Join us on Feb 2 for a seminar on visas for foreign investors

Minnesota-Uruguay Partners is pleased to co-sponsor a seminar exploring how the EB-5 visa program can help serve both foreign investors and Minnesota companies.

The seminar, which is being organized by the American-Israel chamber of commerce and numerous supporting organizations, will take place on February 2 in Minneapolis.

A Seminar on the EB-5 Visa Program
Thursday, February 2, 2012
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Doubletree Hotel (near I-394 and MN 100)
1500 Park Place Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55416
Cost: $15, payable via check at the door to the American Israel Chamber of MN

The discussion promises to highlight ways to mobilize investment capital for the benefit of entrepreneurs across borders. Featured speakers include Robert Aronson, Laura Danielson, George Maxwell and Eric Wille, all top experts in the field.

Moore family video II

Quick update! The Moore Family's fun video about Montevideo has gone viral in Uruguay, with more than 30,000 hits thus far. It's been picked up by El Observador, a national paper, and Anna Moore has done a television interview over skype about the video, Patrick informs us. The West Central Tribune picked up the story, as did LaRed21, a site in Uruguay. Congratulations all!

Fun video from the Moore Family about Montevideo

The Moore Family made a fun video about Montevideo this weekend to share with friends in Uruguay. Looks great everyone!

Member produces album on the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings label

This just in... José Curbelo, a member of Minnesota Uruguay Partners, has co-produced the latest album release on the Smithsonian Institution's Smithsonian Folkways Recordings label.

"Los Gauchos de Roldán: Button Accordion and Bandoneón Music from Northern Uruguay," will be released in the United States on Jan. 31, 2012.

Congratulations José!

Listen to "Como mi suegra" (Like My Mother-in-Law)
Watch a mini-documentary about Los Gauchos de Roldán

Criminal justice reform project wins international award

The ambitious criminal justice reform project organized by the Uruguay and Minnesota chapters of Partners, now in its fifth year, won the "It All Started With A Travel Grant" award last month at the group's convention in Medellin, Colombia.

This award was presented to both the Minnesota and Uruguay chapters in a competitive contest that featured applications submitted from across the Americas.

Congratulations are very much in order to Gabriela Fulco and her team in Uruguay, and to Bruce McManus and his team in Minnesota.

You can read more about Bruce (pictured above on the left along with Erik Brand, chapter president) and the successful project on our website at http://minnesotauruguaypartners.org/poa_profiles.html.

Thank you for joining us!

We were delighted to see so many volunteers and members at the annual member meeting on Monday.

The responses to the presentations were overwhelmingly positive, and we wish to express our gratitude to all of the speakers and guests.

With the help of energetic volunteers and the continued support of members, Minnesota-Uruguay Partners has been able to continue its strong history of excellence in programs and service to its mission.

You can stay abreast of our work in the coming months through our newsletter, website and a host of other ways. You can renew your membership at any time during the year online, as well.

We look forward with enthusiasm to a successful 2012, and wish you all very happy holidays.

You Should Meet: Patrick Moore

Patrick Moore, current board director and longtime friend of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, has been profiled in an excellent "News Cut" piece by Minnesota Public Radio.

"It's about developing relationships to the point where they become transformational..." Patrick tells an interviewer. Anyone who has been involved with Minnesota-Uruguay Partners and has seen Patrick in action can certainly attest to this. Congrats Patrick, you make our organization proud.

Come to the annual meeting on Dec. 12

The Minnesota-Uruguay Partners annual member meeting convenes on Monday, Dec. 12, 2011 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Regis Center for Art West, InFlux Gallery, at 405 21st Avenue South on the Univ. of Minnesota's West Bank in Minneapolis.

Parking is available in the ramp across the street.

You will enjoy food from Minnesota with an international flavor and wines from Uruguay (goodwill donations appreciated), and see presentations from members old and new about their travels and activities this year.

Click on the program (above) for more details on the agenda.

Importantly, we will also be nominating and electing new board directors.

RSVP by December 5 to erikbrand10@gmail.com or call 612-242-1863 .

The November Newsletter is Here!

Gary Kuhn and Roger Moon have released the November 2011 edition of the Minnesota-Uruguay Partners newsletter (pdf).

The latest issue chronicles the organization's travelers and projects in recent months, and includes some interesting history as Uruguay wraps up its bicentennial year, as well.

Lyndel King, member of our board, profiled in today's MinnPost

We were delighted to read the inspiring profile of Lyndel King, a longtime Minnesota-Uruguay Partners member and an active board director, in MinnPost today. An excerpt...

Through the Great Recession, through debilitating staff cuts and other obstacles that might have stopped a different project with a different leader, King drove to fulfillment her longstanding vision of an art museum that would be pushy about pulling in students."We are not a whatever building, and we didn't want to be a whatever place," she said. "We wanted to be a place that thrust itself into the middle of students' lives and made them pay attention to art."