WASHINGTON, DC – In recognition of her deep support of Colombia at a critical moment of national transformation, Adrienne Arsht, Executive Vice Chair of the Atlantic Council and Founder of its Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, received the Order of San Carlos at a private ceremony at the Colombian Residence in Washington, DC yesterday. The award was presented to the business leader and philanthropist by Colombian Ambassador to the United States Camilo Reyes on behalf of Foreign Minister María Ángela Holguin and by direction of President Juan Manuel Santos.

The award celebrates Ms. Arsht’s commitment to the prosperity of Colombia and to the implementation of peace in the country.  

“The leadership of Adrienne Arsht is an example of her selfless and constant support to the permanent and positive transformation of Colombia,” said Ambassador Camilo Reyes.

Adrienne Arsht commented: “Colombia is symbolic of the incredible transformations that I see in many parts of Latin America. It’s a country on the rise with the new era of peace holding great promise for the country.”

For half a decade, the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center has led the way in broadening understanding of regional transformations in Latin America under a global context. Central to its work was the creation and implementation of the Colombia Peace and Prosperity Task Force, co-chaired by Senators Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Roy Blunt (R-MO). Months after the signing of the historic peace agreement, the twenty-six-member group released A Roadmap for US Engagement with Colombia, a report presented to Colombian President Juan Manual Santos and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in May 2017. Since then, the Center and the Task Force have continued to build bridges between the United States and Colombia.

With elections in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela looming. and with NAFTA renegotiations underway, the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center looks to address the most pressing issues in the region in 2018 and beyond, with a laser focus on the new Colombia, Venezuela’s spiraling crisis, promoting commercial opportunities, and the growing role of China in the region.

 

Jason Marczak, Director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, noted: “All eyes are on Latin America as three of the region’s largest democracies choose leaders that will guide the next stage of a rapidly and positively evolving Latin America. This is the time to double down on Latin America’s leadership – Adrienne Arsht’s vision and support makes possible our Center’s ongoing efforts to move policy in the direction that will allow long-term prosperity in Latin America at a time of global uncertainty.”

Beyond her work with Latin America, Adrienne Arsht is vice chair of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; distinguished member of the Trustees Council of the National Gallery of Art; chair emerita of TotalBank; executive vice chair of the Atlantic Council; founder of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center; and, most recently, founder of the Adrienne Arsht Center for Resilience.

For or more information visit atlanticcouncil.org or follow us on Twitter @ACLatAm and on Facebook.

About the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center
The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center broadens understanding of regional transformations with a focus on high-impact work that shapes the conversation among policymakers, the business community, and civil society. Founded in 2013, the Center explores Latin America in a global context with a priority on pressing issues: Venezuela’s crisis; NAFTA modernization and global trade; China-Latin America ties; Colombia’s peacebuilding; Central American prosperity; democratic consolidation; the new Brazil; women’s leadership; and energy’s future.