Second Summit of the Americas – Santiago, Chile - 1998

At the Second Summit, held in Santiago, Chile, in 1998, the Heads of State and Government recognized that education was “the determining factor for the political, social, cultural, and economic development of our peoples,” and highlighted the need to encourage civil society to participate in developing education. The Second Summit also reaffirmed the importance of increasing active participation by civil society. The Plan of Action of Santiago called upon member state governments and CSOs to promote the development of principles and recommendations for institutional frameworks to stimulate the formation of responsible and transparent democratic organizations, and to encourage public sector-civil society dialogue and partnerships in which the Organization might serve as a forum for the exchange of experiences and information.