The forum will feature presentations by the five Latin Americans among the six candidates to lead the international organization.

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Ecuadorian Maria Fernanda Espinosa (former Foreign Minister and former Defense Minister), and Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, who, among other responsibilities, served as Secretary General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat, will speak in person.

Argentine Rafael Mariano Grossi, former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, will participate virtually.

The event is convened by the Uruguayan government, which holds the pro tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), along with the GQUAL Campaign and the Center for International Strategic Thought (CEPEI).

The candidates will present their visions for the future of the UN and the role of Latin America and the Caribbean in the global agenda.

The regional dialogue is taking place amid the ongoing process to select the next UN Secretary-General, which will soon enter the deliberation phase and culminate in a recommendation to the General Assembly, responsible for appointing the successor to current UN chief Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on January 1, 2027.

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