THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY

Latin America and Argentina confront difficult social problems. Nearly one in two Latin Americans live below the poverty line. Particularly affected are children, families, and the elderly. This challenge has deep ethical implications and requires collective responses. The significant results achieved through the policies of the current Argentine government during the first year indicate that significant progress can be made. It requires that society give these problems the highest priority, and that each social actor assume a share of responsibility. It requires first and foremost that the state implement active public policies, but also that they be accompanied and supported by every social sector.

In this respect, civil society has shown that it can make very valuable contributions to this collective and urgent challenge. In the most acute moments of the recent socioeconomic crisis in Argentina, the mobilization and contributions of civil society firmly supported social policies and helped millions of people. Voluntarism and solidarity reached unprecedented levels.

AMIA, a principal institution of the Argentine Jewish community, celebrates 110 years dedicated to collective and community interests. During those years it constructed solid working structures in spiritual development, health, elderly care, social protection, culture, and many other areas that have provided human warmth and aid, and have been a significant contribution to the country and the community.

The terrorist attack that sought to destroy AMIA could not defeat the unbreakable spirit of service that inspired the organization since its founding, and its work has not ceased; rather, in the proceeding ten years it only increased.

The AMIA wanted to celebrate its 110th anniversary in association with the Inter-American Development Bank – which through its projects has made enormous strides in the social field and has created an Initiative dedicated to the ethical topics in development – and with the Latin American Jewish Congress – a central entity for the continent’s Jewish communities – in order to jointly contribute to the country with an international colloquium dedicated to extracting conclusions on the experiences of civil society in the fight against poverty, both in Argentina and in the region. The colloquium will also identify avenues for strengthening further the contributions of civil society and its support of public policies, which is decisive in confronting poverty.

The cooperative experience of AMIA-IDB has already had significant results, including the join program between AMIA and the MIF of the IDB to support the employment that has quickly been of great significance.

Along with the organizing entities, the colloquium also has the support and association of numerous national and international institutions, including Caritas Argentina, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Education, the JOINT, the Social Forum, the UNDP, the Theatrical Complex of the City of Buenos Aires, the University of Buenos Aires, and the Secretary of Social Development of the City of Buenos Aires.

Registration is available online.
For questions or comments, please contact Gabriel Mops (Etica@iadb.org ) or Adriana Rubinstein (coloquio@amia.org.ar)