participating in this year’s symposium include: Yoani Sanchez, world known blogger and Cuban human rights advocate; Yadira Soto, Senior Political Advisor on Governance and Security for the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of the Americas States; Jorge Guldenzoph, Global Peace Foundation; Javier El-Hage, International Legal Director of the Human Rights Foundation; José Miguel Vivanco, Director of Human Rights Watch’s Americas Division; Ivan Duque Márquez, Senator, Republic Of Colombia, and coauthor of The Orange Economy book by the Interamerican Development Bank, among others.
The Zambrano Foundation is proud to recognize the outstanding contribution to democracy by awarding the Distinguished Lifetime Democracy Award to the honorable Enrique Iglesias, Ibero-American General Secretary.
Democracy in the Americas Symposium (DITAS) is sponsored by Zambrano Foundation, Miami Dade College, Zambrano Family Enterprises, Global Peace Foundation, Misión Presidencial Latinoamericana, Nova Southeastern University, Ana G. Méndez University System, Miami Herald / El Nuevo Herald, NTN24, AlternaBit, Broward College, Greater Miami Convention Visitors Bureau, Miami Club Rum, City of Doral, Quest Workspaces, Florida Public Employees, Rusty Pelican, SALAD, Alonso & Garcia P.A., The Six Group, Miramar Pembroke Regional Chamber of Commerce, Experimm, and Latin2Latin Marketing + Communications.
About the Zambrano Foundation
The Zambrano Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting projects to educate, train and mentor the next generation of leaders of the Americas. For more information on the Zambrano Foundation, please visit www.zambranofoundation.org or Democracy in Americas Symposium (DITAS 2014), please visit www.ditas.org, e-mail [email protected], or call 954-980-9453.