2019 ILG Alumni Reunion and The Immigration Crisis in Latin America
The Innovation and Leadership in Government Program (ILG) of Georgetown University celebrated its fifth anniversary during its annual alumni reunion held at Santiago de Cali, one of the main cities in Colombia, also known as the “Sucursal del Cielo, ”on September 11, 12 and 13, 2019. Every year ILG alumni spanning 17 countries meet in the region or in Washington DC to strengthen ties, advance knowledge, and share best practices on the public sector in the region. In 2019, the ILG alumni reunion focused on "The Immigration Crisis in Latin America: Roads Towards Change."
IMMIGRATION CRISIS IN LATIN AMERICA: ROADS TOWARDS CHANGE
In recent decades, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have experienced one of the greatest migratory crises in their recent history, as a consequence of the economic, social, and political problems originating in countries such as Venezuela, Honduras, and Nicaragua, mainly. This migration has been characterized by a large exodus of individuals and families with limited resources. This crisis may lead to profound disruptions in our countries' international relations and in the democracy across our continent, thus becoming the greatest diplomatic issue of the last 50 years in Latin America. . The theme of the 2019 annual ILG alumni reunion aims to explore case studies of best practices implemented by government entities, both internally and internationally, aimed at addressing the humanitarian crisis. The reunion also served as a discussion forum to discuss a possible way out of the political crisis across the region that has been deemed the root of this phenomenon.
The meeting included panels, visits, receptions and workshops, and group activities. It also featured a government expo, a space in which the significant experiences of government in Latin America interact with attendees to present lessons learned that can be replicated in our local, regional, or national environment. Expo Gobierno in its first version was born as the showcase where the way in which governments are facing the challenges of public problems in different parts of the world is presented, and so that the world knows how the municipal government of Santiago de Cali and the departmental government of the Valle del Cauca, have been working for the welfare of its inhabitants. This was an encounter with experiences, experiences, results, successes, and difficulties, from all of which we must learn in the construction of solid public policies and bold and effective government strategies for Latin America and the Caribbean.