FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2009

Contact: Sonja Matanovic 202.663.5644
E-mail: smatanovic@jhu.edu

JHU SAIS to Co-Host Forum on Democracy in Latin America with Former Presidents of Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Peru

The Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) will co-host a press conference breakfast and panel discussion around the launch of a report entitled “Social Agenda for Democracy in Latin America for the Next Twenty Years” on Tuesday, November 3.

Speakers and authors will include:

• Alejandro Toledo, former president of Peru, SAIS scholar and president of the Global Center for Development and Democracy
• Nicolas Ardito Barletta, former president of Panama
• Vinicio Cerezo, former President of Guatemala
• Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico
• Ricardo Maduro, former president of Honduras
• Carlos Mesa, former president of Bolivia

The “Social Agenda for Democracy” was produced by a group of 20 former heads of state from Latin America in collaboration with development experts. The authors will present the document to the sitting heads of state participating in the 2009 Ibero-American Summit in Portugal later this year. For an executive summary of the report, click here.

The November 3 press conference, which is open to the media only, will take place in the Murrow Room of the National Press Club at 529 14th Street, N.W., 13th Floor, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.

The November 3 invitation-only panel discussion is also open to the media and will take place in the Falk Auditorium of the Brookings Institution at 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

These events are co-sponsored by SAIS, the Global Center for Development and Democracy, the Brookings Institution, National Endowment for Democracy, Inter-American Dialogue, Andean Development Corporation, Stanford University, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and Inter-American Development Bank.

Media who want attend either or both of these events should contact Sonja Matanovic in the SAIS Office of Communications at 202.663.5644 or smatanovic@jhu.edu.

Questions or comments about the report should be directed to Avi Tuschman at the Global Center for Development and Democracy at 650.387.6742 or atuschman@cgdd.net.