Forward Together/Avanzando Juntos/Avançando Juntos – A Conference Looking at the Changing Politics of the Americas

Submitted by Ana Maria Vidal on 4/6/11

NDN's Latin American Policy & 21st Century Border Initiatives will be joining forces next Monday, April 11th, for our all-day policy day Forward Together/Avanzando Juntos/Avançando Juntos –  Looking at the Changing Politics of the Americas.  We are very excited to announce that Ambassador Miriam E. Sapiro, Deputy USTR, will be joining us as luncheon speaker.  Ambassador Sapiro will be giving timely remarks about today's announcement that the United States and Colombian governments have agreed on a path forward for the passage of the pending trade agreement. 

The day will also feature major addresses by influential thought leaders including Governor Bill Richardson, the Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council Dan Restrepo, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson, the Ambassador from Mexico to the United States Arturo Sarukhan as well as a panel discussion on the changing politics of the US-Latin America relationship.

Below you will find the agenda for the day and please make sure to register for this event as soon as possible.

Forward Together/Avanzando Juntos/Avançando Juntos – A Conference Looking at the Changing Politics of the Americas

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM         
Continental Breakfast

10:00 AM – 10:05 AM       
Welcoming Remarks 
Nelson Cunningham, Chairman of the Latin American Policy Initiative

10:05 AM – 10:45 AM       
Remarks on President Obama’s Trip to Latin America
Dan Restrepo, Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM       
Panel Discussion on the Changing Politics of the Americas
Moderated by Juan Carlos Lopez, Anchor and Senior Correspondent CNN Espanol 
Panelists:
Ambassador Francisco Altschul, Ambassador of El Salvador to the United States
Ernesto Araujo, Minister Counselor for Economic and Trade Affairs at the Brazilian Embassy
Rodrigo Meza, Minister Counselor for Economic and Trade Affairs at the Chilean Embassy

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM       
Moving Forward on U.S. Foreign Policy with Latin America
Roberta Jacobson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs

12:15 PM – 12:45 PM       
Lunch Address
Ambassador Miriam E. Sapiro, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative

12:45 PM – 1:30 PM
The 21st Century Border Initiative
Mexican Ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sarukhan 

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Working Together to Create a 21st Century Border: A Mayor's Perspective on the US-Mexico Border 
Chappell Lawson, Associate Professor of Politics at MIT 
Arturo Garino, Mayor of Nogales Arizona 

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM    
Growing Together: How a 21st Century Border is Essential to Prosperity in Both the U.S. and Mexico
Moderated by Maria Luisa O’Connell, Senior Advisor for Trade and Public Relations Office of the Commissioner US Customs and Border Protection, DHS  
Panelists: 
Martin Rojas, Vice President of Security & Operations, American Trucking Association 
Jim Kolbe, Senior Transatlantic Fellow, The German Marshall Fund
Col. Eric Rojo, Vice President of U.S.-Mexico Chamber Of Commerce and Security Program Coordinator for CEDAN-ITESM

3:30 PM – 4:15 PM    
Address
Governor Bill Richardson, Former Governor of New Mexico and Chairman of APCO Worldwide's Executive Advisory Service Global Political Strategies