CAF and Universidad del Desarrollo launch President Sebastián Piñera Chair to promote democracy and public leadership

With the presence of the President of the Republic, José Antonio Kast, the President Sebastián Piñera Chair was launched this Thursday, an initiative promoted by the Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD) in alliance with CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, which seeks to promote the strengthening of democracy, public leadership and emergency management in the region.

The ceremony took place in the Aula Magna of the UDD and was attended by the former First Lady Cecilia Morel; the executive vice-president of the President Sebastián Piñera Echenique Foundation, Magdalena Piñera Morel; the Executive President of CAF, Sergio Diaz-Granados; national and international authorities, former presidents and representatives of the political, academic and public world.

During the activity, President José Antonio Kast highlighted the legacy of former President Sebastián Piñera and his contribution to the country: "We did not always share or were so close with President Piñera, but those differences never prevented us from recognizing something essential: that we both conceive public service as a form of commitment and love for Chile. My presence here is not a mere act of protocol, but a profound testimony of respect for someone who always put Chile ahead of any other interest".

Likewise, the President highlighted the importance of resuming the country's development path, assuring that "if we do things right, we can recover the development and growth that President Piñera sowed".

Sergio Díaz-Granados, for his part, explained the focus of the academic event: "This chair is a regional space for reflection and cooperation on strategic issues for development (...) We are going to talk about the defense and strengthening of democracy, but also about the management and handling of emergencies in Latin America and the Caribbean", he added.

The rector of the Universidad del Desarrollo, Federico Valdés, emphasized that in the university environment a chair is much more than just a course. It is also a permanent space dedicated to reflection, research and training on ideas that are key to the development of society.

The Chair seeks to become a platform for analysis and dialogue on the main institutional challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean, addressing issues such as democratic governance, international cooperation and crisis management.