Inter-American Dialogue

The Inter-American Dialogue (IAD, and also known as "the Dialogue") is a non-profit membership organization located in Washington, DC. The IAD was begun in 1982, and its website bills the organization as the "premier center for policy analysis, exchange, and communication on issues in Western Hemisphere affairs." Its board of directors comprises former heads of state, foreign ministers, business leaders and distinguished members of civil society and academia from across the region.

The IAD produces a number of written materials, conferences, briefings and analysis in conjunction with regional collaborators.

Its membership includes over 100 public and private leaders from the United States, Canada, and 22 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean--including political, business, academic, media, and other non-governmental leaders. Currently, twelve Dialogue members served as presidents of their countries, nearly twenty have served at the cabinet level, and seventeen have held seats in congress. Members are united by their "commitment to democratic principles, social equity, regional economic cooperation, and free and vigorous discussion."

The Inter-American Dialogue's main areas of focus include sub-regional politics (the Andes, Cuba and the Caribbean, and Central America), democratic governance, education and social policy, remittances and development, US foreign policy in the hemisphere, economics and trade, women's issues, and press freedom. The Dialogue also works on issues such as inter-American institutions, relations between Latin America and non-regional actors, energy, and drug policy.

External links

* [http://www.thedialogue.org Official website of Inter-American Dialogue]
* [http://www.preal.org Official website of Education Program, PREAL]