November 23, 2016 — Mexico City, Mexico
A young leadership delegation of AJC, the global Jewish advocacy organization, met with government officials, U.S. and Israeli diplomats, prominent journalists and Jewish community leaders in Colombia and Mexico.
The weeklong visit to the two countries, vital Latin American allies of the U.S. and Israel, was the latest diplomatic mission of ACCESS, AJC’s global young leadership program, and AJC’s Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA). The group, comprised of young professionals from across the United States, as well as from Israel and Latin America, are members of AJC ACCESS.
The visit to Colombia came on the heels of the announcement of a new peace deal to end Colombia’s decades-long conflict that has killed more than 22,000 and displaced millions. The AJC delegation met with advisors from the Agency for Colombian Reintegration and, separately, with demobilized FARC guerrillas to explore models for successful conflict resolution and reintegration of former combatants into society.
“The conversations provided valuable insight into peace-building and conflict resolution best practices, topics of vital interest to ACCESS interfaith and intergroup outreach,” said Alexis Frankel, Director of AJC ACCESS.
In Bogota, the delegation met with a prominent Muslim leader, Sheikh Ahmad Tayel, who discussed the cooperative relationship between the Muslim and Jewish communities in Colombia’s capital city.
The group also met with Israeli Ambassador to Colombia Marco Sermoneta and U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission to Colombia Philip Laidlaw, who discussed ties between the U.S., Israel and Colombia.
In Mexico, the delegation discussed with Paulo Carreño King, Undersecretary for North America in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U.S.-Mexico.relations follwing the American elections. Also discussed were areas of common concern and shared values, including fair treatment of immigrants, civil discourse, combatting bigotry, free trade and economic cooperation.
AJC’s close relationship with Mexico was highlighted by Mexican Foreign Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu in her address to the AJC Global Forum in Washington inJune.
Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC BILLA, said, “Engaged U.S. leadership in the region is criticallly important, and the bilateral relationship with Mexico is emblematic of the shared values and concerns, and commitment to advance cooperation.”
In Mexico City the delegation also met with U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Roberta Jacobson to discuss U.S.-Mexico partnerships in trade, immigration and national security.
Israeli Ambassador to Mexico Jonathan Peled hosted the delegation for a conversation on challenges and opportunities in the Mexico-Israel relationship and cooperation with the Mexican Jewish community.
In both Colombia and Mexico the group met with top local Jewish community leaders for insight into the issues facing these communities andto underline AJC’s longstanding support and active partnership. AJC has association agreements with the Colombian and Mexican Jewish communiites.
