FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2024
Contact: Gemma Givens
press@thedialogue.org
Washington, DC – The Inter-American Dialogue announces that former Presidents Michelle Bachelet of Chile and Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica will participate in a keynote dialogue at the IX Annual Leadership for the Americas Awards Gala, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC.
Michelle Bachelet, Inter-American Dialogue member and former Co-Chair of the Dialogue Board of Directors, was elected the first female president of Chile, serving two terms: from 2006-2010 and from 2014-2018. In between terms, in 2010, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Bachelet as the first Director of the newly created UN Women (UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women), whose mission is to advocate for the rights of women and girls. After her second term as president, in 2018, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed her UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Imprisoned and tortured under the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship, Bachelet went into exile in 1975, living in Australia before moving to East Germany. In 1979, she returned to Chile, completed her medical degree, and became active in politics after Pinochet was ousted from power in 1990.
Laura Chinchilla Miranda, Co-Chair of the Inter-American Dialogue Board of Directors, was elected the first female president of the Republic of Costa Rica in 2010. Before her election, she was Minister of Public Security between 1996 and 1998. Chinchilla also served as president of the National Immigration Board and the National Drug Council. Between 2002 and 2006, she was elected to the National Congress, where she chaired the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Committee on Narcotics. In 2006, she was elected vice president of Costa Rica, assuming the role of Minister of Justice at the same time. Along with her public career, Chinchilla has dedicated part of her professional career to the international sector. She has worked as a consultant in Latin America and Africa with various international organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
“It is truly a privilege to host this special keynote dialogue with two former female presidents of this caliber who have also been active members of the Dialogue. Both Bachelet and Chinchilla have left a positive mark on their respective countries and the region through their leadership and commitment to democracy, social inclusion, and gender equality,” said Inter-American Dialogue President & CEO, Dr. Rebecca Bill Chavez.
Past keynote speakers include, Bernardo Arévalo, President-elect of Guatemala, Samantha Power, Administrator for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Honorable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.
Notes to Editors
The Inter-American Dialogue engages our network of global leaders to foster democratic governance, shared prosperity, and social equity in Latin America and the Caribbean. Together, we shape policy debate, devise solutions, and enhance cooperation within the Western Hemisphere.
For inquiries, please contact gala@thedialogue.org or +1-202-822-9002.
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