| BOGOTÁ, June 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Serving as the first global platform through which to engage the incoming Presidential Administration prior to the inauguration in August, Concordia returns to Bogotá, Colombia on July 16-17 for its 2018 Americas Summit. In partnership with the Instituto de Ciencia Política Hernán Echavarría Olózaga, Fenalco, Noticias RCN, and NTN24, the 2018 Concordia Americas Summit will convene renowned political and business leaders, academic experts, and representatives of leading non-governmental organizations to explore the challenges facing both Colombia and Latin America as a whole.
The 2018 Concordia Americas Summit will feature the President of the Republic of Colombia, H.E. Juan Manuel Santos, as well as President-elect of the Republic of Colombia Iván Duque Márquez and Vice President-elect Marta Lucía Ramirez. The Summit will also hear from Joe Biden, 47th Vice President of the United States, who will deliver a keynote address on challenges and opportunities facing Colombia and the broader region at this pivotal time for the Americas. In addition, Concordia will welcome Jorge Mario Velásquez, CEO of Grupo Argos, who will discuss the roadmap for achieving sustainable economic growth in the country.
From the Concordia Leadership Council—a powerful roster of former heads of state, leaders of industry, and policy experts—the Summit will feature Gen. (Ret.) David H. Petraeus, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who will offer his perspective on major global developments and their impact on economic development and security in Latin America. Additional speakers from the Leadership Council include Laura Chinchilla, former President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Jorge Fernando Quiroga, former President of Bolivia, Ambassador John D. Negroponte, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and U.S. Director of National Intelligence, and Paula J. Dobriansky, former Under Secretary of State for Democracy & Global Affairs and President's Special Envoy to Northern Ireland.
The 2018 Concordia Americas Summit is the flagship event of the organization's 2018 Americas Initiative. Launching at the beginning of this year, the 2018 Americas Initiative began with a series of roundtable discussions designed to generate dialogue among leaders across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, and explore issues to be faced by Colombia's incoming government, including education accessibility, long-term economic growth, and the rule of law. These discussions laid the foundations for Concordia to host the official RCN Presidential Debate this past April, featuring the leading six presidential candidates of Colombia's 2018 elections, as well as a panel of nationally- and internationally-recognized experts to react to the answers given.
With the Colombian presidential elections heralded as one of the most important national and regional elections of the decade, the 2018 Concordia Americas Summit will continue these discussions and engage the incoming Presidential Administration on issues including the political and economic priorities of Colombia, the implementation of Colombia's agreement to end conflict and build peace, and the future of Latin America. The Summit will highlight cross-sector partnering opportunities and allow international leaders to share their perspectives on pathways to prosperity and peace.
"Our 2018 Americas Initiative is the culmination of extensive work focused on Colombia, and symbolizes the long-term growth trajectory of our organization," commented Matthew Swift, Concordia's Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO. "Concordia provides a platform for critical discussions that lead to lasting collaborative solutions, and by returning to Bogotá for a second consecutive year, we hope to build on previous conversations and connections in order to continue our efforts to further democratic initiatives on the ground."
Nicholas Logothetis, Concordia's Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board, stated: "Against the backdrop of this important junction faced by Colombia, it is a huge honor to provide the first major international convening following the country's presidential elections earlier this month. At the core of our Americas Initiative lies a commitment to remaining fiercely non-partisan during a year of historical significance for both the nation and Latin America." | 
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