The Founder of the WEF, Klaus Schwab, stressed that this time the meeting registered a record in the number of attendees, from 42 countries in Cartagena. He also said that during the Latin American Forum, there will be discussions about inequity and democracy in the region.

Cartagena, Apr 6 (SP). At the opening of the World Economic Forum of Latin America, in the city of Cartagena, the President and Founder of that event, Klaus Schwab, declared that it was “a right choice to come here, because we have a record in the number of attendees, which shows an special interest in Colombia and in Latin America in general, but specially in Colombia”.

Schwab pointed out that “the attendees from 42 countries, who are here, are the best witnesses of that tendency and the confidence gained by the country”.

The German businessmen and economist said that Latin America and the World Economic Forum have a history of cooperation for more than 35 years and that is why the meetings have been hold in big countries such as Brazil and México. He said that now is the time for Colombia, which he considered as “the best decision we could have taken”

In addition, professor Schwab declared that the challenges and commitments that Latin America has to face must be remembered and studied at the Forum.

He pointed out that some of the subjects that are going to be analyzed in the Forum are inequity, governability and democracy, among other regional subjects.

The President of the Forum stated that this event is not only a meeting between governments and business leaders, but also an organization with different objectives.
“Here we can see integration. Besides politicians, business leaders and important business persons, there are NGO’s representatives, religious leaders, young leaders. I think that the social business spirit is very important for Latin America”, Schwab said.

He also said that despite the complexity of the organization of the Forum, it is a space designed to help all the actors of economy to understand Latin America and Colombia, in a systemic way.

“We can not forget that we got out of a crisis and that this crisis has really fragmented the confidence of the people in their own future”, he said.

Schwab explained that Latin America is going out of the crisis, and that is why the region is today a part of the solution for the world’s economy.