DATE CHANGE: NESTOR KIRCHNER LECTURE AT THE NEW SCHOOL CHANGED TO MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

"Latin America Rising: UNASUR Solving Problems, Giving Voice, Building the Future," Monday, September 27, 2010 at The New School

NEW YORK, September 16, 2010—The time and date of Nestor Kirchner's lecture at the Observatory on Latin America of The New School have been changed to 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, September 27. Nestor Kirchner, Secretary-General of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and former President of Argentina, will give a public lecture titled, "Latin America Rising: UNASUR Solving Problems, Giving Voice, Building the Future."

Drawing on a career in public service spanning three decades, Secretary-General Kirchner will address political integration, economic development, and the challenges and opportunities facing Latin America. His lecture will focus on how UNASUR, a transnational organization of South American states, is uniquely positioned to aid the region's progress.

"As President, Kirchner brought economic and political change to Argentina—and now, through UNASUR, his field of influence has extended to the entire region," said Michael Cohen, Director, graduate program in International Affairs at The New School. "With our focus on sparking new thinking and new relationships for Latin America, OLA makes an ideal setting for Secretary-General Kirchner's thoughts on the future of the region."

As President of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, Kirchner shepherded the country out of the economic crisis of 2001-2002 and instituted a sweeping restructuring of the national debt. Since leaving office, he has becoming increasingly involved with efforts to cultivate a community of Latin American nations, culminating with his unanimous election as first Secretary-General of UNASUR in 2010.

Founded in 2008, UNASUR has played central roles in major events in the Latin American region, including assisting in the resolution of the Colombia-Venezuela border dispute, establishing peaceful talks between government and separatist parties in Bolivia, and providing significant monetary and political aid to Haiti's post-earthquake reconstruction. In addition, UNASUR is committed to fostering region-wide development in the areas of education, science, culture, technology, and innovation; health; infrastructure and planning; narco-trafficking; and energy.

The lecture will take place at The New School, Wollman Hall, 66 West 12th Street, on Monday, September 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required (please write [email protected] to RSVP).

About the Observatory on Latin America at The New School

The Observatory on Latin America (OLA) at The New School is a university-wide initiative that creates new opportunities for public debate on hemispheric processes of reform and change. Launched in 2006 by current Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, OLA aims to improve academic and public understanding of political and economic change in Latin America, foster a public dialogue between the United States and Latin America, and collaborate with Latin American institutions to further these objectives and mobilize ideas. The OLA has two major projects: "Latin America on the Move," which brings Latin American leaders to New York to discuss major issues facing their countries and the region, and "Building Latin American Bicentennials in an Age of Globalization," which documents the forms and impacts of commemoration of the bicentennial anniversary of the independence of Latin American countries from Spain. The latter OLA project, together with eight Latin American academic institutions in six countries, currently has launched a Second International Call for Papers and Visual Materials on the theme "Bicentennials in Action: Commemoration, Economic Crisis, and Political Mobilization in Latin America." For more information, please visit www.observatorylatinamerica.org.

COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contacts:

Sam Biederman
212.229.5667x3094
[email protected]