Gold Insigne Award Dinner: Alan García, President of Peru

Americas Society presented Alan García with the Gold Insigne, the organization’s highest honor, in recognition of his extraordinary accomplishments as president of Peru. In opening remarks, AS/COA Chairman John Negroponte noted that, since García became president in 2006, “Peru has become an example for the region to follow. You have shown that it’s possible to have economic growth, prosperity, and a social conscience.” The president accepted the Gold Insigne and remarked that it was the first award he was willing to receive during his tenure because of “its enormous significance” and Peru’s connection with the Americas Society. “Peru is evidence of the successes that Americas Society works for,” he said. “The values you defend are the values by which countries can move forward toward prosperity, justice, and equality.”

In his acceptance speech, García described U.S.-Peruvian relations during his administration and stressed the importance of implementing the bilateral trade accord in December 2007. “These have been years of wonderful learning, and of learning through relations with the United States,” said García, who noted that he worked with Democrats and Republicans to include environmental and labor laws in the free-trade agreements and considered Franklin D. Roosevelt a model historical leader.

“A country in development needs, above all, infrastructure and job creation,” said García, who outlined his country’s economic progress and work to eradicate poverty. To achieve such goals, Peru pursued private investment. García said his country holds the world record in poverty reduction, having seen the number of poor Peruvians drop from 48 percent when he took office to what he expects to be 30 percent when he steps down. GDP growth, meanwhile, has approached figures nearing 7 percent. “I want to tell you that this is not going to be a lost opportunity,” he said in closing. “We are going to keep growing quickly and overcome poverty. This is what we agreed on in this house.”

Prior to the award dinner, President García toured the Americas Society’s gallery to view Art and Myth in Ancient Peru: History of the Jequetepeque Valley. This exhibition, organized by the Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI) presents an important selection of pre-Columbian objects that span from the time of the Cupisnique Culture to the Inca conquest. The pieces exhibited were produced in the Jequetepeque Valley of Peru over a period of more than 3,000 years. Together, they provide an overview of the valley’s development over time and bring new meaning to the pieces by focusing on the region, contributing important and innovative scholarship on the subject.