The Vidanta Foundation Champions the Common Good in Latin America and Beyond

Daniel Chávez Morán,founder of the resort developer and real estate conglomerate Grupo Vidanta,started theVidanta Foundationin 2005 topromote “ideas and projects for the common good,” specifically “social sciences and democratic values in Latin America.” The foundation’sobjectives are to strengthen humanitarian and democratic values and civic participation in the general population, support initiatives to reduce poverty and inequality in Latin America,promotepublic policies thatstrengthen democracy andfostereconomic and social development in Latin America, and also promote studies on Latin American international relations and corporate social responsibility.

One of the many ways the foundation accomplishestheir goals is throughthe Vidanta Foundation Award, which supports outstanding achievements in the areas outlined by its parentfoundation. The award is a joint initiative between Grupo Vidanta, the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), and the Organization of American States (OAS). A panel of experts judge the contestantsbased on their projects’ conceptual innovation, measurable influence, replicability, continuity, and environmental sustainability. The five prizes range from $25,000 to $100,000 USD. Previous first-prize winners include the Instituto de Liderazgo Simone de Beauvoir of Mexico, which focuses on maternal health and criminal justice reform; Cinco Panes y DosPeces, which serves underdeveloped communities in five Mexican states;and Una Brisa de Esperanza, which addresses sexual violence against children and adolescents.

In addition to the Vidanta Foundation Award, the Vidanta Foundation/Wilson Center Fellowship (aka, the Woodrow Wilson Center/Vidanta Foundation Scholarship) ismade possibleby the combined generosity of the Vidanta Foundation and the Wilson Centerin Washington, DC. Designed to foster “Sustainable Tourism Development in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the fourto six-month research fellowship begins annually in September and is hosted by the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC.Applicants must be citizens currently residing in aLatin American or Caribbean region, in order to be eligible for the residency. The first winner of the award in 2017 was the Wilson Center’s Executive Editor, Santiago Gutiérrez, whose six-month research project focused on innovation and productivity in the region, with an emphasis on the role of multi-latinas—i.e., Latin American companies that have outgrown their home markets and become multinational. The inaugural fellowship also marked the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Wilson Center’s Latin American Program, which brings scholarship to bear on public policies in governance, security,and inclusive development throughout the region.

The Vidanta Foundation’s current humanitarian efforts compose a portfolioof ongoing projects.The foundation seeks to foster humanitarian values and solidarity among the population in general, galvanizing public policy while also promoting corporate philanthropy and social responsibility. These include Asia and Latin America in the New Century, Contemporary Inter-American Relations, The Construction of Democratic Governance in Latin America, The Future of Labor in Mexico, the Latin American Council for International Relations (RIAL Council), The Social Agenda and Foreign Relations of Mexico and others. Each project provides a unique perspective on the diverse range of issues facing Latin America and its relationship to other parts of the world, bringing together experts and leaders in government, economics, labor, welfare, and social change.

Last fall, the Vidanta Foundation was one of two Diamond Sponsorsof The Dialogue’s fourth annual Leadership for the Americans Awards Gala on Monday, October 29, 2018. The elegantceremony and dinner were hosted to honor the achievements of Grupo Bimbo’s Chairman and CEO, Daniel Servitje, for “Corporate Social Responsibility”; ComunidadMujer Cofounder and Fundación Colunga President, Esperanza Cueto, for “Women’s Rights and Empowerment,” and presidential inaugural poet, Richard Blanco, for “Outstanding Cultural Contributions.” Each year, the event provides an opportunity for global leaders to converge, address, and discuss the most pressing issues facing Latin America.

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