The Higher Institute of Political and Administrative Sciences (ISSPA) and the Center of Studies and Cultures of Latin America (CECAL) at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) organized on July 4, 2011 a closing ceremony for a series of lectures, given by nine ambassadors of Latin America in Lebanon on the theme of: “Foreign Policy – Latin America and its Relations with the Middle East”.

On this occasion, a lunch ceremony was held upon the invitation of Rev. Fr. Hady Mahfouz, USEK President, in the presence of Mr. William Habib, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, representing H.E. Dr. Adnan Mansour, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Mr. Baha Al Kousi, Regional Director of the UNIC; H.E. Mr. Jorge Alvares Fuentes, Ambassador of Mexico; H.E. Mr. Jose Gutierrez Maxwell, Ambassador of Argentina; H.E. Mr. Manuel Serrano Acosta, Ambassador of Cuba; H.E. Mr. Hassan Khalil Dia, Ambassador of Paraguay; H.E. Mr. Paulo Roberto da Fontoura, Ambassador of Brazil; H.E. Mrs. Zoed Karam, Ambassador of Venezuela; H.E. Mr. Jorge Luis Jure Arnoletti, Ambassador of Uruguay; H.E. Mr. Pedro Barros Urzua, Ambassador of Chile; H.E. Mrs. Rida Mariette Aljure Salame, Ambassador of Colombia, in addition to a number of the USEK officials and students.

It is worth mentioning that the abovementioned series of lectures represented a mandatory course in the BA program for the ISSPA students. It aimed at making them aware of the political challenges of the XXI century, namely the development of Latin American countries. Indeed, the status of the Middle East at the beginning of the XXI century inevitably recalls that of Latin America following the end of the Spanish and Portuguese dominations, wherein the collapse of the empire gave birth to a series of independent countries, sharing the same language and culture. Therefore, approaching this continent through its foreign policy enabled the students to become acquainted with an increasingly dynamic policy with the Middle East.