This Thursday, Mi Gente will host the University’s first annual United College Conference.
For the first event of the three part conference on Latin America, child rights expert Emilio Garcia Mendez will speak in Love Auditorium on child rights in Latin American democracies. April 22, former Costa Rican President Jose Maria Figueres will address climate change and sustainability. The UCC secured Figueres’s visit with the help of junior Naima von Ritter, his niece.
“The UCC was born as an initiative to bring leaders of Latin American countries to talk about current issues regarding democracies,” said junior Luciano Romero, founder of UCC and co-chair of Mi Gente’s Political Affairs Committee. “Democracy in Latin American societies has become very disenchanted because it hasn’t delivered promises.”
Mendez worked with the United Nations Children’s Fund from 1990-1999, including as regional adviser on children’s rights for the Latin American and Caribbean regions. He is currently president of Sur-Argentina Foundation, an organization dedicated to child rights. After the lecture, a free Cuban style dinner will be served.
At the second part of the conference April 2, the UCC will show “Treading on Sand,” a documentary film that tells the story of Peru’s democratic successes obtained through the use of participatory budgeting. Following the screening, students will be able to discuss the film with its producers.
“We want to bring different perspectives from different areas of interest,” said sophomore Caroline Buck, co-chair of Mi Gente’s Political Affairs Committee. “We want to show... the progression each country has made individually and the Latin American region as a whole.”
Although Buck and Romero look forward to the conference kick-off, they are most excited for the final segment of the UCC at the end of April.
“I’m excited to have Figueres come in,” said freshman Ashley Boaz, a member of the UCC committee. “It will be a good opportunity for others to hear what he has to say and to have such a big speaker on campus.”
Despite initial setbacks, both Buck and Romero are confident that the conference will return in the coming years. Although the UCC began as part of Mi Gente, it functions as an independent branch of the organization. Students who are not members of Mi Gente are eligible to join the UCC committee. Buck noted, however, that the UCC is funded entirely by Mi Gente.
“Now that we have our foot in the door, because we’ve been planning for so long, we hope it’s easier because people are aware of what we’re trying to do and where we want to go,” Buck said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.