Under the patronage of the First Mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Dr. Peter Tschentscher, and in collaboration with the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, the Business Association for Latin America, with a special permit and fulfilling pandemic-specific regulations, had the pleasure to host the 72nd Latin America Day on November 4th and 5th at the Grand Elysee Hotel in Hamburg.
More than 320 registered participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas, get informed and engage in networking through various panel discussions, topic-specific forums, information stands and matchmaking sessions.
In addition, this year’s conference offered “country tables” for one-on-one meetings with ambassadors, economic attachés and directors of the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHKs) in Latin America.
On the evening of November 3rd, the day prior to the official start of the conference, a reception with 150 attendees was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Elysee Hotel, providing a first glimpse at the participants and a unique opportunity for personal reunions and exchange.
The 72nd Latin America Conference took place under the theme “Ready for Change?” and addressed a variety of issues ranging from circular economy, (renewable) energy and sustainability in agriculture to logistics and trade, industry 4.0., financing and matters of international cooperation.
Aside from numerous company representatives, high-ranking politicians from Latin American countries were present.
Marta Lucía Ramírez Blanco, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia, was the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the gala dinner in the Grand Ballroom of Hamburg City Hall.
Furthermore, the keynotes and panel discussion on Energy Policy in Latin America and Opportunities for Cooperation on the 2nd day of the conference featured Omar Paganini, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining of Uruguay; Diego Mesa, Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia, as well as Max Correa, Head of Fuels and New Energy Division at the Ministry of Energy of Chile.
The LAV-Young Professionals were represented by 30 individuals this year, making up almost 10 percent of the total registrations. In addition, 4 of the young members participated in forums, contributing to the discussion with their expertise and experience.