Young Arab Leaders conclude successful visit to Latin America

The highlight of the three-day visit was the Arab and Latin American Seminar - Dialogue between Leaders held on Tuesday 30 November in Santiago de Chile.

The meeting included the participation of Her Excellency President Michelle Bachelet of Chile, industry tycoon Carlos Slim, President of the Carso Group and 2007 Fortune Magazine world's richest man, and Saeed Al Muntafiq, Chairman of the Young Arab Leaders and Executive Chairman of Tatweer. More than 900 leaders from the Arab world and Latin America attended the forum, which replicated the success of its previous editions in Asia and North America.

During the meeting, all speakers highlighted the importance of increasing business, political and cultural ties between both regions through the creation of initiatives for young leaders.

'Chile has always maintained a special relation with the Arab community,' said Her Excellency President Michelle Bachelet of Chile.

'Arabs have proved a sense of achievement and entrepreneurship that is unique. Mutual knowledge is therefore essential; we must learn from one another and know where the common opportunities to work together are. This Seminar is an example of the spirit of friendship that Arabs and Latin Americans must pursue.'

'I would like to call on the new generations of Arabs in both regions to bridge the gap and work for a new Arab and Latin American partnership, said Alejandro Foxley, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile.

'Our country has the knowledge and the infrastructure to become the Latin American hub for closer ties between the Arab world and Latin America.'

'Young people need to transform our regions and it is our task and responsibility to give them the right education, employment and values to make it happen,' affirmed Carlos Slim. 'We can achieve a lot within a short period of time if we act together.'

Following the Seminar, the YAL delegation attended a private reception hosted by Her Excellency President Bachelet of Chile to explore specific term initiatives between Chile and YAL.

'The delegation of the Young Arab Leaders is here to set the foundations for closer ties for young leaders in Latin America and the Arab region,' said Saeed Al Muntafiq, Chairman of the Board of the YAL and Executive Chairman of Tatweer.

'Our work with leaders around the world will benefit our Arab and Latin American children and grandchildren to reach better understanding of Arab values and culture.'

During the three-day visit the high-level delegation of YAL also met with distinguished business, political and academic leaders of Latin America such as the Federation of Chilean Industry (SOFOFA), the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and the Young Arab Chilean Leaders.

'The outcomes of the visit to Latin America are very optimistic,' said Saeed Al Muntafiq, Chairman of the Board of the YAL and Executive Chairman of Tatweer.

'We have had fruitful conversations with Latin American leaders and the feedback we received is that they are welcome to support the vision of the Young Arab Leaders by establishing a Latin American Global Network and design initiatives for young leaders in both regions to interact with each other. We hope to have the first series of initiatives announced in the short term and a full agenda to be presented at the Second Arab and American Action Forum (AAAF) in March 2008.'

Among the Latin American leaders who participated were Jose Said Saffie, President of the Palestine Bethlehem 2000 - Chile Foundation; Paulo Atallah, Vice-President of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce; and Juan Emilio Cheyre, Director of International Studies of the University of Chile.

YAL members also met with Juan Andrés Fontaine, President of the Electronic Stock Exchange of Chile, Carlos Massad, leading economist and former Executive Director of IMF, Jorge Selume, Director of CorpBanca in Chile, and Bruno Philippi, President of the Federation of Chilean Industry (SOFOFA).

Young Arab Leaders (YAL) is an independent pan-Arab organization that aims to create a new generation of young leaders capable of actively participating in the region's development process and driving it into a new phase of growth. It is a network of the region's leaders from the business community, politics, academia, media, arts, culture and civil society, who are committed to improving the state of the Arab world.

The Arab and Latin American Seminar - Dialogue with Leaders was co-organized by the Bethlehem 2000 Foundation.