OAS
briefings are offered to diplomats, government officials,
military officers, university faculty, policy analysts
and students, as well as to the general public. The briefings
are given by the Director of the Department of External
Relations, Irene Klinger, and senior specialists from
the various departments of the organization. Briefings
are tailored to the specific interests of the visiting
groups, covering political, social, legal and economic
issues in the Americas as well as the work of the organization.
These briefings include tours of the facilities and an
historical overview of the organization. For more information
on OAS briefings, please contact Irene Klinger, Director,
Department of External Relations at (202) 458-6072 or
iklinger@oas.org
On March 30, 25 West Point Cadets
visited the OAS. A tour of the Historic Building was
given by Aline Hommes, Specialist, Department of
External Relations, and Jane Thery, Chief, Institutional
Relations, gave an overview of the Organization. The
group also received a special briefing by Ambassador
Edward B. O’Donnell, Alternate Representative of the
U.S. Mission to the OAS.
MARCH 26, 2007
On March 26, the Institutional
Relations section of the Department of External
Relations organized a tour for 48 members of the
National College of Defense of Mexico. The tour was
guided by Aline Hommes, Specialist, Department of
External Relations. Irene Klinger, Director, Department
of External Relations gave the group an overview of the
OAS, and Ambassador Addor-Neto, Under Secretary for
Multidimensional Security briefed on security issues.
Representing the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the OAS
was José Manuel Castañeda, Minister and Alternate
Representative, who accompanied the group.
MARCH 23, 2007
On March 23, 95 Spanish teachers
from Howard County Professional Development visited the
OAS historic headquarters. They were welcomed to the OAS
headquarters and were given a tour of the OAS Historic
Building by Aline Hommes, Specialist, Department of
External Relations and the Art Museum of the Americas
with Maria Leyva, Curator of Collections, Art Museum of
the Americas. The teachers divided into groups and were
given an OAS overview by Irene Klinger, Director,
Department of External Relations and Jane Thery, Chief
of Institutional Relations. In addition, they received
specialized briefings from Ann Marie Blackman, Senior Specialist, Secretariat for
Political Affairs, who spoke on democracy and
governance. Pedro Bastides, Deputy Chief, Natural Hazard
Risk Reduction, Department of Sustainable Development,
discussed the issue of water resource management in the
region and Mercedes Kremenetzky, Principal Specialist,
Inter-American Commission for Women, spoke about women's
rights in the hemisphere.
MARCH 22, 2007
On March 22, 54 participants from
the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program visited
the OAS. This group consisted of students from around
the world who are studying in the US for one year and
living with host families in the greater Philadelphia
area and Rotary members. The group was led by Aline
Hommes. Nelly Robinson also briefed the group on the
Model OAS program.
MARCH 22, 2007
On March 22, the Institutional Relations section of the
Department of External Relations held a briefing for 30
participants of Welcome to Washington International
Club, a group for the spouses of diplomats. Aline Hommes
gave the group a tour of the OAS Historic Main Building
and also gave a briefing about the organization. The
visit was finalized by a visit to the Art Museum of the
Americas
MARCH 20, 2007
On March 20, the Department of
External Relations organized a briefing for 54 students
from Mexico’s Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios
Superiores de Monterrey. The students were given a tour
by Aline Hommes and a comprehensive OAS briefing by Jane
Thery. Enrique Martínez, Juridical Official, Office of
Judicial Cooperation, also briefed the group on
anti-corruption. Lastly, Alonso Martínez, Second
Secretary of the Mission of Mexico to the OAS spoke to
the students about the work of the mission.
MARCH 19, 2007
On March 19, the Institutional
Relations section of the Department of External
Relations organized a briefing for 13 students from the
University of Kansas. The tour was arranged by Meridian
International Center,a non-profit institution that promotes
international understanding through the exchange of
people, ideas and the arts. The students received a tour
of the Historic Main Building by Aline Hommes and an OAS
briefing by Jane Thery. Nelly Robinson spoke to the
group about the Model OAS Program.
MARCH 15, 2007
On March 15, 48 high school juniors
and seniors from Key School, Annapolis, Maryland were
briefed by Aline Hommes, Specialist, Department of
External Relations. The group was also briefed on the
Model OAS byNelly Robinson. Joining the group
were four students from Trinity University, in
Washington, D.C.
MARCH 14, 2007
On March 14, the Department of
External Relations organized a visit for students from
Penn State Erie School. Aline Hommes, led the group on a
tour of the OAS Historic Main Building and also gave
background information on the organization. The group
was later given a briefing on democracy by Pablo Zuñiga,
Principal Specialist from the Secretariat of Political
Affairs. The Democratic Charter, promotion of democratic
institutions, and values and practices of democracy were
discussed.
MARCH 13, 2007
On March 13, the Institutional
Relations section of the Department of External
Relations organized a briefing for 45 participants of
The Hospitality and Information Service (THIS), a part
of Meridian International. The group, which included
spouses of diplomats and volunteers, was given a tour
and briefed by Aline Hommes, Specialist, Department of
External Relations. They also visited the Art Museum of
the Americas where they received a tour by Maria Leyva,
Curator of Collections, Art Museum of the Americas.
MARCH 12, 2007
On March 12, twelve Model OAS
students from Towson University received a tour of the
OAS Historic Main Building and a briefing by Aline
Hommes, Specialist, Department of External Relations.
The students were also briefed by Steven Griner,
Principal Specialist from the Secretariat for Political
Affairs. Mr. Griner spoke about the Democracy Charter
and Electoral Observations. Nelly Robinson, Specialist,
Department of External Relations also spoke about the
MOAS Program.
MARCH 9, 2007
On March 9, the Institutional
Relations section of the Department of External
Relations organized a briefing for 22 students from the
Foreign Service Institute. The students received a tour
of the Historic Main Building by Aline Hommes and a
comprehensive OAS briefing by Jane Thery.
MARCH 8, 2007
On March 8, the Institutional
Relations section of the Department of External
Relations organized a briefing as a part of the IMF,
OAS, World Bank walking tour. The tour included 33
people and was led by Aline Hommes, Specialist,
Department of External Relations. The visit also
included a walk through the underground painted tunnel
with the theme “Roots of Peace” by Uruguayan Artist
Carlos Páez Vilaró.
MARCH 6, 2007
On March 6, the Institutional
Relations section of the Department of External
Relations organized an event with the Foreign Service
Institute at their headquarters where the Secretary
General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, spoke to 130
diplomats about the work being carried out by the
Organization. The Secretary General discussed the four
principal areas of OAS programs: democracy, human
rights, social development and security. He also spoke
about the possibility of the OAS working with crucial
hemispheric issues that have not been dealt with in the
past, such as gangs and prisons.
In addition, he highlighted the
number of elections that were monitored last year by the
OAS and the importance of promoting democracy throughout
the region. The program ended with a question and answer
session with the diplomats.
The Institutional Relations section
of the Department of External Relations organized a tour
led by Aline Hommes, Specialist, Department of External
Relations for 25 students from the University of
Sherbrooke, Canada. The students were given an OAS
Overview by Jane Thery, Chief of Institutional Relations
and information on the MOAS Program by Nelly, Robinson,
Specialist, External Relations. The students also had
the privilege of meeting Canada’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Peter MacKay and were invited to attend a
special Permanent Council meeting where the Minister
addressed the Permanent Members of the OAS.
