Success!

We are delighted to report that Minnesota fundraising for the June art project in rural Uruguay (see earlier post on this, below) has exceeded expectations. Nearly $600 has been raised to buy art supplies for primary school students in the interior of Uruguay. Congratulations!

An American in Uruguay...

Gary Kuhn forwards news of an American living in Uruguay, Paul Turman, making a splash on national television, singing about Montevideo, Texas and clearly having a spectacular time. See Link 2 and Link 1.

You can help bring art supplies to rural Uruguay school children

We are delighted to report that Minnesota-based emerging artist Sarah Trembley will be leaving June 9 on a two-week project in the interior of Uruguay. She will be teaching rural school students and training educators in a range of media in the small town of Migues. While her travel is supported by a Partners of the Americas culture and education grant, she is seeking funds to bring art supplies so that this important work can be carried on well after she leaves. Please consider making a donation to support this meaningful project by visiting the link below. http://www.razoo.com/story/Mup-Art-Projects We're excited about Sarah's trip and look forward to sharing photos and updates on our blog when she returns.

Uruguay Well Represented at Minnesota Trade Forum

The nation of Uruguay was well represented at a Minnesota trade forum April 17 at the global headquarters of medical device products leader Medtronic in the Twin Cities.

Dr. Nury Bauzan, the country's general consul representing the upper midwest, spoke on trade trends and diversification of Uruguay's economy. She was joined by trade and diplomatic officials from Argentina, Ecuador and Brazil.

Erik Brand, the president of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, moderated the panel of trade officials. Rob Scarlett, vice president of the chapter, moderated a panel of Minnesota businesses exporting to South America, which featured chapter member and Uruguay native Graciela Cuadrado-Vielguth as an expert commentator.

Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak offered comments on the region, stressing the importance of South America to the company's future and noting that access to medical services remains a challenge for many countries of the Americas that we must work together to address.

Many thanks to Medtronic for hosting the event. And congratulations to the inspiring Silvia Ontaneda Andrade, Ecuador's general consul in Minnesota, and to the Minnesota Trade Office's Rachel Limon, a longtime Minnesota-Uruguay Partners member and leader, for planning such an ambitious and successful endeavor. An estimated 150 businesspeople attended the half-day conference.

Legislative Fellows arriving in Minnesota

A wave of Legislative Fellows selected from across the Americas have been arriving in Minnesota in recent weeks. Mid-career professionals from Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Haiti will be hosted by groups in Minnesota such as the Chicano-Latin Affairs Council, led by Hector Garcia, a Minnesota-Uruguay Partners board director, the National Youth Leadership Council and the highly regarded Latino Community United in Service group (CLUES). Rob Scarlett, vice president of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, has been establishing these connections and has been rolling out the red carpet for the visitors. Stay tuned for opportunities to meet the fellows in the coming weeks.

Save the date: April 17 event on Uruguay and South America trade ties

Please save the date of April 17 in your schedules for a timely and useful exchange of views and information on South American trade ties. The event will feature Dr. Nury Bauzan, consul general of Uruguay in Chicago, a highly regarded diplomat and advocate for closer international ties, as well as other experts on South American trade and investment. The event has been organized by Consul General Silvia Ontaneda-Andrade of Ecuador and Rachel Limon at the Minnesota Trade Office.

Details appear below...

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First South American Trade Forum 2012

April 17, 2012

Consul General Silvia Ontaneda-Andrade of the Consulate of Ecuador in Minneapolis, and the Minnesota Trade Office cordially invite you to the First South American Trade Forum. This initiative is designed to strengthen the cultural, political and economic ties between South America and Minnesota promoting bilateral export/import products, tourism, mining, technology and investment. The Forum features a discussion with panelists from Minnesota companies and a Q&A session.

When: Tuesday, April 17, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to noon; registration begins at 8 a.m.

Where: Medtronic's World Headquarters, 710 Medtronic Parkway, Fridley, MN 55432

Fees: $25, pre-registered, $35 walk-ins; includes handouts, light breakfast & refreshments

*To register and pay online, click here.

Mail registrations to: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, MTO-Education, 1st National Bank Bldg., 332 Minnesota St., Ste E200, St. Paul, MN 55101-1351.

E-mail registrations to: mto.edu@state.mn.us

Fax registrations to: 651-297-4265

If mailing, e-mailing or faxing your registration, make check payable to the Minnesota Trade Office and mail the same to our office no later than Monday, April 9, to ensure receipt at our office prior to the event.

The passing of Jack Mills, Minnesota-Uruguay supporter

Patrick Moore in Montevideo, Minnesota, writes today with the following news...

Dear Minnesota-Uruguay Partners,

Norma Mills, widow of Jack Mills has asked me to let the MUP network know about the recent death of her husband Jack.

Although I did not know Jack, I do know that he was a champion of Montevideo MN's special relationship with Uruguay, that he was a vice president of MUP for several years and that he traveled to Uruguay twice and received many Uruguayan visitors to his home here in Montevideo, Minnesota.

Norma called me to ask me to let our friends in Uruguay know -- she did not know if they were still alive, but she particularly mentioned the names of Oscar Rochetti and Hilda Slovak as people that Jack had a strong connection with back in the 1970s and 80s when he was the Mayor of Montevideo.

Please pass the news along to the network and say a prayer for Norma as she misses Jack terribly.

It is but another reminder of how relationships form the core of our work and that we all must endeavor, as Jack did, to be welcoming and gracious in the amazing global village in which we live.