The Grupo Vidanta Awards: democracy, poverty, and inequality.

• Author: Villamil, Ney
• Position: INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM

On October 14, 2010, the Grupo Vidanta Foundation, in collaboration with the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), gave out its first Grupo Vidanta Foundation Prizes for: "Contributions to the Reduction of Inequality and Poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean."

The awards recognize and support outstanding work in the development of knowledge and capacity and in increasing awareness, influencing public policy, and mobilizing public opinion to contribute effectively to the reduction of poverty, inequality, and discrimination in Latin America and the Caribbean.

These awards highlight the Vidanta Foundation's policy of philanthropy, which seeks to promote humanitarian values and solidarity in the population in general and to strengthen corporate social responsibility.

These annual awards, given to citizens or legally constituted organizations of the Americas, Andorra, Spain, and Portugal, were created in September 2009 and given out for the first time in October 2010. The award winners were the Mundo Mujer Foundation of Colombia, "Un Techo para Chile" in Chile, and "Comunidades de la Tierra" in Guatemala for their valuable work in reducing poverty and inequality in Latin America.

Representatives from the Mundo Mujer Foundation received a first place award of US$100,000; Un Techo para Chile won the second place award of $75,000; and Comunidades de la Tierra won the third place award of $50,000.

The jury was made up of Ernesto Zedillo, the former President of Mexico; César Gaviria, former President of Colombia; Billie Miller, the former VicePrime Minister of Barbados; Carmelo Angulo, a former ambassador of Spain in Mexico; and Luis Maira, a Chilean diplomat. In accordance with selection guidelines, the jury considered criteria such as innovation, in both concept and implementation; measurable impact in terms of results and benefits; the continuity of the work; transferability to other places; and environmental sustainability.

The 2010 prizes were awarded on October 14 in a ceremony at the National Museum of Anthropology and History in Mexico City. In addition to OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza and Ibero-American Secretary General, Enrique V. Iglesias, distinguished guests included Ricardo Lagos, former president of Chile, and Julio María Sanguinetti, former president of Uruguay. Secretary General Insulza emphasized the important work of the award winning organizations and their...