President Otto Perez Molina, of Guatemala greets members of the Latin American Presidential Mission.

On September 11, the 4^th Esquipulas Regional Forum was hosted in Guatemala City. The forum entitled, “The Central American Dream: A Reality in Construction” was an in-depth discussion of challenges facing Central America.

The Esquipulas Foundation together with the Latin American Presidential Mission were the primary organizers. Co-conveners included the Ministry of International Relations and the Presidential Office of Guatemala, local and regional businesses, and NGOs including the Global Peace Foundation, Guatemalan Red Cross, think-tank IDPPS, and the National Leadership Conference of Uruguay.

Ms. Olinda Salguero, Director of Esquipulas Foundation, said of the forum, “This space is to promote the development of the region, democracy, peace and integration.” Nine former heads of state of the Latin American Presidential Mission, participated in the forum along with many other experts from fields such as human rights, education, and business.

The regional representative of the Global Peace Foundation for Latin America, Mr. Thomas Field, introduced the former presidents at the plenary entitled, “Strengthening Democracy and Integration for Latin American Development”, while the former president of Guatemala and founder of the Esquipulas Foundation, Dr. Vinicio Cerezo, called on forum participants to consider paths to move the process for integration of Central American forward. . “The models of development since 1994 have not resolved many of the issues that remain after the peace process, such as social problems and the equal inclusion of the people in the country’s wealth and welfare,” he said.

Top to bottom: Members of the Latin American Presidential Mission present at the 4th Esquipulas Regional Forum, former presidents: Carlos Mesa of Bolivia, Ernesto Semper of Colombia, Dr. Antonio Saca, of El Salvador, Vinicio Cerezo of Guatemala, Nicolás Ardito Barletta of Panama, Gustavo Noboa of Ecuador, and Alvaro Colom of Guatemala, Global Peace Foundation regional representative of Latin America introduces former presidents, Olinda Salguero, Director of the Esquipulas Foundation

The forum featured six panels addressing a wide-range of issues related to Central American development.

• Panel one addressed how to protect and raise youth to become active participants in nation-building. It also addressed issues of gender based violence, a major hindrance to development.
• The second and fifth panel discussed development opportunities through science, technology and a green economy. Panelists urged cross-sector cooperation, and innovation driven by a common regional vision.
• The third panel, entitled, “Peace, Democracy and Integration for Development” examined the progress that has been made in Central America since the Esquipulas Agreements I and II. While the region has seen a relative period of peace and democracy, there are still outstanding issues like impending conflicts and unequal access to development opportunities. Panelists took a closer look at how to forge ahead using assets like its geographical location and increased regional integration.
• The fourth panel took on a hot topic in Central America: justice and regional security in light of the ongoing battle against drugs. Dubbed the “North-Triangle” of Central America, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have seen increasing drug activity. Drug activity has migrated there to avoid international surveillance in Mexico, Colombia and the Caribbean. The drug trade has had major adverse effects, from compromising rule of law, to affecting youth culture, and increased local violence. The panel examined concrete alternative to fighting the drug war.
• The sixth panel reframed the geopolitics of the region. Panelists recognized that improved transportation and communication technology has made the world a “global village. Recognizing the changing landscape allows for new opportunities for business and trade, regional cooperation and democratic participation.

The Latin American Presidential Mission (LAPM) continues to grow and expand since its launching at the 2012 Global Peace Convention in Atlanta. Each former president brings their particular experience and wisdom to the table. Staying true to its founding commitment, the LAPM focuses on the underlying universal principles and values when discussing hot topics concerning the American Hemisphere.

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Global Peace Foundation Chairman Hyun Jin Preston Moon addresses a conference on Governance, Ethics, and Development in Asunción. – See more at: http://www.globalpeace.org/newsapp/paraguay-conference-draws-former-latin-american-heads-of-state-for-dialogue-on-governance-ethics-and?A=SearchResult&SearchID=7265552&ObjectID=6726448&ObjectType=35#sthash.0F5uLj7g.dpuf

Through July and August, 8 Latin and Central American countries celebrate their independence day. The recent conference on “Governance, Ethics, and Development” affirmed that Latin America is on a verge of an era of stability and economic opportunity.

In his address at the conference opening plenary, Dr. Moon observed that although both Americas were settled by explorers carrying dreams of spiritual and economic opportunities, the stories of North and South America “unfolded differently with real qualitative and quantitative consequences for their peoples.”

The first 13 states that became the United States of America began as British colonies. Riding the waves of the Renaissance and Reformation, Great Britain had made strides to becoming a constitutional government that recognized the rights of every free Englishmen. The founding fathers of the United States drew upon these precedents to embark on their bold experiment: to build a nation that recognized and protected the rights and value endowed by the Creator to all men, a nation ruled by the people and for the people.

South America, however, took on the culture and political structures of the Iberian Peninsula. It became a bastion of old Europe; and to this day, feudalistic remnants are present: small elites control the social, political, religious and economic lives of the nation, with an ever present gap between the rich and poor.

A Latin American awakening would shake off these outdated vestments and make way for nations to emerge centered on time-tested principles such as God-given universal human rights and living for others.

These values are not foreign, to Central and South America.  Many nations are deeply spiritual, recognizing the pervading presence of God in their private and public life. Nations like Paraguay have embraced their indigenous and immigrant cultures.

Dr. Moon urged former, current and incoming presidents of Latin America to forge a road map for national development in Latin America based on values and principles.  As numerous countries celebrate their independence days, it is an appropriate  to affirm the core principles upon which they can and open an era of new social and economic opportunities.

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