The University of 91�Թ� will host an event Jan. 12 (Thursday) in Chicago that will bring together the presidents of Mexico’s seven major political parties to share their visions for that country’s future in dialogue with leading experts from area universities. Topics on the agenda will include the economy, security, education and democracy.

Sponsored by Mexico’s (IFE)—the autonomous public organization that runs Mexico’s federal elections—participants will speak on the challenges that face Mexico on the eve of the 2012 elections. The first-ever event of its kind will take place at the University’s satellite campus in Chicago (Santa Fe Building, 91�Թ� Executive MBA Offices, 224 South Michigan Ave., Chicago).

The event, titled “Constructing Mexican Democracy,” was organized by 91�Թ�’s and (ILS). Known for its expertise on democratization in Latin America, the Kellogg Institute has a long-standing interest in the evolution of Mexican democracy. The ILS specializes in immigration issues.

“Discussions of this type lead to the transparency that is so essential to democracy,” says Kellogg Institute director and political scientist .

IFE council member , who chairs the effort to engage Mexican citizens living abroad and is a former Kellogg visiting fellow, agrees.

“The fact that representatives of political parties will take part in this forum is evidence of an underlying shift in Mexican politics, whereby important actors no longer shy away from international scrutiny and exposure,” he says.

“This is only the second election in which Mexicans living abroad have been able to cast absentee votes. IFE is sponsoring this event in part to promote participation in elections in Mexico and abroad,” points out Kellogg Institute Faculty Fellow , one of the event’s organizers. The associate director of the Institute for Latino Studies, Brown-Gort studies the political views of fellow Mexican nationals living in the United States.

“This is an unmatched opportunity for those of us who are interested in modern Mexico to capture the full range of political opinion,” says 91�Թ� historian , who co-chairs the . The group took the lead in bringing the IFE to Chicago.

The Kellogg Institute plays a vital role in 91�Թ�’s efforts to increase its international profile through research, collaborative projects and strategic relationships with global partners. The ILS, which maintains a Center for Metropolitan Chicago Initiatives, recently released “,” based on the latest census data.

Collaborating on the event are the Katz Center for Mexican Studies at the University of Chicago, the Center for Latino Research at DePaul University, the Latino/a Studies Program at Northwestern University, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago.

Click for event schedule.

Contact: Allert Brown-Gort, 574-631-3787, abrowngo@nd.edu

Partners in Health (PIH) will receive the 2011 in recognition of its contributions to the field of human development. The award will be presented at a ceremony April 27 (Wednesday) at 91�Թ�.

Selected by the of the , which supports research, teaching and direct engagement with communities burdened by tremendous challenges, the award recognizes individuals or organizations that stand in solidarity with those in deepest need, working alongside them as they become agents of their own change. Recipients are honored for substantial contribution to the promotion of international human development through research, practice, public service or philanthropy.

“PIH does an extraordinary job of integrating the head and the heart in the work of healing,” says , director of the Ford Family Program. “Their work represents the values that are at the core of 91�Թ�’s mission. We want to honor the work of PIH so that it might continue to inspire 91�Թ� students, faculty, alumni and friends to contribute in their own way to the healing and peace that our world needs.”

Following the award ceremony, PIH co-founders and , together with of PIH, Haiti, will deliver a public address, “Solidarity in Action: A Preferential Option for the Poor,” in 91�Թ�’s Washington Hall. Tickets are required and are available at the ticket office. The presentation will be on the Web.

Farmer and Dahl were in their early 20s when they began the work that would become . Their involvement with community-based projects in rural Haiti inspired other initiatives, which evolved into the organization as it stands today.

With close ties to Harvard Medical School, PIH now operates in 12 countries in Latin America, Central Asia, Africa and the United States. It has more than 60 hospitals and health centers, a staff of 128 in Boston, and more than 12,000 colleagues worldwide.

PIH draws inspiration from the Catholic social teaching of “a preferential option for the poor.” The organization seeks to fulfill this moral imperative by raising the standard of health care available to marginalized, vulnerable populations, through service, training, advocacy and research.

PIH has successfully implemented high quality interventions in low-resource communities for “untreatable” health problems thanks to innovative partnerships. Their delivery of anti-retroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS and treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in challenging settings has drawn international attention. Other agencies emulate their community-based model of care, and their proven strategies have influenced international health policy.

Contact: Tony Pohlen, Ford Program, 574-631-7022, apohlen@nd.edu; Lacey Haussamen, Ford Program, 574-631-4367, lhaussam@nd.edu