This event will be held in Spanish. Simultaneous translation will be offered over Zoom and can be accessed through personal electronic devices. These devices and headphones will not be provided by the university.
At a time of accelerating global transformation, Latin America and the Caribbean face a decisive historical moment marked by profound challenges and emerging opportunities. The international system is undergoing a period of transition shaped by geopolitical fragmentation, economic uncertainty, and the escalating consequences of the climate crisis. For the region, these global dynamics intersect with long-standing structural issues, including persistent inequality, uneven growth, a weak rule of law, and security threats of transnational crime networks.
In this context, Latin America confronts critical questions about its role in the emerging global order. How can the region contribute constructively to global debates on climate action, sustainable development, and democratic governance? How can countries pursue an ambitious energy transition while ensuring social inclusion, economic diversification, and shared prosperity? And what policy transformations are necessary to address inequality and the transnational challenges associated with drug trafficking, organized crime, and violence?
The Georgetown Americas Institute, the School of Foreign Service and the Center for Latin American Studies are pleased to welcome His Excellency Gustavo Petro, president of the Republic of Colombia, for an address to the Georgetown University community on February 5 at 2:00 p.m. President Petro will reflect on the current state of world affairs and the implications of a changing global order for Latin America and the Caribbean. He will discuss the role of energy transition as a central pillar of the development agenda grounded in social justice and environmental sustainability, as well as the need to rethink drug policy frameworks in the region. The address will also explore strategies to reduce inequality, strengthen democratic institutions, and redefine cooperation in U.S.–Colombia relations within a broader hemispheric context. President Petro will be introduced by Joel Hellman, dean of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
This event is sponsored by the Embassy of Colombia with Georgetown University’s Georgetown Americas Institute, the School of Foreign Service, and the Center for Latin American Studies.
This event is only open to current Georgetown University students, staff, and faculty. Have your GUID ready to enter the auditorium, as it will be required.
Seating is available on a first come, first serve basis and is not guaranteed. Doors will be opened at 1:00 p.m. Please queue at Lohrfink's entrance on the second floor of the Hariri building; and, weather permitting, continue the line outside of the Hariri building's 2nd floor entrance onto the terrace.
To expedite the security screening process please limit the use of umbrellas and the size of the bags. There will be a bag inspection upon entry.
Featuring
Gustavo Petro has served as the president of the Republic of Colombia since August 2022. A former senator (2018 to 2022) and mayor of Bogotá (2012 to 2014), he is recognized for his trajectory in social activism and progressive views. His administration has focused on advancing Colombia’s energy transition, expanding social protection, and reframing the country’s approach to peace and security, including drug policy. Petro’s national and international engagement has emphasized the links between inequality, climate vulnerability, and democratic stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Joel Hellman became dean of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in July 2015 after 25 years working on some of the most complex issues of governance, conflict, and the political economy of development. He served at the World Bank in many senior roles including chief institutional economist, director of the Center for Conflict, Security and Development in Nairobi, Kenya where he led the World Bank’s engagement with fragile and conflict-affected states around the world, and coordinator of the bank’s response in Indonesia to the devastating 2004 Asian Tsunami. He was the senior political counselor at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. As a scholar, Dr. Hellman was a political science professor at Harvard University and Columbia University focusing on the politics of economic reform. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he is a graduate of Williams College. He has a Ph.D. from Columbia University and an M.Phil. from Oxford University.