The 2025 What Works Conference successfully wrapped up after three days of dynamic discussions, insightful sessions, and meaningful networking opportunities. Held from February 19-21 in Lima, Peru, the event brought together professionals, practitioners, and thought leaders from 12 countries, fostering collaboration and innovation in international and community development.

With a diverse range of session topics, attendees explored best practices, emerging trends, and actionable strategies across key focus areas. The conference featured expert-led workshops, engaging panel discussions, and hands-on learning experiences designed to equip participants with tools to drive positive change in their communities and organizations.

In addition to formal sessions, attendees took advantage of numerous opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and build partnerships, reinforcing the event’s reputation as a hub for global collaboration. The vibrant networking environment fostered meaningful dialogue and strengthened cross-border relationships, furthering the shared mission of advancing impactful solutions.

“What Works remains a key gathering for us to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and strengthen our network,” said John McPhail, President & CEO. “These in-person connections are invaluable—they allow us to build deeper relationships, generate new opportunities, and reaffirm our shared mission in ways that virtual interactions cannot fully replicate.”

To relive the highlights of the 2025 What Works Conference, attendees and those who could not join in person can view the official photo gallery here: https://www.partners.net/2025-what-works-conference-photo-gallery/

As the 2025 What Works Conference comes to a close, the spirit of collaboration and innovation continues. Stay connected with the community and look forward to future events dedicated to advancing the field of international and community development.

Feedback Wanted – Share Your Thoughts
Partners of the Americas encourages all – those who attended and those who could not attend – to provide their feedback to help shape future conferences. The feedback survey can be accessed here: https://wkf.ms/3QArQ5A

Don’t miss Partners of the Americas’ most anticipated event of the year!

Today marks the start of early bird registration for the 2025 What Works Conference, Partners of the Americas’ premier annual gathering for international and community development professionals and enthusiasts.

This year, the conference will be held from February 19-21, 2025, at the Sol de Oro Hotel & Suites in the heart of Lima’s vibrant Miraflores district, offering attendees an inspiring setting to connect, learn, and grow.

The three-day event will feature:

• Engaging discussions on critical topics in international and community development.
• Networking opportunities to build connections with professionals, leaders, and changemakers from across the Americas.
• Innovative ideas and resources to empower participants in their work and communities.

Attendees can now explore the exciting conference program and take advantage of discounted rates by registering early.

Early bird registration ends on January 7, 2025, so don’t delay! Premium members of Partners of the Americas receive additional savings, making this an ideal time to maximize your membership benefits while securing your spot at the year’s biggest event.

For more information and to register, visit the 2025 What Works Conference website.

Let’s make 2025 a year of collaboration, growth, and impact—see you in Lima!

Questions? Email the team at PartnersEvents@partners.net. Support is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Partners of the Americas announces the 2025 What Works Conference on “Peace and Development” from February 19-21, 2025 in Lima, Peru

Washington, DC – Partners of the Americas is pleased to announce its 2025 What Works Conference on theme of “Peace and Development” from February 19-21, 2025 in Lima, Peru. The conference will bring together leaders, practitioners, and innovators from across the Americas to share best practices and innovative approaches to creating lasting impact in local communities.

The 2025 What Works Conference will center its attention on empowering communities to assume a pivotal role in fostering sustainable solutions to their most pressing challenges, embodying the overarching theme of "peace and development." By showcasing successful models of locally led development and providing valuable tools and resources to fortify these initiatives, the conference aims to equip participants with the knowledge and insights needed to cultivate environments of peace and drive developmental progress. This collaborative platform will not only celebrate the resilience of communities but also enable attendees to forge new partnerships and craft innovative strategies for positive and lasting change, aligning with the conference's commitment to advancing both peace and development in the Americas.

The conference will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. Participants will have the chance to learn from experts in the field, share their own experiences and insights, and connect with a diverse network of peers and partners from across the Americas.

“As we prepare for the 2025 What Works Conference, we are inspired by the powerful synergy of 'peace and development,'" affirmed John McPhail, President & CEO of Partners of the Americas. "By spotlighting grassroots solutions and fostering collaboration, we aim to empower communities to shape their destinies. Together, we strive to create a shared future marked by resilience, innovation, and enduring partnerships across the Americas. The conference serves as a dynamic platform for exploring innovative approaches that not only address immediate challenges but also contribute to the sustainable development and lasting peace we envision for our diverse communities.”

Partners of the Americas has partnered with our local network in Peru (Peru Chapter, PartnersCampus Lambayeque, Texas Chapter, and Red Espaz Chiclayo) to assist in organizing and executing a successful conference. These partnerships will help ensure that the conference meets its objectives of bringing together leaders, practitioners, and innovators from across the Americas to share best practices and innovative approaches to creating lasting impact in local communities. Partners of the Americas is thankful to all the volunteers with these organizations and Chapters that form part of the Local Arrangements Team for their time, skills, and dedication to offering a memorable 2025 Conference experience for participants.

The call for proposals for sessions and workshops for the 2025 What Works Conference is now open until July 15. For more information and to submit your proposal, please visit the conference website at https://bit.ly/whatworks2025 or scan the QR code for more information.

Registration for the conference will open in November 2024.

Partners of the Americas connects people and organizations across borders to serve and to change lives through lasting partnerships. These partnerships create opportunity, foster understanding, and solve real-life problems. Inspired by President Kennedy and founded in 1964 under the Alliance for Progress, Partners of the Americas is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization with international offices in Washington, DC. Get involved at https://www.partners.net/ and https://members.partners.net/.

Recorded on February 16, 2024 | English & Spanish

Discover the voices shaping environmental activism in our latest webinar recording, "Youth Climate Activists," hosted by the Environment Community of Practice. Join Stephanie Gavilán, Ebelin Vilca Cahuana, and Daniel Zalazar as they advocate for tangible solutions to save Lake Titicaca.

As our planet grapples with environmental crises, these young leaders from Peru and Bolivia offer hope and actionable insights. Hear firsthand accounts of their advocacy, from demanding action against industrial pollution to addressing the impact of climate change on Lake Titicaca's ecosystem.

🌱 Join the Environment Community of Practice to continue the conversation and to stay informed about future events, connect with like-minded individuals, and contribute to collective efforts for environmental stewardship. Together, we can make a difference for our planet.

Note: You must be logged into your PartnersConnect account to join a Community of Practice.

Watch the recording now and be inspired to take action!

Click here to access the Recording

Interested in hosting a webinar? Learn more here.

View on-demand webinars by accessing the archive.

Partners of the Americas announces the 2023 What Works Conference on “Leading Locally Led Impact” from September 20-22, 2023 in Antigua, Guatemala

Washington, DC – Partners of the Americas is excited to announce its 2023 What Works Conference on theme of “Leading Locally Led Impact” from September 20-22, 2023 in Antigua, Guatemala. The conference will bring together leaders, practitioners, and innovators from across the Americas to share best practices and innovative approaches to creating lasting impact in local communities.

The 2023 What Works Conference will focus on empowering communities to take the lead in creating sustainable solutions to their most pressing challenges. By highlighting successful models of locally-led development and sharing tools and resources to support these efforts, the conference will enable participants to build new partnerships and strategies for change.

The conference will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. Participants will have the chance to learn from experts in the field, share their own experiences and insights, and connect with a diverse network of peers and partners from across the Americas.

“We are thrilled to bring together such a diverse group of leaders, members, and volunteers to explore new approaches to locally-led development,” said Partners of the Americas President & CEO, John McPhail. “By sharing our successes and challenges, we can learn from each other and build a stronger, more inclusive future for our communities.”

Partners of the Americas has partnered with the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) to assist in organizing and executing a successful conference. This partnership will help ensure that the conference meets its objectives of bringing together leaders, practitioners, and innovators from across the Americas to share best practices and innovative approaches to creating lasting impact in local communities. Through this collaboration, the conference will be able to leverage the expertise and resources of USAC to enhance the quality of the conference and provide a meaningful experience for all participants.

The call for proposals for sessions and workshops for the 2023 What Works Conference is now open until May 31. For more information and to submit your proposal, please visit the conference website at https://bit.ly/whatworks2023 or scan the QR code for more information.

Registration for the conference will open in June 2023.

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Partners of the Americas connects people and organizations across borders to serve and to change lives through lasting partnerships. These partnerships create opportunity, foster understanding, and solve real-life problems. Inspired by President Kennedy and founded in 1964 under the Alliance for Progress, Partners of the Americas is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization with international offices in Washington, DC. Get involved at www.partners.net and members.partners.net.

The Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) is the largest, most prestigious, and oldest public and autonomous university in Central America. Founded in 1676, it is the third university founded in the Americas. The Constitution of Guatemala grants it the power to direct, organize, and develop public higher education in the country, in addition to promoting research and university extension for the solution of national problems. It has 43 academic units: 10 Faculties, 10 Non-Faculty Schools, and 23 University Centers, which serve 232,931 students (undergraduate and graduate), in addition to seven Research Institutes and a Study Center for the teaching of foreign languages. www.usac.edu.gt

PartnersTalks: Meet the Mezcla - A Roundtable Discussion with Partners Staff

Wednesday, September 29, 2021 | 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET

Partners of the Americas is proud of our staff diversity and   the  organization’s Latin American cultural heritage. Join us for this roundtable discussion to meet and hear from some of Partners’ staff members  to learn about their experiences and celebrate Hispanic and Latino Heritage month together!

*This event is part of the PartnersIDEA initiative under the Heritage focus area.

Objectives

• Meet a variety of staff members of Hispanic and Latin American descent
• Gain an understanding of the diversity found within Partners of the Americas and how this diversity strengthens and contributes to Partners' vision and mission
• Encourage dialogue between peoples of different Hispanic and Latin American descent and other cultural and racial backgrounds
  

Panelists

• Abe Cisne, Director, Economic Development & Health - Partners of the Americas
• Ana González, Associate Director, Membership - Partners of the Americas
• Fadrique Iglesias, Director, Child Protection - Partners of the Americas
• Janira Romero, Associate Director, Economic Development & Health - Partners of the Americas

Moderator

• Juliana Araujo, Vice President, Education & Global Citizenship - Partners of the Americas

Language

This event was hosted in English.

PartnersTalks: Resiliency and Strength of Indigenous Women

Miercoles, Agosto 25, 2021 |11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET

Panelists

• Macarena Jiménez Granda, Directora de Proyectos, Paraguay Okakuaa - Partners of the Americas

En celebración del Día Internacional de las Poblaciones Indígenas del Mundo, se invito a la directora del proyecto Paraguay Okakuaa, Macarena Jiménez Granda, para hablar sobre sus experiencias y la resiliencia de las mujeres indígenas en Paraguay. El video adjunto es la grabación de este evento.

A través de las Americas, se encuentra mas que 54 millones de gente indígenas dentro de 49 países. Las Naciones Unidas ha declarado la próxima década, empezando en 2022-2032, la Década Internacional de Lenguajes Indígenas. Un estudio recién publicado ha encontrado que hay aproximadamente 881 lenguajes (SIL, 2021), sin embar2go 13 países han determinado que mas de 50% de sus idiomas indígenas están en peligro de desaparecer.

En adición a la conversación con Macarena, les hemos compartido un par de recursos para continuar su interés o trabajo en las comunidades indígenas. Adjunto se encuentra una GUÍA DE CONCEPTOS CLAVE PARA EL TRABAJO CON PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS y una GUÍA PARA DOCENTES DE EDUCACIÓN INDÍGENA: Estrategias Didácticas.

En los comentarios déjanos saber si tienen otros recursos para trabajar con las comunidades indígenas.

PartnersTalks: International Youth Volunteering

Thursday, August 12, 2021 | 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET

Volunteering and service is at the core of Partners of the Americas, helping to achieve the mission to connect people and organizations across and within borders to serve and change lives. Join Partners in an upcoming PartnersTalks roundtable to talk about the role of youth in society. Guest panelists will discuss how they see the role of youth in volunteerism as well as how and why we should engage more youth in volunteer activities.

Panelists

• Felipe Pinilla, Adviser, PartnersCampus Colegio Militar Antonio Nariño - Colegio Militar Antonio Nariño (Colombia)
• Paul Rivera, General Coordinator - Red Internacional de Estudiantes por la Paz (Peru)

Moderator

• Vander Finotti, Intern, Membership - Partners of the Americas

Language

This event was hosted in Spanish.

Transcripts

• English
• Español
• Português

PartnersTalks: Awareness & Voices of Disability Rights

Monday, July 26, 2021 | 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990, providing critical support to citizens throughout the country to require the government, businesses, organizations, and more to provide reasonable accommodations for those who need it. Join Partners of the Americas and special guests as we celebrate the anniversary and those in the community who have been advocates for so many, hear perspectives from those advocating for disability rights in international travel and exchanges, and learn how we all can be agents of positive change.

*This event is part of the PartnersIDEA initiative under the general diversity/inclusion category.

Objectives

Through participating in this PartnersTalks, attendees will:

• Gain a general understanding and overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Hear first-hand experiences about efforts to make international travel and exchange more inclusive
• Learn how to be an agent of change for disability awareness and rights

Panelists

• Susan Sygall, CEO & Co-Founder - MIUSA
• Johileny Merán, Program Coordinator - MIUSA
• Dana Shaw - Virginia Chapter of Partners of the Americas

Moderator

• Juliana Araujo, Vice President of Education & Global Citizenship - Partners of the Americas

Language

This event was hosted in English.

Panelists:

Panelists: