Momentum Builds for Criminal Justice Reform Project

Uruguayans and Minnesotans working together to share best practices in criminal justice and prison reform continue to build momentum for new innovations in the field.

For two weeks in October, Bruce McManus, Connie Roehrich and Diane Levendusky were hosted in Uruguay by officials across a range of disciplines in the criminal justice system.

The three volunteers with Minnesota-Uruguay Partners of the Americas met with Interior Minister Eduardo Bonomi, as well as a host of professionals in the prison, police and judiciary systems.

Connie Roehrich, a former warden of Minnesota's largest prison, helped train police and prison officials on incident command systems and hostage crisis negotiations, as well as general prison management issues.

In his trip report to Washington, McManus, who was Minnesota's deputy corrections commissioner as well as a prison warden, said that after six years of working with his colleagues in Uruguay, the nation is developing "an impressive management organization for its criminal justice system." "It is moving carefully to fill positions with individuals who have experience in police, prison and human services management," he added. "They appear to welcome change and are impressive as individuals."

Photos of the Minnesota team with Minister Bonomi and other moments from the visit appear below.

Minnesota artist featured in Uruguayan arts and culture journal

We just received word that Diane Katsiaficas, a longtime volunteer and a board director of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, was featured in La Pupila, a culture and arts journal in Uruguay.

Mariel Doyenart, Teacher in Residence, is taking Minnesota by storm!

Reports are coming in from around the state about Mariel Doyenart's visit to Minnesota this month. She's been from Minneapolis to Montevideo, from Hackensack to Stillwater. Above are photos sent from board director Audrey Arner, taken at an asado she hosted at Moonstone Farm in Western Minnesota after the annual Meander Art Crawl. Mariel is pictured here with Audrey and another board director, Marcos Villanueva, the famous asador.

Below is a photo that was published by the West Central Tribune this week about Mariel's visit and her impressions of the U.S. presidential election campaign. See: "Visitor from South America’s most democratic nation arrives as election campaigns heats up"

The passing of Norman Brown, former Dean and Director of the Minnesota Extension Service

A note received today from Rob Scarlett, vice president of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, in response to a notice circulated by Partners of the Americas president Steve Vetter about the passing of Norman Brown...

The news of Norm Brown's passing is very sad news; but I very much appreciate receiving this notice and will send condolences to his surviving family members. I attribute to Norm my current involvement in Partners. In 1983, while he was Dean of the Extension Service at the University of Minnesota, Norm hired me to design and manage the tri-lingual Fellowship in International Development that was funded by the Kellogg Foundation. It was an exciting two-year undertaking and a rich learning experience, as well.

Norm's leadership and compassion will be missed in many corners of the world, I am sure.
Best regards to Norm's many friends - up and down the Western Hemisphere!
Rob
Robert H. Scarlett, Vice PresidentBoard of DirectorsMinnesota-Uruguay Partners of the Americas

Rare film footage of Uruguay in the early 1900s

Gary Kuhn, our chapter's leading historian, has passed along these links to rare film footage of Uruguay in the first half of the 20th Century. Amazing stuff. Very much worth a look!

Montevideo in the early 1900s

A film made by the US Government about Uruguay in the 1940s

Los talleres de AFE en Peñarol en viejos tiempos...

Graf Spee

Desfile del Dia de la Independencia en Uruguay (1944), noticiero cinematográfico de USA

Escuela, Liceo y Universidad en el Uruguay de 1943 (documental USA)

Another successful asado!

From all accounts, Saturday's asado/Uruguay Independence Day celebration was a big success. We had more than 50 people attending, with many familiar faces and new ones too. Three of the Minnesota's Youth Ambassadors shared anecdotes and observations from their trip this summer to Belize. Members and guests contributed generously toward the costs of some excellent food and wine, which is important to sustaining the quality and vitality of these events. Many, many thanks to Marcos Villanueva, Gerard Lagos, Dave Kremer, Sue von Bank, Patrick Moore and all the others who did so much to make things come off so very well despite the threat of rain (which never materialized, in the end, thankfully). We appreciate the contributions from all who attended and look forward to next year!

Join us Aug 25 for soccer and asado!

Please join us for what's become a highlight of summer for Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, the annual asado (bbq) before a Minnesota NSC Stars soccer match. 

Members, friends and volunteers from near and far are gathering on Saturday, August 25 (Uruguay's Independence Day) to celebrate the strong and productive ties of friendship that Minnesota and Uruguay share. See a flyer attached, designed by chapter member Kati Mae Duesler.

The fire starts at 4:30 pm, with grass-fed beef, local sausages, wines from Uruguay and more. At 7:30 pm, the Stars of Minnesota will be playing FC Edmonton (discount tickets available). A goodwill offering for the food will be appreciated.

To Recap:

What: Minnesota-Uruguay Partners Asado (BBQ)

When: Saturday, August 25, 4:30 pm

Where: National Sports Center, 1700 105th Avenue, Blaine, Minnesota 55449

RSVP to erikbrand10@gmail.com or call 612-242-1863 (mobile) with any questions. 

Look for Uruguay's flag at the north side of the National Sports Center Stadium.

Minnesota-Uruguay Partners Wins Perpich Award

We were delighted to learn this week that Minnesota-Uruguay Partners has been presented with the “The Jerry Perpich Youth Award” for 2012.

The award is named in honor of Iowa native and the former Board Chair of Partners of the Americas for his longtime support to the chapters that recruit and develop leadership skills of young people (under 30 years of age) and recognize their contributions to volunteer service.

Many thanks to board director David Kremer (pictured), who was instrumental compiling information about our activities for the award review committee, and of course to the many young people and volunteers who make Minnesota-Uruguay Partners so vibrant and active.

Minnesota Students Return from Youth Ambassador Trip

Mandy Mattke has returned to Minnesota from Belize with her group of Youth Ambassadors, and shared this video, which aired on Plus TV Belize. Welcome back all! More details to follow.

Uruguay investing in new electric bus network

President José Mujica of Uruguay yesterday signed a deal with Buquebus, the country's largest tourism transport firm, to begin bringing electric buses into Uruguay.  Deliveries are scheduled to begin later this year. The head of Buquebus said he's willing to replace his whole fleet with the new buses, in fact. Yet another example of Uruguay leading the pack. Congratulations! Here is a link to the press release.