Concordia hosts first 2017 LatAm Summit in Bogota, Feb 21

January 13, 2017

• Concordia Americas Summit in Bogotá will cover a range of themes and amplify the debate on the impact of public-private partnerships that aim to find solutions
• Summit to be held on February 21st, 2017 from 8:30am to 7:30pm at the Metropolitan Club
• Summit to spark dialogue on corruption, the future of peace, and sustainable development in the region and beyond

Concordia Co-Founders, Nicholas Logothetis and Matthew Swift, in partnership with the Instituto de Ciencia Política Hernán Echavarría Olózaga (ICP), have announced that the second convening of the Concordia Americas Summit will take place in Bogotá, Colombia on February 21st, 2017. 

Emerging from its 6th Annual Summit in New York City, Concordia is highly invested in the security and prosperity of the Americas and has prioritized collaboration across the Western Hemisphere throughout its programming. The Concordia Americas Summit in Bogotá will host over 90 leaders from politics, business, and nonprofit organizations, as well as preeminent leaders in the Colombian Peace Process and current and former Colombian administrations. 

With the Colombian peace accord and the death of Fidel Castro, a rapidly changing political and economic landscape faces the region. As an institution that sees partnerships as a vehicle for innovative and sustainable change, Concordia’s programming expansion beyond New York highlights its commitment to making a tangible impact on today’s greatest challenges.

Commenting on the opportunity to host Concordia’s network and other preeminent leaders outside the U.S. for the first time, Matthew Swift, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO stated: “Given Colombia’s need and readiness for public-private partnerships, we are confident that our impact will be felt across the region.” Concordia Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board, Nicholas Logothetis, also commented: “Concordia is proud to be expanding our events globally, and Bogotá presents an excellent opportunity to catalyze impactful change in Latin America. We look forward to continuing to work toward a more sustainable future through collaboration and dialogue.”

At the inaugural Concordia Americas Summit in Miami this past May, participants discussed economic alliances, regional energy dynamics, the future of Cuba, and Venezuela’s uphill battle to recovery, as well as the impending 2016 U.S. Election. Months later, Concordia’s first-ever convening on Latin American soil will expand on these issues to discuss the future of Colombia as a nation, while also contextualizing this future beyond the region and more prominently within the global community. 

Featured speakers and participants will focus on three critical issues: regional corruption and accountability, the impact of the incoming U.S. Government in the implementation of the Colombian peace deal, and a roadmap to achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. In light of Concordia’s ongoing Campaigns for Social Impact, discussants will also delve into the role of public-private partnerships in addressing agriculture and food security, economic growth, and labor rights.

Summit partner and Bogotá-based think tank, Instituto de Ciencia Política Hernán Echavarría Olózaga, brings a wealth of thought leaders and national expertise to the table in order to tackle these pressing issues. Adriana Mejía Hernandez, Executive Director of ICP, explained: “It is critical that we address these topics in the right way with the right people. We strongly believe that promoting knowledgeable debates is at the core of democracy, contributes to the design and implementation of public policies and strengthens decision making processes.”

Concordia will harness the momentum of this Summit for an impact far beyond the podium in Bogotá, building solutions and opening channels for dialogue on critical issues. As the first major event of the year, these discussions will set an important precedent for all of Concordia’s programming in 2017 and pave the way to concrete action and further opportunities for cross-sector partnerships.

The Americas Summit in Bogotá is the first of a series of global events in the coming year that will extend the reach and depth of Concordia’s partnership platform. This spring marks the second Concordia Americas Summit in Miami, a high-level dialogue focused on generating viable solutions for a more prosperous and sustainable future for the region that will explore the following topics: combating corruption and promoting democracy in the Americas; the future of energy in the Western Hemisphere; and how to respond collaboratively to natural disasters, epidemics, and humanitarian crises. Subsequently, the first Concordia Europe Summit launches on June 6th-7th with over 400 participants coming together in Athens, Greece to tackle pressing challenges across the continent, including the ongoing refugee crisis, regional security, and international monetary policy. 

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