October 13, 2022 — New York
American Jewish Committee (AJC) has signed an association agreement with Comite Central Israelita de Uruguay, the main Jewish communal organization in Uruguay. It is AJC’s 38th association agreement with Jewish communities around the world, the 15th with communities in Latin America, Spain and Portugal.
“We are thrilled to partner with Uruguay’s Jewish community,” said Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC’s Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA). “Uruguay has been an island of stability and democracy in the region and has warm historical ties to Israel. We look forward to enhancing our ties with this great country and its admirable Jewish community.”
Uruguay was the first South American country to officially recognize the State of Israel and was home to the first Israeli Embassy in Latin America, established in 1948. From 1954 to 1980, Uruguay maintained its embassy in Jerusalem. In recent years, Uruguay has been a staunch supporter of Israel in various international and regional forums.
“The signing of a mutually beneficial partnership agreement with AJC seeks to help advance shared agendas, including the preservation of the well-being of Jewish communities in our own countries and everywhere, the fight against antisemitism and the defense of the only Jewish State in the world,” said Gerardo Stuczynski, President of Comite Central Israelita del Uruguay.
In 2016, AJC Project Interchange, in collaboration with AJC’s BILLA and the Jewish community of Uruguay, hosted its first seminar in Israel for Uruguay senators, congressmen and other top political leaders. President Luis Lacalle Pou, an AJC Project Interchange alumnus, addressed an AJC Advocacy Anywhere program in 2020.
