Gala dinner highlights Trust for the Americas' flagship POETA Program

On Thursday, April 16, 2009, dignitaries participating in the Fifth Summit of the Americas attended a dinner hosted by the Trust for the Americas, a non-profit affiliate of the OAS. The dinner highlighted the Trust's flagship POETA Program (Partnership in Opportunities for Employment through Technology in the Americas) which provides economic opportunities for youth in Latin America and the Caribbean who face a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic, high unemployment and increasing crime and violence. The program also benefits thousands of people with disabilities in the Americas each year through training in information and communication technologies and job skills.

Remarks were made by Executive Director of the Trust, Linda Eddleman; POETA Youth Program Manager, Asha Williams; President of Microsoft Latin America, Hernan Rincon; OAS Secretary General, Jose Miguel Insulza; and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, the honorable Patrick Manning. Over 130 diplomats, private sector leaders, OAS officials and representatives from other international organizations attended the event, which was sponsored by Microsoft. Guests included Prime Minister and Mrs. David John Howard Thompson of Barbados; Prime Minister Tillman Thomas of Grenada; Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas of St Kitts and Nevis; and President and Mrs. Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan of Suriname. Inter-American Development Bank President, Luis Alberto Moreno; United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC) Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena; International Development Research Centre (IDRC) President Dr. David Malone; and OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin were also present.

The event followed the pre-Summit activities, including the Private Sector and Youth Forums. The dinner demonstrated the power of collaboration between private sector, governments and the OAS to support development for young people and other vulnerable populations, through programs such as POETA. The donors of the program, Microsoft, IDRC and CIDA, were recognized for their continued support, and leaders called for support from other organizations to join the cause to benefit youth in the Americas.

For more information on the POETA program, please visit the program website at http://www.trustfortheamericas.org/p_technology_poetay.htm.

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