IX Summit of the Americas

The USA for IOM Team is proud to be participating at the 2022 IX Summit of the Americas, where the largest gathering of leaders throughout the Americas will meet in Los Angeles California to chart a path forward for a sustainable, resilient and equitable future.

The Summit of the Americas is an extraordinary opportunity to galvanize attention and mobilize international action and official stakeholder forums are a critical mechanism to ensuring action and accountability. 

Below you will find a list of events where IOM and USA for IOM are participating during this week. Join us through the live transmissions as we bring visibility to our work in the region and highlight the potential of migrant communities to promote economic resilience and social cohesion in host communities.

12:30pm US Eastern Time

9:30am US Pacific Time

Maria Moreno, CEO of USA for IOM will moderate the Civil Society Forum (1 of the 3 official Summit side events). The forum will (a) foster dialogue between Civil Society, Social Actors, and High-Level Government Representatives, (b) establish partnerships with other organizations and actors, and (c) provide a space for Civil Society representatives to present their projects related to the thematic pillars of the IX Summit, helping to showcase their work and efforts and share good practices. The panelists include:

  1. – Maria Angélica Montesinos Licona, Programs Coordinator, Asylum Access Mexico
  2. – Cynthia Juárez Lange, Senior Counsel at Fragomen, Latter-day Saint Charities
  3. – Angelica Salas, Executive Director, CHIRLA: largest US immigrant rights organization
  4. – Leo Martellotto, President, Junior Achievement Americas

Dr. Eduardo Stain, Joint Special Representative of UNHCR and IOM for Venezuelan refugees and migrants will participate in this event that will focus on the critical need for successful integration of Venezuelans in Colombia, Ecuador, and the rest of the region.

The discussion will address some of the ongoing implementation challenges, barriers that limit integration, and the critical roles that the public and private sectors can play in delivering solutions and ensuring the success of these bold government initiatives. Speakers will emphasize opportunities and challenges for refugee employment and entrepreneurship, both vital paths to economic self-sufficiency.

4:30pm US Eastern Time

1:30pm US Pacific Time

5:30pm US Eastern Time

2:30pm US Pacific Time

At the request of Michele Klein-Solomon, Regional Director for Central America, North America and the Caribbean; Maria Moreno, CEO of USA for IOM will participate as a panelist in one of the concurrent sessions of the Second Interreligious Forum of the Americas.  

Moderator: 

  1. – Cynthia Juarez Lange, Representative to the Organization of America States (OAS), International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), Brigham Young University (BYU) 

Panelists: 

  1. – Marisa Limon Garza, Senior Director for Advocacy and Programming, Hope Border Institute 
  2. – Sonia Garcia, President, Latina Muslim Foundation 
  3. – Francisco Moreno, Executive Director, Council of Mexican Federations in North America (COFEM) 
  4. – Maria G. Moreno, CEO, USA for IOM – UN Migration.

IOM Director General’s Special Envoy for the Regional Response to the Venezuela Situation, Diego Beltrand, will be participating in this side event  that brings together government representatives, international organizations, civil society groups, and academia in order to:

  1. – Discuss tools and concrete actions related to regional governance of migration and international protection and identify areas of opportunity for more holistic and coordinated work.
  2. – Highlight the importance of strengthening regional governance on migration and international protection, in conjunction with the agreements reached during the Summit of the Americas, in particular the Los Angeles Declaration.
  3. – Share good practices and lessons learned on addressing the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement and humane migration management, using an approach that involves all segments of society.
  4. – Review the role of different regional response mechanisms related to migration and forced displacement and the importance of coordinating activities in light of the agreements of the Summit of the Americas.

12:00pm US Eastern Time

9:00am US Pacific Time

At the Young Americas Forum, hosted by the Young Americas Business Trust, USA for IOM will be presenting our flagship Citi Foundation project that begins with a keynote address by Director General of IOM, Antonio Vitorino. The presentation will generate a space for discussion and exchange of perspectives on the potential of the migrant community to accelerate local economies through entrepreneurship, especially contributing to inclusive economic recovery efforts. This engagement will also foster future collaboration to support livelihoods and advance local development and effective integration at both national and local levels with key stakeholders including government representatives, the private sector, civil society, employment agencies, public employment services, employers’ and workers’ organizations, media representatives, opinion leaders and influencers, and refugee and migrant-led organizations. After the Director Generals keynote address, the following panelists will deliver thematic presentations:

  1. – Keynote address by Director General Antonio Vitorino, International Organization for Migration, IOM
  2. – Representative, Citi Foundation
  3. – Maria Moreno, CEO of USA for IOM
  4. – Jorge Partidas, CEO Movigy and USA for IOM IAC Advisor
  5. – Nora Rodriguez, CEO, Architects of Happiness
  6. – Edgar Maestre, Program Director at Young Americas Business Trust

Thursday June 9th

6:00pm US Eastern Time

3:00pm US Pacific Time

IOM’s Regional Office for Central and North America and the Caribbean, Michele Klein-Solomon will moderate one panel at this event that will take place in the framework of the signing of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migrants and Protection at the Summit of the Americas. The discussion will explore current approaches to the integration of migrants and refugees in the Americas and will include the participation of government representatives from official delegations to the summit, as well as intergovernmental organizations, think tanks, migrants and refugees.

1:00pm US Eastern Time

10:00am US Pacific Time