Cultivating Friendship, Democracy in Latin America

Student Organization travels to Panama City and examines democratic approaches to array of issues

By Alexandra R. Wilkis '99

Special to the Gazette

Panama City was the site of the Harvard Association Cultivating Inter-American (HACIA) DemocracyÕs third annual government simulation conference Ñ Expo '98, held at the University of Panama's School of Education over spring break.

Approximately 23 Harvard students, along with the help of a host country committee comprised of Panamanian high school students, organized the event. HACIA Democracy is the only government simulation conference designed for high school students from all over the Americas and that takes place in different host countries.

The conference brought together approximately 225 high school students from Canada, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Panama, and the United States in exploration of creative democratic solutions to many of the most pressing issues facing the Western Hemisphere today, running the gamut from education to cholera to foreign direct investment. The students enacted roles of legislators, constitution writers, national representatives, and international negotiators while serving in committees simulating the Organization of American States (OAS), the Pan-American Health Organization, a trilateral committee, a domestic legislation, and a constitutional convention.

"HACIA Democracy seeks to contribute to the spread of a democratic political culture in Latin America directed at the region's youth,Ó said Mercedes Hinton Õ98, president of Expo '98. ÒOur annual conferences enable students to experience and analyze the democratic process firsthand, exposing them to the many challenges that democratic countries and institutions face."

Four speakers addressed the students and provided insight into the theme of democracy as well as to many of the specific topics debated within the committees. The First Lady of the Republic of Panama, H.E. Dora Boyd de Perez Balladares, delivered the inaugural address. Claudio Grossman, president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, discussed the need to improve the political and social circumstances of people within Inter-American countries who continue to abuse human rights.

Suki Hoagland, professor and director of American University's International Development and Environmental semester, gave a moving speech on the many atrocities plaguing the world today and one's responsibility to take action to improve human conditions around the world. Alberto Aleman Zubieta, administrator of the Panama Canal Commission, gave the concluding speech of the conference, explaining the process of how the canal will soon change from being in American hands to coming under Panamanian control.

Funds for this yearÕs conference came from the Pan-American Health Organization, American University, the University of British Columbia, and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. The current board aims to raise even more funds this year in order to provide scholarships for students from underprivileged Latin American schools to participate in Expo '99, which is scheduled to take place in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Nienke Grossman Õ99, president of Expo '99, advocates the diversification of the students who participate in the conference. She said, "As HACIA moves into the future, we hope to expand our recruiting efforts into new countries and to draw students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Part of democratic thinking includes tolerance and respect for people from differing origins."

Grossman has several goals in mind for next year's conference. She believes "HACIA Democracy has grown tremendously in the past, and we hope to make it even better as we move forward into the future. The Executive Board for Expo '99 is putting its best effort into making this our best conference yet by pro-active recruiting, aggressive fundraising, an improved program, and updated materials."

Up until now, the conferences have been conducted in English, requiring all students to be fluent. Next year, one of the committee sessions will be presented in Spanish. This change will open up the event to students who attend Spanish-speaking schools, both underprivileged and private.

HACIA Democracy recently elected its staff of just over 20 people for Expo '99. Already, the executive board and the staff are working diligently Ñ planning reports, raising money, recruiting schools, and setting up a Costa Rican Host Country Committee in order to prepare for next year's conference. This Harvard organization continues in its efforts to help Latin America adjust in its move hacia la democracia.