RenovaBR participated in the international event “Strengthening Democratic Leadership in Latin America”, offered by VélezReyes+ in partnership with the Leadership Academy for Development (LAD), with the support of the Center for Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University. 

The meeting took place in Colombia between August 26 and 30, 2024, bringing together leaders and entrepreneurs of democracy to discuss and strengthen democratic institutions in Latin America. RenovaBR was represented by Executive Director, Rodrigo Cobra, and Education Coordinator, Marjorie Lynn.

“The training was extremely important for RenovaBR, both for learning about the most relevant issues of democracy and for bringing together different institutions of public leadership in Latin America,” said Executive Director Rodrigo Cobra. “The rapprochement between these schools is extremely relevant and endorsed by the logic of VélezReyes+ and Stanford University,” he added.

During the five days of activities, participants had access to theoretical and practical content adapted from Stanford’s LAD teaching methods, applying these lessons to the specific context of their countries. In addition to RenovaBR, representatives of organizations from Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia and Brazil participated. 

The event was a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and develop innovative solutions. Lectures, conferences and case studies were given by renowned experts such as Larry Diamond, Francis Fukuyama, Alberto Díaz-Cayeros and Beatriz Magaloni from Stanford University, who addressed the challenges of liberal democracy and civil society initiatives to strengthen democratic institutions.

“The classes with renowned Stanford professors, such as Francis Fukuyama and Beatriz Magaloni, were a unique opportunity to discuss the democratic landscape in our region and learn effective methods for problem-solving,” Marjorie Lynn said. “In addition, this exchange of experiences allowed us not only to adapt the RenovaBR model to different contexts, but also to share good practices that can strengthen governance and educational methods throughout the region,” she said.

Training

On the first day, participants had the opportunity to attend the “Problem-Solving Framework” lecture by Francis Fukuyama, followed by the “Global Democratic Recession” conference by Larry Diamond. These opening moments were essential to contextualize the current challenges faced by democracies around the world and introduce effective methods for solving complex problems.

The second day was marked by classes with professors Beatriz Magaloni and Erik Jensen, who deepened participants' knowledge on crucial issues for democracy in Latin America. In addition, there was an enriching debate on the American elections and their impact on Latin American relations, providing a broad view of the political dynamics between the two continents.

On the third day, the focus was on Latin American countries: the case study “Administrative Decentralization in Peru” and the discussion on the elections in Mexico allowed a detailed analysis of the political realities of the region, offering practical lessons that can be applied in similar contexts.

The penultimate day addressed inequality and the future of democracy in Latin America, key issues for understanding the forces shaping political development in the region. The exchange of ideas and experiences culminated in a final group discussion, facilitated by Francis Fukuyama and Tara Hein, which challenged participants to reflect on the next steps to strengthen democratic institutions in their respective countries.

RenovaBR's participation in this international training reinforces the organization's commitment to contributing to the strengthening of democracy throughout Latin America.