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La Casa de las Americas in Washington® (LACAW)
by Americas Global Foundation

Americas Heritage Festival200                                             Gala Reserve Sunday Evening
Seeking Volunteers for HEFE AND AHEGA -LACAW
Casa de America en Madrid respalda LACAW                     US Congressman Albert Wynn Co-Chairs LACAW Events
Launching LACAW, Venezuela Ambassador Co-Chair               The Washington Ballet to give Benefit for AGF LACAW
AGF invited by Caribbean Ambassadors

[The Americas Foundation is now Americas Global Foundation]

What is La Casa de las Americas in Washington?

La Casa de las Americas in Washington® (LACAW) is a highly ambitious project, proposed and directed by The Americas Foundation, to establish a very special and unique high-tech international facility in Washington, DC which will be the window to the world of the Hispanic-Latino culture and its valuable contributions.
LACAW is -the vision and driving force of The Americas Foundation's president who has been working since even before he founded the Foundation in 1991- designed to bring together the people of the Americas and beyond to work together to build, live and achieve together.
                                                           
Placido Domingo & Victor Pinzon

                            
Mission

La Casa de las Americas in Washington® - the World's Capital - is to serve as a link to bring the peoples of the world together, to bridge the gaps of all peoples, North-South and East-West. It will host high quality, professionally implemented activities, including seminars, symposia and conferences on international/global economics, government, trade, tourism, education, health, sports, art and other cultural and scientific fields. Its state-of-the-art facilities will also be designed to host cultural, art exhibits, theatrical performances and commercial exhibits; and to present through the use of video and other media the best of Hispanic-Latino cultural roots and of their contributions to the world community. It will house offices of organizations and companies with the vision of global markets and integration. TV, radio and the latest in Internet and other high-tech media studios and facilities will also be available at LACAW. Also, it will include a residential component: two or three Presidential suites and about 50 executive suites. Underground parking, a very unique Shop of the Americas, 2 or 3 ethnic rustic, top quality Latin American restaurants with wonderful Latino ambiance and decor will serve and offer other reasons to the thousands of people we project will visit LACAW on a daily basis. LACAW is a wonderful project directed to countries from around the world, particularly South America, North America, Central America, the Caribbean and all other countries supporting its purpose and mission.
LACAW will be the forum and vehicle of our Foundation, as a not-for-profit NGO, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) think-tank organization, in alliance with numerous strategic partners throughout the Americas and beyond, to continually work towards the implementation of our mission: the educational, economic and political empowerment of our people.

Trade Center of the Americas

La Casa de las Americas Washington® will offer facilities and serve as the Trade Center of the Americas. We plan to offer permanent and temporary space for trade and commercial exhibits, seminars and events.


Children & Youth Center of the Americas

Additionally, La Casa de las Americas in Washington®, LACAW, will offer facilities to engage in unique and creative programs and events our Children and Youth of the Americas. It is through our children and youth, intermingling in special programs and events we are seeking to engaging in LACAW, that we will contribute to break down the barriers that historically have been keeping people apart and polarized from other ethnic groups or communities.

LACAW will provide numerous activities and programs for our Children and Youth of the Americas, such as education, training, multiple exchanges, and other innovative and creative programs. We will bring to LACAW representatives of our diverse children and youth of our Hemisphere to meet each other, to play and work with each other, to come to understand and believe -at their young ages- that our diversity is our strength. Our rich diversity is the strength and the basis to achieve the hemispheric integration with the corresponding benefits accruing to the peoples of our Hemisphere and the world. Thus, through LACAW, our children and youth will play a major role in helping us achieve the economic integration of the Americas, assisting us to eliminate the numerous barriers, such as polarization by country of origin, which have and continue to keep us apart.

Volunteers
I personally invite you to join us in one of our many Committees as a volunteer to work in the successful implementation of the many wonderful programs and events we are scheduling throughout many cities in the Americas. Our unique programs and events are designed to promote LACAW and to raise some of the funds and resources LACAW needs.
As an active, dynamic volunteer you will have a synergy of opportunities and personal rewards that will become available as you help us implement the logistics and details of our ambitious doable dream.

Anchor Companies and Sponsors
We invite companies and other entities or individuals interested in the mission of LACAW to join us as Anchor Companies or Sponsors of one or many of the programs and events that we are starting to schedule and organize throughout cities in the US, Latin America, Caribbean and Europe.
We offer a fabulous and valuable package of benefits to each Anchor Company or Sponsor of LACAW's programs and events whose magnitude depends upon the value of the contribution or sponsorship. Please contact us to enter into the specific details and negotiations for a win-win-win program.

Launching LACAW
We are launching LACAW at two events. They are:
    1.  Americas Heritage Festival on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC on Saturday and Sunday September 23 and 24, 2000.
    2.  Americas Heritage Gala at the Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts on Sunday, October 15, 2000. We are highly honored and thank the world renown The Washington Ballet for believing and supporting our LACAW dream. The Washington Ballet's Executive Director Mr. Martin Cohen and Artistic Director, Mr. Septime Webre to help make our LACAW dream a wonderful reality agreed to offer our Foundation a Fund raising performance for La Casa de las Americas in Washington building on that date at the Kennedy Center.

"La Casa de las Americas in Washington"  Honorary Founding  Members

The following are the First Ladies of the Americas' Board of Advisors of La Casa de las Americas in Washington, LACAW, to date:

The following are the distinguished dignitaries, to date, who have accepted to be  Honorary Founding Members of La Casa de las Americas in Washington, LACAW:

The following are the Ambassadors' Wives Board of Advisors of La Casa de las Americas in Washington, LACAW, to date:

   
Larry Small, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution                     

“La Casa de las Americas in Washington “ Meeting

    Washington, DC, June 10, 1999. We have scheduled our next LACAW on-going planning meetings with our Honorary Founding members, their representatives and Steering Committee members. We thank Georgetown University for serving as the host for this LACAW meeting.

Date:         Wednesday, June 16, 1999
Hour:        1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Site:          Georgetown University
                    School of Foreign Service
                    301 Intercultural Center
                    McGhee Library
                    Washington, DC
Contact:      Ms. Sharon Forrest at 202-687-6083
Please RSVP by fax to: 202-371-9668 or email to: vicpinzon@aol.com

“La Casa de las Americas in Washington “ Meeting

    Washington, DC, June 1, 1999. We have scheduled our next LACAW on-going planning meetings with our Honorary Founding members, their representatives and Steering Committee members. We thank Georgetown University for serving as the host for this LACAW meeting.

Date:         Wednesday, June 9, 1999
Hour:        2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Site:          Georgetown University
                    School of Foreign Service
                    301 Intercultural Center
                    McGhee Library
                    Washington, DC
Contact:      Ms. Sharon Forrest at 202-687-6083
Please RSVP by fax to: 202-371-9668 or email to: vicpinzon@aol.com

“La Casa de las Americas in Washington “ Meeting

    Washington, DC, April 19, 1999. The Ambassador of Grenada, Denis Antoine, Honorary Founding Member of La Casa de las Americas in Washington, LACAW, was the host at his Embassy for the first Advisory Board Honorary Founders meeting of LACAW last April 15.
    Ambassador Antoine opened the meeting welcoming the participants. He then made a brief presentation of the importance and transcendence; mentioned the great potential and some of the numerous benefits that will acrue to the people of the Americas the building of La Casa de las Americas in Washington as proposed by The Americas Foundation. Ambassador Antoine confirmed his total support, offering to assist in any possible way, and encouraged all the participants and public in general to contribute to make LACAW a wonderful reality.
    The other participants at the meeting, representing Honorary Founding members or invited observers, were: Mr. Horacio Mendez Iturbide of the Argentina Embassy, Mr. Sabino Morera of the Costa Rica Embassy, Ms. Kathleen Martinez of Congressman Silvestre Reyes’ office, and Mr. Tony Freels of Congressman Charles Gonzalez’ office. Numerous other personalities previously had communicated their desire to attend future meetings, among them: US Senators Charles Robb, Robert Torricelli, Ben Campbell; Congressmen: Albert Wynn, Ciro Rodriguez, Luis Gutierrez, Robert Wexler and others.
    The president and founder of The Americas Foundation and of La Casa de las Americas, Victor Pinzon, next made a detailed presentation of the ambitious project and some aspects of its current status. He noted that the initiative has received substantial support since mid-February when he launched the LACAW project, compared to his similar efforts in Miami and Orlando, Florida. He believes that similar LACA projects in those cities and others would be possible after the one in Washington is a reality. Pinzon proceeded to address the following:

1. Thanked and named each and all of the first Honorary Founding Members to       date, who by their acceptance and pledged support become the founding rocks of LACAW.
2. Proposed meeting of the Honorary Founding Members with the Mayor of the      District of Columbia, Tony Williams, and the GSA Administrator of the National  Capital Region, Mr. Nelson Alcalde. The meetings will be to help to determine the site for the LACAW building.
3. Proposed a Fund raising Gala to formally launch La Casa de las Americas in     Washington. It would take place later this year. The date is to be determined.
4. Proposed fund raising major events and programs to promote LACAW to take  place in Washington and some selected cities throughout the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal.

There were other aspects mentioned, followed by some questions and answers, and dialog of various components of the proposed project. Ambassador Antoine offered a reception afterwards. All participants were in common agreement that building La Casa de las Americas in Washington is not easy, but it is doable! And, they pledged, through their official positions, to contribute to make our dream a brilliant reality; which will be our legacy to our future generations.

Note: “La Casa de las Americas” is registered.

  
Announcement of the First Meeting of "La Casa de las Americas in Washington"
 
Honorary Founding Members Board of Advisors,
   Ambassadors and US Congressmen  
        We thank our host of this meeting His Excellency
        Denis Antoine, Ambassador of Grenada
    Date:   April 15, 1999
    Site:    Embassy of Grenada
              1701 New Hampshire Avenue, NW Washington, DC
    Hour:  3:00 PM
    Admittance by Invitation only

ANNOUNCEMENT to the members of LACAW Development Committee:
   "La Casa de las Americas in Washington," LACAW Committee Meeting next meeting:

   Site:         The meeting will be at GSA Headquarters building located at 18th Street and F Street, NW,                       near The White House. Entrance on F Street between 18 and 19 Streets, Room 2134
   Hour:         3:00 PM
   Date:        Friday, April 9 , 1999
   Please RSVP at vicpinzon@aol.com

The Deputy Chief of Mission of the Argentinian Embassy in Washington, Alberto De Nunez on March 8 told us: “We in Argentina, can not afford no to support your great initiative to establish ‘La Casa de las Americas in Washington.”

La Casa de las Americas en Washington, DC

    El Fundador y Presidente de The Americas Foundation, Victor Pinzon, anuncio la ambiciosa iniciativa de construir un edificio unico y muy especial en Washington. Se llamara "La Casa de las Americas en Washington."
El proposito de "La Casa de las Americas en Washington" (LACAW) es el llenar ese gran vacio de no tener, en nuestra gran capital de los Estados Unidos, una prestigiosa instalacion, epicentro y colmena de la cultura, oportunidades e historia de los Hispanos Latinos de los Estados Unidos y de Latinoamerica y el Caribe
    LACAW sera un centro que constantemente estara creando y ofreciendo una sinergia de recursos y oportunidades para Latinos a traves de los Estados Unidos, nuestro hemisferio y el mundo. Sera un magnifico escenario de unidad y testimonios, de innumerables y diversos programas y eventos enfocados a los mas de 400 millones de la poblacion latina de nuestro hemisferio, Espana y Portugal.
    LACAW es el legado que debemos construir y dejar a nuestras futuras generaciones. Sera el simbolo epico y foro de nuestros logros, historia y de los fabulosos retos que tenemos por delante por realizar. LACAW sera la alternativa no-militar para promover desarrollo economico sostenible, educacion, democratizacion, sociedad civil, libre y justo comercio internacional, cultura, resolucion de conflictos, entendimiento e interactividades pacificas y cooperacion entre todos los grupos, gentes, y naciones dentro y fuera de nuestro hemisferio.
   The Americas Foundation, basada en Washington, DC, una organizacion 501(c)(3) sin animo de lucro, es la originadora, proponente y directora general de esta transcendental iniciativa. Para mayor informacion por favor visite nuestra pagina electronica: www.theamericas.org
    Numerosos estadistas de los Estados Unidos, Latin America, el Caribe y Europa, Hispanos y no Hispanos, han abrazado nuestro concepto. La lista de las primeras personalidades respaldando solidamente nuestra iniciativa incluye a los Congresistas de Los Estados Unidos: Philip Crane, Bob Filner, Luis Gutierrez y Albert Wynn; los Embajadores: Antonio de Oyarzabal de Espana, Jaime Daremblum de Costa Rica, Ricardo Bernal de Jamaica, Denis Antoine de Grenada; y Alberto De Nunez, el Deputado en Jefe de la Embajada de la Argentina. Ellos, como Honorarios Miembros Fundadores y otros han estampado su aceptacion con solidas muestras de respaldo para contribuir a la construccion de La Casa de las Americas en Washington.
    El programa y logistica, de lo que parece casi que un imposible proyecto, es bastante complejo; incluye numerosos creativos, exitantes, y novedosos programas y eventos para recaudar algunos de los fondos necesarios para la construccion. Dichos eventos y programas tendran lugar en ciudades a traves de los Estados Unidos, Latin America y Europa. Cualquier persona interesada en unirse y contribuir en tan magnifica obra, que ofrece innumerables y valiosas oportunidades, por favor contactar: The Americas Foundation; telefono: 202-371-9696; fax: 202-371-9668; Email: vicpinzon@aol.com
    Creemos que quien quiera, ya sea Latinos de origen o aquellos solidarios con el desarrollo de la comunidad Hispano Latina, estaran de acuerdo con nosotros de que LACAW es de fundamental importancia para todos. Por lo tanto los incitamos a que activamente se unan y contribuyan a hacer LACAW una bella realidad. Tenemos diferentes niveles de Asociados Fundadores, tanto individual como corporativo. Para corporaciones que quieran ser "Anchor" Fundadoras de "La Casa de las Americas en Washington" ofrecemos un valioso paquete de beneficios. No hay un edificio en Washington ni en ninguna parte de nuestro gran pais que muestre las valiosas contribuciones a los Estados Unidos y al mundo hechas en el pasado y por hacer por Hispanos, Latin America y el Caribe. "La Casa de las Americas en Washington" sera esa instalacion tan desesperadamente necesitada por nuestras gentes de las Americas. Y, recuerde, “Unidos Prevalecemos!”

Es de anotar que los derechos de "La Casa de las Americas" estan registrados.

We received the following Acceptance and letter of Support from the Ambassador of Spain to the White House:

"EL EMBAJADOR DE ESPANA

Washington, D.C., 25 de febrero de 1999

Sr. D. Victor Pinzon
Founder and President
The Americas Foundation
1115 Massachusetts Ave., NW

Mi distinguido amigo:

     Con mucho gusto acepto figurar como "Fundador Honorario" en la lista de miembros que patrocinan la iniciativa de establecer en Washington una "Casa de las Americas".
   
     Como le senalaba en nuestra grata conversacion del martes pasado, creo que su proyecto merece todo el apoyo de quienes creemos en la importancia de promover en la gran capital de Estados Unidos la cultura y los valores de nuestra herencia comun, y asi de paso superar las divisiones que aun
seperan a nuestra comunidad hispana.

     Con mi agradecimiento por su honrosa propuesta, reciba el cordial saludo de

                                                      Antonio de Oyarzabal"

"THE AMBASSADOR OF SPAIN

Washington, D.C., February 25, 1999

Mr. Victor Pinzon
Founder and President
The Americas Foundation
1115 Massachusetts Ave., NW

My distinguished friend:

     I am delighted to accept being identified as "Honorary Founder" in the list of the members who sponsor the initiative to establish the "Casa de las Americas" in Washington.
   
     As I indicated to you in our affable meeting last Tuesday, I believe that your project deserves the full support of everyone who like us believe in the importance of promoting, in the great capital of the United States, the culture and values of our common heritage, and thereby overcoming the divisions that still keep our Hispanic community apart.

     With my appreciation for your honorable proposal, accept the sincere greeting of

                                                      Antonio de Oyarzabal"

Honorary Chairman and Founders

We are inviting the President of the United States of America Bill Clinton to be the Honorary Chairman, and the Presidents and Prime Ministers of South America, North America, Central America, the Caribbean and other countries to be Co-Chairperson of La Casa de las Americas in Washington®.
Similarly we are inviting Ambassadors, dignitaries, personalities and individuals committed to join us as the Founding members.


Invitation

The Foundation invites you to become actively involved in the exciting development stage, construction and operation of the project, and to consider establishing your entity or company's presence within La Casa de las Americas in Washington®.
Join us in this Grand and Ambitious Project, our Legacy and Statement to Posterity -La Casa de Las Americas in Washington®- Bridging the Gaps Among the Global Community.

Please contact us for specific Sponsorship benefit packages

Strategic Partner
The Americas Foundation acknowledges that the original ideas, conceptual plans, professional input and work on La Casa de las Americas® has been provided to the Foundation, and its work and relationship will continue through LACAW's implementation and operation phases by ALTEX -the Foundation's valuable strategic partner.

Non-competition
The concept and details provided herein are registered and protected, only for your consideration to participate or become involved in this or similar "La Casa de las Americas" projects, and it is prohibited to set-up a competing site or enterprise anywhere else without the express written consent of The Americas Foundation.

Help us. Become a
Member, Sponsor, Donor, Volunteer, Mentor

We welcome your initial commitment and support to make this wonderful dream a reality. Thus, we encourage you to send us your tax deductible donation to the name of The Americas Foundation -LACAW, and you will be listed and recognized as a Founding Member of La Casa de las Americas in Washington®.



Name _______________________________________

Title ________________________________________

Organization _________________________________

Address _____________________________________

City _____________________ State ____ Zip _______

Phone __________________ Fax _________________

Email _______________________

Amount contributed $ ________________

The following is a typical letter we are sending to invite doers, movers and shakers to help us make the LACAW dream a reality. Consider this our invitation to you also. Let us hear about you and your commitment.

March 4, 1999

His Excellency Diego Ramiro Guelar
Ambassador of Argentina
Washington, DC


RE:    Honorary Founding Member Invitation and Meeting Request
          La Casa de las Americas in Washington

Dear Ambassador Guelar:

      We, at The Americas Foundation, herein respectfully invite you to be an Honorary Founding Member of an ambitious and unique facility we propose to establish in Washington, DC. We call it La Casa de las Americas in Washington, LACAW. We request the opportunity to meet with you to present the details and scope of our initiative and answer any question you may have.

      Other persons, distinguished members of The Foundation, whom will join me to said meeting will be: Dr. Norman A. Bailey, Dr. Norman Wear, Congressman Philip Crane’s wife Mrs. Arlene Crane, and Mr. Archie Kelly.

      I am pleased to inform you that our dear friend Congressman Philip M. Crane has today accepted to be an Honorary Founding Member. Ambassador Antonio de Oyarzabal of Spain at his office last week, he enthusiastically supported the initiative and as he indicated it is a highly needed facility to bring the Hispanic Latin American community together. Ambassador Oyarzabal offered to assist on various proposed events including possibly involving Mr. Placido Domingo and Enrique Iglesias. And, he gladly accepted to be an Honorary Founding Member of La Casa de las Americas in Washington. Please see attached copy of his letter.

     The purpose of LACAW is to fill the great need of a facility designed to be a window -located in the United States'  capital- of the Latin American culture, its history, the vast and valuable resources and opportunities it offers to the United States and the world. Constant top quality and diverse programs and events will be staged therein. LACAW would be the legacy we will leave to our future generations, a symbol and forum to contribute to achieve the economic integration and understanding of the peoples of our Hemisphere.

      With due respect, would you allow us to meet with you, and or would you reply in writing at your earliest convenience whether or not you support La Casa de las Americas in Washington initiative?

Sincerely yours,

Victor Pinzon
Founder and president

[The Americas Foundation is now Americas Global Foundation]