December 2013 Nicolas Carter Brings Minnesota’s Acclaimed Neighborhood Bridges Program to Uruguay It all started with a travel grant from the Education & Culture program at Partners of the Americas, funded by the U.S. Department of State. Nicolas Carter, the talented theater artist/musician/educator from Minneapolis, heard about the work of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners and attended one of our chapter meetings in Saint Paul in early 2012. Nicolas brought an idea to introduce the Children’s Theater Company’s acclaimed Neighborhood Bridges program to Uruguay. Within six months he was on the ground in Montevideo, meeting with counterpart Partners members and later with educators around the country. That two-week visit expanded into a Fulbright grant that allowed him to spend nearly a year working with children in schools there. A truly inspiring video about Nicolas Carter's work in Uruguay over the past year has been released to the public.
Daniel Tomasini and Beatriz Tobler Unveil New Public Art in Whittier Neighborhood Hosted by chapter member Mark Knierim, two leading Uruguayan artists, Daniel Tomasini and Beatriz Tobler, unveiled a new public work of art in Minneapolis’ Whittier neighborhood on November 4. The pair spent two weeks at the University of Minnesota meeting with students, faculty and other artists that they enlisted to help with the project. The work, entitled "Homage to the International Neighborhood,” can be seen at the Artist Quarter Lofts parking ramp (outside) on 26th Street, one block East of Nicollet. Thank you, Daniel and Beatriz, for making Minnesota a more beautiful and culturally rich place to live and visit.
December 2013 Visiting Uruguayans, in Minnesota for Twin Cities Marathon, Discuss Health Collaboration with Partners Drs. Pankaj and Kalpna Gupta, two volunteers with Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, hosted a dinner in their home earlier in October for two visitors from Uruguay who were here for the Twin Cities Marathon, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the country.
Uruguay Museum Leader Carlos Ortiz Visits Minnesota, Participates in Weisman Program Carlos Ortiz, the curator of the Museo Blanes in Montevideo, Uruguay, was in Minnesota in August on a Partners of the Americas grant to participate in the Artful Writing program, an innovative initiative of the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Oscar Quiñones a cardiovascular surgeon at the Instituto Cardiología Infantil (Pediatric Cardiology Institute) in Montevideo, Uruguay, was in Minnesota for several days along with his wife, Sara Costa, a diabetic who had been invited to participate as an international runner in the Medtronic-sponsored Marathon on October 6. The group gathered for dinner in the home of the Guptas the night before the marathon, and then met up after the big event at Woodfire Grill. In addition to the Guptas, chapter members Marcos Villanueva, Natalia Dorf Biderman and Tim Tripp welcomed the pair to Minnesota. Carlos Ortiz
The program addresses an important gap in traditional artist training and helps prepare participants for successful careers. Carlos met with area museum professionals to learn about best practices. Co- teachers Jamee Yung, museum educator for the Weisman Art Museum, and Stephanie Rollag, PhD student from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and a Teacher Consultant for the Minnesota Writing Project, worked with Carlos throughout his visit, among many other volunteers. Sara Costa and Oscar Quiñones
Lyndel King, the director and curator of the Weisman who had traveled to Montevideo earlier this year to carry out a highly successful museum branding workshop, hosted a wonderful reception in her home for the group and chapter members.
December 2013 The Passing of Bruce McManus Bruce McManus, the leader of social justice projects at Minnesota-Uruguay Partners for the past eight years, passed away on August 30 after complications from heart surgery. His work and achievements changed the lives of many people in both Uruguay and Minnesota. The policies and systems he helped put in place will continue to do so for years to come. Bruce spearheaded the chapter’s successful prisonreform project with counterparts in Uruguay from 2006 through their most recent visit to South America this summer, 2013, just weeks before his passing.
incarceration and recidivism. And Bruce never let the Minnesota officials in these meetings forget that they had things to learn from the visiting Uruguayans, who shared similar challenges. Dozens of travelers exchanged expertise under Bruce’s guidance in professional areas ranging from prison management, social services, psychology, drug prevention and treatment, the judiciary and others. The pilot community supervision office took hold and is now in full force. In August, Bruce, Connie and Diane Levendusky went to Uruguay to participate in an international meeting aimed at sharing that successful Uruguayan experience with prison officials from across Latin America.
The act of volunteering means different things for different people—for some it’s helping a neighbor, for others its donating goods or resources. For Bruce and his work with Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, it meant change—if you change policies or a system that isn’t working, the benefits will expand exponentially, far beyond the individual level. When Bishop Luis del Castillo came to our chapter in 2005 and asked the late chapter member Dick Erickson to help “do something” to help improve the state of Uruguay’s prisons, Bruce was among the first people he enlisted. Their approach was to invite Uruguayans to Minnesota to see what is done here, and then to ask what they would like to do next. The project must be led by the needs and interests of Uruguayans, Bruce insisted. After touring the state for two weeks and being presented with a menu of options, the visiting delegation chose perhaps the hardest thing to do— parole and community supervision, which requires several branches and institutions to work together. Yet this group saw that this particular reform held the most rewards. Prisoners could be reintegrated into society more productively under supervision, saving the government the relatively high cost of
Uruguay-Minnesota Partners chapter member Gabriela Fulco, Interior Minister Eduardo Bonomi and Bruce McManus in 2012 (L-R).
Bruce is survived by his wife, Connie Roehrich, a board director of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners; children William, Stephen, Robert, Marianne Koepfer and Esperanza; grandchildren Patrick, Katherine, Enrique, Carlos and Danu. Bruce was a graduate of Carleton College, a US Coast Guard veteran, the Warden of the Minnesota Correctional Facility at Stillwater, the Deputy Commissioner of the MN Department of Corrections. We were honored that the family named MinnesotaUruguay Partners among the charities for memorials.
December 2013 Inspired by President Kennedy and founded in 1964 under the Alliance for Progress, Partners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization with international offices in Washington, DC. Partners of the Americas’ purpose is captured in our name: we build partnerships that create opportunity, foster understanding, and solve real-life problems. The Partners network is comprised of volunteers and development professionals who are committed to serving others. Our partnerships are built around the core structure of chapters in countries and states that form north/south partnerships. In addition, we form inter-institutional partnerships between northern and southern universities, development agencies and civic organizations. Members of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners elect the chapter’s Board of Directors and may serve on committees. The Board of Directors elects its own officers and meets a minimum of six times per year. All members are welcome to attend board meetings. MINNESOTA-URUGUAY PARTNERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS Directors for 2012-2013
Directors for 2013-2014
Officers for 2013
Honorary Members
Audrey Arner Brian Crooker Hector Garcia Diane Katsiaficas Arne Kildegaard David Kremer Gerard Lagos Patrick Moore Rob Scarlett
Kati Mae Duesler Julie Ketterling Mark Knierim Mandy Mattke Tom Olson Connie Roehrich Brendan Stermer Sarah Trembley
Rob Scarlett, President Gerard Lagos, Treasurer Mandy Mattke, President-elect Kati Mae Duesler, Secretary
David Pace Clifford Whitehill
The Historian’s Corner By Gary Kuhn, Chapter Historian
The Tango is Uruguayan Patrimony On a September Saturday in 1995, an event called the “Patrimonio,” aimed at conservation of historic buildings, was held in Montevideo. Successful and in future years expanded to a two-day weekend, the Patrimonio has become a major civic event.
Advisory Committee Darlene Diesch Stan Diesch
Many of those historic buildings now contain small museums devoted to historical, artistic and other heritage topics. Shuttle buses carry people to and from a great variety of “open house” displays. The Patrimonio has spread to some degree to other cities, beyond the rich variety of national institutions within the capital. Without restricting free access, a particular theme is featured each year. The nineteenth Patrimonio has honored the tango. This was a centennial: the first recognized tango, La Cumparsita, was performed in Montevideo in 1913. Carlos Gardel was the most celebrated vocal performer of the subsequent era, until his death in 1935. Argentina shares the tango legacy (and also claims Gardel as a son). A Mundial/World Championship competition was recently held in Buenos Aires. The dance is universal. Finland is one country full of enthusiastic adepts! History is conserved by the Patrimonio. Could we in Minnesota do something similar? Perhaps fundraising could be helped by a free tour weekend. Or is our culture more confined within large institutions; the Patrimonio is varied and decentralized, and Montevideo is rather compact.
Photo: Eduardo Luzardo
Now sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Culture each Spring (late September or early October), the Patrimonio provides a broad focus on popular history.
December 2013 DUES RENEWAL AND MEMBERSHIP FORM To join Minnesota-Uruguay Partners or renew your dues, please complete this form and mail it with a check payable to: Minnesota-Uruguay Partners of the Americas PO Box 24042, Minneapolis, MN 55424-0042 or Pay dues with a credit card through http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Minnesota-Uruguay-Partners-Of-The-Americas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ______New _____Renewing ______________________________________ Name
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______________________________________ Address ______________________________________ City State Zip __________________________________ Work telephone with area code __________________________________ Home telephone with area code __________________________________ E-mail address __________________________________ Occupation and Title Please indicate your area(s) of interest: _____Agriculture _____Architecture and Housing _____Arts & Culture _____Visual arts _____Performing arts _____Business & Economic Development _____Education _____Elementary/Secondary Education _____Higher Education _____Emergency Preparedness _____Judicial Reform _____Natural Resources/Environment
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Special Appeal Donations: If you wish to donate to Minnesota-Uruguay Partners Opportunity Fund, please send a separate check, payable to Minnesota Partners, address above. $ Donations are 501c3 tax deductible.
December 2013
MINNESOTA-URUGUAY PARTNERS
Officers President Rob Scarlett President-Elect Mandy Mattke Treasurer Gerard Lagos Secretary Kati Mae Duesler Co-Chairs for Membership Development Patrick Moore and Sarah Trembley Chapter Historian Gary Kuhn
Program committees organize and lead projects sponsored by Minnesota-Uruguay Partners. Committees and subject areas include event and international visits and coordination; agriculture and veterinary medicine; architecture, arts and culture; business and economic development; education, recreation, environment and natural resources; and health, judicial systems, and populations at risk. Depending on subject area, financial support for travelers from Minnesota to Uruguay and vice versa is available from several sources, including the Education and Culture Program, funded by the United States Department of State, and administered by Partners of the Americas in Washington D.C. Minnesota Partners also supports travelers through its Opportunity Fund. Travelers volunteer their time, and recipient chapters provide home stays and local arrangements to carry out the traveler’s work plan. For more information, contact our volunteers through the Minnesota-Uruguay Partners web site or the Partners of the Americas web site. Minnesota-Uruguay Partners: http://www.minnesotauruguaypartners.org/ Partners of the Americas: http://www.partners.net