Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
504-549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: 4/23/01
Contact: Rene Abadie
SOUTHEASTERN TO HOST PROGRAM FOR COLOMBIAN BUSINESS LEADERS
HAMMOND A panel of specialists in international commerce and rural development will
highlight a week-long series of seminars at Southeastern Louisiana University to be conducted
for 20 young Colombian business leaders April 27 through May 4.
The Agro-Industrial Development and Rural Micro-Enterprises Seminar is being sponsored
by the Institute for Global and Domestic Development in cooperation with Southeastern and the
university's Center for Youth Leaders of the Americas.
The program is intended to provide an overview of international commerce, entrepreneurship,
social development, agrarian ecology, and the use of modern telecommunications in business and
trade. All seminars for the Colombian students will be conducted in Spanish.
"This program builds on an initiative Southeastern started last year when we hosted a youth
summit as part of the annual meeting in New Orleans of the Inter-American Development Bank,
one of the world's largest and oldest multinational development institutions," said Randy
Moffett, Southeastern provost and vice president of academic affairs. "We signed an agreement
with the IDB to promote and expand cooperative activities between IDB member countries and
Southeastern in the areas of socioeconomic, technological, educational and cultural development.
This is one of the first events in what we expect will become a lasting international cooperative
endeavor."
Speakers include representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Organization
of American States (OAS), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Southeastern
Louisiana University, and StarMedia Foundation, the largest Internet service provider in South
America. Special guests participating in the program include the governor of the Colombian
State of Cundinamarca, Alvaro Cruz Vargas, and Alfonso Santos, president of the University of
Cundinamarca, the largest university in Columbia.
As part of the program, Southeastern's Center for Youth Leaders of the Americas will sponsor
seven seminars in English for faculty and students during the week.
The Institute for Global and Domestic Development is a non-profit organization whose sole
mission is the support of the academic mission of Southeastern Louisiana University. The IGDD
will assist the university in addressing challenges in all of its outreach programs including those
related to its international efforts.
The program is being coordinated by Danilo Levi, director of Southeastern's Center for Youth
Leaders of the Americas, and Aristides R. Baraya, administrator of Southeastern's Center for
Spanish Language and Ibero-American Cultures. The two organizations were formed by
Southeastern last year to further enhance the university's growing international program, which
includes cooperative agreements with the Ministry of Education and Culture of Spain, the nation
of Costa Rica, the Union of Latin American Universities, and the HispanoAmerican Association
of Research Centers and Telecommunications Companies. The agreements are designed to
encourage the development of projects that promote culture, science, information technology and
telecommunications and distance learning.
Additional information on the program, including the English language seminars, can be
obtained by calling 985-549-2266 or by visiting the website www.selu.edu/orgs/yla.
-SLU-
Southeastern Louisiana University
Agro-Industrial Development and Rural Micro-Enterprises Seminar
Schedule of Speakers and Events
Friday, April 27, 2001
Preliminary Session
9:30 a.m. The Chamber of Commerce of Hammond
Jamene Dahmer, Chamber President
11 a.m. Rules and Mechanisms for Import/Export of Rural Products
Willie Stafford, Acting Port Director, Plant Protection and Quarantine
U.S. Department of Agriculture
2 p.m. Imports from Latin America
James Ake, Executive Director
Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA)
3:30 p.m. Visit to Wal-Mart Distribution Center, Robert, LA
Monday, April 30, 2001
10:15 a.m. Colombian Youth Program: Goals and Objectives
Juan Miguel Mendez, Program Coordinator
Luis Carlos Ramirez, Coordinator
Youth Program of Cundinamarca
2 p.m. Sustainable Development and Natural Disasters in the Americas
Dr. Stephen Bender, Principal Specialist
Organization of American States
Tuesday, May 1, 2001
9 a.m. Entrepreneurial Youth: A Future for the Americas
Dr. Roy Thomasson, Director
Young Americas Business Trust
Organization of American States
2 p.m. Social Development and Economy in the Americas
Dr. Christof Kuechemann, Deputy Manager
Social Development and Public Governance
Inter-American Development Bank
4 p.m. The Strategic Importance of Investing in Youth Development and Participation
Marta Estarellas
Youth Program, Office of External Relations
Inter-American Development Bank
Southeastern Louisiana University Page 2
Agro-Industrial Development and Rural Micro-Enterprises Seminar
Schedule of Speakers and Events
Wednesday, May 2, 2001
9 a.m. Developing Rural Micro-Enterprises
Dr. Mark D. Wenner, Financial Specialist
Rural Development Unit
Inter-American Development Bank
10:30 a.m. Tele-Centers for Social, Economic and Rural Development
Dr. Francisco Proenza, Economist, Specialist in Rural Development
Inter-American Development Bank
2 p.m. New Tendencies and Possibilities for Trade in Louisiana
John Hyatt, President
International Freight Forwarders & Customs Brokers Assn. of New Orleans
Thursday, May 3, 2001
9 a.m. Responding to the Millennium: Providing Access to Information Technologies
for Underprivileged Youth
Gally Bar-on, President
StarMedia Foundation, New York
2 p.m. Agro-Industrial Sector: Agrarian Policies and Agrarian Ecology
Dr. Roberto Forero
Specialist in Agrarian Policies and Agrarian Ecology
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture Colombia & Costa Rica
Friday, May 4, 2001
9 a.m. Building Tomorrow: Youth, Democracy and Leadership
Dr. Eduardo Del Buey, Director, External Relations
Organization of American States
2 p.m. Seminary Summary and Conclusions
Southeastern Louisiana University
Center for Youth Leaders of the Americans
Lecture Series on International Issues
Toward the Development of the Americas
Student Union Ballroom
Monday, April 30, 2001
3 p.m. Entrepreneurial Youth: A Future for the Americas
Dr. Roy Thomasson, Director
Young American Business Trust
Organization of American States
Tuesday, May 1, 2001
9:30 a.m. Sustainable Development in the Americas
Dr. Stephen Bender, Unit of Social Development and Environment
Organization of American States
2 p.m. Micro-Enterprises and Tele-Centers for Socioeconomic Development in Latin
America
Dr. Mark D. Wenner, Financial Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank
Dr. Francisco Proenza, Economist, Inter-American Development Bank
Wednesday, May 2, 2001
10 a.m. Development and Economy in Latin America
Dr. Christof Kuechemann, Deputy Manager, Social Development and Public
Governance
Inter-American Development Bank
3 p.m. Strategic Importance of Investing in Youth Development and Participation
Youth and Community Development Specialist, Office of External Relations
Inter-American Development Bank
Thursday, May 3, 2001
10 a.m. Tropical and Organic Cultivation
Dr. Roberto Forero, Specialist in Agrarian Policies and Agrarian Ecology
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture
3:30 p.m. Building New Leaders for the Americas
Dr. Eduardo Del Buey, Director of External Relations
Organization of American States