The first part of our LATAM meetings took place for a week in Chile, followed by second part in Costa Rica and concluding in Colombia, with outreach to 17 countries across Latin America, along side the Women Economic Forum (WEF) events. 

It was a phenomenal fortnight of inspiration and learning, through connections and conversations across communities and with decision making authorities, toward strengthening collaboration and co-creation in multi stakeholder partnerships, empowering our shared aims for inclusive growth and accelerating actions for equality and empowerment in every possible way, especially economic and entrepreneurial. 

The issues confronted across the region were similar with differing nuance, albeit one common concern stood out prominently: the disconnection with one’s own roots and culture, fragmentation of social fabric and family, worsening economic gaps, fomenting a sort of spiritual vacuum with weakening of resilience, self-belief and strength of spirit. To overcome this the barrier, the journey to one’s own roots became an essential starting points and gave direction to our dialogues. Importantly, this has been a consistent issues across all our meetings, as a pointer to the role of healing and harmony across all, beyond borders and genders. 

The issues of equal and equitable representation were also discussed. Like in many parts of the world, the rise of women to the top, be it in parliaments, companies or other institutions, was still a struggle. Representation needed an intentional push from top leadership through proactive policy measures and legislations, as also outreach from women’s groups and associations asking for a seat on the table and creating more solidarity among all networks in order to make the shift from seat on the table to actually having a say on the table. These tables could be anywhere: homes, workplaces, stages, boardrooms et al. 

Women and Men further need to come together all the more to work in solidarity in order to create keep up the momentum of change in resonance and solidarity, globally. That would greatly amplify and multiply our shared vision and collective actions. Together, we also need to represent our common cause to all institutions locally and internationally so that we can create a collective consciousness around equal representation in leadership and equalising responsibilities especially in Care Economy, and become part of the ecosystem of solutions and ideas toward overcoming the external barriers, opening up the way for all. 

To help greater economic participation and integration of the talent in Central and Latin America with the rest of the world, we discussed measures of mentoring and English language training. We also shared on representation of the best interests of our environment, cleansing our food systems, especially in the inspired energy of Pura Vida, as also bolder representation of the Global South. We were pleased to start the G100 wing of Global South – South Cooperation as an outcome of the learnings and as a vehicle for change in response to the needs. 

The realisation of our dream of our earth as an ecological zone of healthy relationships among all actors in all their rich diversity and biodiversity goes through the highway of solidarity in shared awareness of our seamless oneness. As the painful period of covid taught us: no one is safe until everyone is safe. This realisation among all, that we are all on the same team, that we are all on the same side, is integral to manifesting a renewed world order where everyone can have access to opportunities for education, health, safety and support toward realising one’s potential and dreams. 

We were overwhelmed with love and warm welcome received from the people of Latin America. Even though we may not have spoken the same language at times, but we succeeded in aligning together in common cause and strengthened our commitment to collaborate and build a better fabric of society and economy for all. Everyone is looking forward also to the SHEconomy platform so we can all onboard our businesses on it and get to work toward putting more money in the hands of women. Together we can. 

Convenors: 

Chile: Nicole Verdugo Oviedo, G100 Global Chair, Social Entrepreneurship 

Costa Rica: Nuria Marín Raventós, G100 Global Chair, Coaching & Training along with Bernardita Rodriguez, President, WEF Costa Rica

Colombia: Karen Brugés, G100 Global Chair, Mentoring & Motivation 

And the remarkable organisation by all at the Women Economic Forum (WEF) teams in respective countries as also the G100 Country Clubs. The tour was an outcome of nearly nine months of meticulous planning with inclusion of institutions for maximum impact and integration.