Launching of the 20th Anniversary of the
International Year of the Family in Argentina
| Organized and hosted by Centro Walmart Conciliación Familia y Empresa (CONFyE – Walmart Center for Work Family Balance) of IAE Business School, Austral University and the International Federation for Family Development, the launching of the 20th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family in Argentina was marked by a full two-and-a-half day schedule with activities and meetings that were designed to reach all levels of Argentine society, including primary and university level education, politics, non-governmental and civil organizations, private enterprise, etc. The main invitees included Renata Kaczmarska, Focal Point on the Family United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and Ignacio Socías, Director General of The Family Watch and Director of International Relations of IFFD. The agenda was organized by CONFyE under the direction of Patricia Debeljuh and her team.
Walmart Center for Work Family Balance (Spanish) … |
| The main conference took place the night of the 27th in the ‘Salón Azul’ (Blue Room) of the Argentine Senate, a beautiful backdrop for this important event. Approximately 300 people attended and it was also retransmitted, via streaming, to cities in the interior of Argentina, as well as to other countries in the region. Other invited speakers included Senator Blanca Monllau (Corrientes), Ignacio Socías, Abel Albino (a medical doctor and founder of the Conin Foundation) and Patricia Debeljuh. The event was moderated by Guillermo Fraile of IAE Business School and IFFD. |
| Presentation of Mrs. Kaczmarska (Spanish)… Presentation of Mr. Socías (Spanish) … |
| With journalists, policy-makers and NGO representatives Previously, on the 26th, Mrs. Kaczmarska was met by journalists, including Diana Fernandez Irusta, the sub-director of the supplemental magazine ‘Enfoques’ (Focus), published every Sunday by the premier Argentina newspaper ‘La Nación’ (The Nation), María Amalia Caballero, the director of a national family-focused magazine called ‘Sembrar Valores’ (Inspire Values), and Patricia Lafratti, a radio journalist who is among the top corporate social responsibility correspondents in Argentina and who recorded an interview with Mrs. Kaczmarska to be broadcasted on FM Palermo, ‘Area Responsible’ (Responsible Area). The 20th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family was also covered more broadly by several other outlets. |
On the 27th March 2014, Mrs. Kaczmarska and Mr. Socías began the day by visiting a private school called ‘Buen Consejo’ (Good Advice) located in a poor neighborhood (‘villa’) that offers quality education and scholarships to girls from families in extreme poverty. There they were able to meet administrators, parents, and students. From there, they visited Buenos Aires’ Social Development Ministry, where they were met by the Minister Carolina Stanley and the Congresswoman Gladys Gonzalez and sustained an hour-long conversation about the development work that the local government is doing and its impact on Buenos Aires’ families. From there, CONFyE hosted a round-table meeting with a select group of politicians from various parties and locations who were invited to share their experiences in supporting the family within Argentine politics. ‘Fundación Padres’ (Parents Foundation) hosted a lunch for the 20 NGOs that supported the dissemination of the main conference in the Argentine Senate through social media and with their contacts. These NGOs support family with a variety of initiatives and approaches.
After the main event in the Senate, Mrs. Kaczmarska was invited to dinner at a private home, along with the conference speakers, the Buenos Aires Educational Minister, Esteban Bullrich, and his wife and a leading Argentina journalist, Guillermo Andino, and his wife.
With company managers and academics
On the 28th, all activities took place on the IAE Business School, Austral University campus, located about 50km north of downtown Buenos Aires. There, CONFyE hosted a meeting with Club IFREI, an international network of companies that are committed to promoting flexible and family-friendly policies that go beyond legal requirements. Mrs. Kaczmarska and Mr. Socías were invited to speak about the 20th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family and encouraged companies to incorporate the celebration in their activity, as well as participated in a question and answer session.
Three companies were selected to present initiatives that correspond to the three objectives set by the UN for this anniversary year: Rode, a construction company, presented their policy of providing educational scholarships for their employees’ children, Hewlett Packard presented flexibility policies that they have implemented to support the care of children and dependent adults, and Walmart Argentina presented their policies that supports mother and fatherhood, promoting work-family balance. In addition, Mrs. Kaczmarska recorded video clips for promotional videos that CONFyE and Club IFREI are currently filming. She offered an additional video greeting to IAE Alumni that will have their annual reunion on the 15th of May, the International Day of the Family.
From there, Mrs. Kaczmarska and Mr. Socías were invited to a lunch with Fernando Fragueiro, Austral University Rector, Victoria Gorleri, a Buenos Aires Legislator and member of the Buenos Aires’ Women’s Commission and other University professors. Afterwards, Austral University’s Institute for the Family organized a conference with several academics who work on family-focused issues and Mrs. Kaczmarska, along with Patricia Debeljuh and Ignacio Socías, participated in an open question and answer session. At night, they were invited to a dinner at a private home, along with the leading couples of the International Federation for the Family in Argentina.
During the staying, Ignacio Socías was also able to hold private meetings with different Civil Society representatives, including some of the NGOs already mentioned.
Gallery
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