The Australian Studies Centre (ASC), based at Universidad ORT Uruguay the Australia–Mercosur Leadership Forum from June 24 to 26, 2019, with support from the Council on Australia–Latin America Relations (COALAR), which operates under the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The forum will be held at the Pocitos campus of Universidad ORT Uruguay will serve as a meeting point for representatives from the public and private sectors and academia in Mercosur member countries and Australia. The event offers an excellent opportunity for all interested parties to engage directly with key stakeholders involved in the topics under discussion.
The timing of the forum coincides with a significant strengthening of bilateral relations between Australia and Latin America over the past five years.
The event will be organized into three thematic areas:
June 24 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | FORUM 1: Financing sustainable development: the role of the public and private sectors.
June 24 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | FORUM 2: Medical Cannabis: Key Challenges for the Future.
June 25 – 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | FORUM 3: Public goods in the meat supply chain: Australia as a benchmark.
Each thematic forum will include a day of presentations open to the general public, followed by a second day during which forum members (by invitation) will discuss the topics presented.
The goal is to produce a document that summarizes the current state of affairs in this area in Australia and Mercosur, identifies challenges and opportunities, and serves as a roadmap for joint activities.
Leading academics and representatives from the public and private sectors will present an overview of the current situation and the main challenges related to the topics discussed. Among them are:
Participants in Forum 1 will include:
- Brett Hackett, Australian Ambassador to Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay
- Prof. Paul Pickering, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University, Australia
- Assoc. Prof. Colin Higgings, Deakin Business School, Deakin University, Australia
- Luis Di Pietro, Director/Coordinator of the SDG Project, Office of the President, Argentina
- Mariella de Aurrecoechea, Partner, Deloitte; Vice President, DERES
- Mireia Villar, United Nations Resident Coordinator
- Ana Laura García, Director of Strategic Management and Budget Formulation, Office of Planning and Budget (OPP), Uruguay
The participants in Forum 2 will be:
- Brett Hackett, Australian Ambassador to Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay
- Prof. Paul Pickering, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University, Australia
- Prof. Christopher Grof, Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE)
- Kevin Nafte, Uruguayan Chamber of Medical Cannabis
- Marcos Baudean, Researcher, Monitor Cannabis Uy, Universidad ORT Uruguay
- Leticia Cuñeti, Uruguayan Society of Endocannabinoidology
- Diego Olivera, President, Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA)
Forum 3 will feature:
- Prof. Paul Pickering, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University, Australia
- Prof. Wendy Umberger, University of Adelaide, Australia
- Ian Mortimer, Agricultural Counsellor, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Australia
- Daniel Belerati, President, Chamber of the Meat Processing Industry, Uruguay
- Patricio Silveira, Paraguayan Chamber of Meat, Paraguay
- Federico Stanham, President, National Meat Institute (INAC), Uruguay
Admission to the activities is free, but registration is required; space is limited.