Between May 18 and May 31, 2024, Francisco Urdinez, the director of the Millennium Nucleus ICLAC, participated as a member of the Young Academics Delegation from high-level Think Tanks in Latin America. This delegation was organized by the Department of Latin America and the Caribbean of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, to promote exchange and cooperation between various research centers from Latin America and China.
The delegation was composed of representatives from different Latin American research centers and Think Tanks, including the Fundação Alexandre de Gusmão (Brazil), Fundación Pensar del PRO (Argentina), Instituto para Reforma das Relações entre Estado e Empresa (IREE – Brazil), representatives from Frente Guasu (Paraguay), and our Millennium Nucleus ICLAC (Chile), among others.
On Monday, May 20, the delegation visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and met with high-level diplomats such as the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Hua Chunying, and the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Latin America and the Caribbean, Mr. Qu Yuhui.
The program included meetings and seminars at the Institute of International Studies of China, Peking University, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Hubei University, and Fudan University, among other activities.
For Francisco Urdinez, this invitation to be part of the delegation comes as a recognition of the work done by the nucleus and the connections developed over more than a year:
“The nucleus has placed a lot of emphasis on its external engagement. I believe we are being recognized within the country as an authoritative voice and as a reference for a serious, academic project that seeks to offer a public good to society. The fact that we have managed to position ourselves in this way in such a short time speaks to the quality of the nucleus’s work and the effort that everyone has been putting in,” he emphasizes.
Regarding his expectations for this important activity, Urdinez comments: “I hope to reconnect with some colleagues after four or five years without visiting the country and, mainly, to establish networks so that ICLAC has reach and links with institutions that work with Latin America in China””.
Finally, regarding what’s next for the nucleus in the coming months, Urdinez highlights ICLAC’s participation in the LASA 2024 Congress (Latin American Studies Association), which will take place between June 12 and 15 in Bogotá, Colombia, where ICLAC will participate with a special panel:
“Tendremos una mesa especial de ICLAC con jóvenes investigadores y paneles relacionados a China y América Latina, así que muchos y muchas de aquí (ICLAC) viajarán a Bogotá. Además de esto, se vienen muchas otras actividades como Mesas ICLAC, Encuentros ICLAC, Seminarios y Congresos”, detalla.
Foto: Hua Chunying vía X