The Colleción Fortabat opened in Buenos Aires on October 22, with the landmark inauguration welcoming the public to view the private collection of Maria Amalian Lacroze de Fortabat in a 6,000-square meter building designed by architect Rafael Viñoly.
AS/COA President Susan Segal joined Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Representative Mike Honda (D-CA) as they introduced the Strengthening Communities through Education and Integration Act, a bill designed to help immigrant communities become a more integral part of the American fabric and maximize their social and economic contributions.
In May 2008 Jorge J. Vega Iracelay made history when he became the first Latin-American attorney to be awarded Microsoft Corporation’s Professional Excellence Award as the best “Attorney 2008.
AS/COA Director of Policy Jason Marczak asks "Yahoo! Respuestas" users how they believe the U.S. primary process could be changed to boost voter participation. Through a partnership with Yahoo, contributers to Americas Quarterly and News & Views regularly pose questions related to policy in the Western Hemisphere.
On December 16 CSPAN2's Book TV broadcasted the AS/COA-hosted book launch of Ex Mex: From Migrants to Immigrants by Jorge Castañeda. As a former Mexican foreign affairs minister, Castañeda played a firsthand role in attempts at immigration reform. The event featured a panel discussion analyzing current debate over U.S.-Mexican immigration.
The U.S. Senate passed the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement December 4 by an overwhelming majority of 77-18. The Senate’s approval , along with the House of Representative’s strong vote last month, signals Congress' committment to providing a fair and favorable business climate that will provide jobs and economic growth in both countries.
On November 30, AS/COA welcomed former Presidents José Sarney and Alejandro Toledo at the annual Latin America Conference. Panels focused on promoting social and economic development in the Americas as well as Venezuela's vote on constitutional reform.