UIW Lewis Center of the Americas Welcomes Former Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez

On Thursday, Oct. 2, the University of the Incarnate Word will have the honor of hosting Iván Duque Márquez, the 34th President of Colombia, on the Broadway campus. Duque Márquez will be welcomed as the 2025 honored guest as part of the “Leaders of the Americas Speaker Series,” hosted by the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas.

With the purchase of an event ticket, community members are invited to gather in the McCombs Center Rosenberg Sky Room at 6 p.m. to hear Duque Márquez speak on the promise of cross-border cooperation and humanistic leadership in the Americas. During his presidential term (August 7, 2018 – August 7, 2022), Duque Márquez led and supported his country through a variety of challenges and opportunities, making him an ideal speaker to share his unique perspectives.

“In our institutional Mission of training ethic leaders, being able to bring somebody to campus who can speak about their role in making ethical decisions and making life better for an entire country is unparalleled,” expressed Dr. Richard Pineda, director of the Lewis Center of Americas. “Colombia is a relatively young democracy, by global standards, and Duque Márquez was a relatively young president. Our community can gain valuable insights from someone who experienced conflict and challenge and rose to address those situations in order to better his country.”

Pineda shared that this speaker series was built around the value of exposing the community to ideas from leaders from across the Americas. During his presidency, Duque Márquez led when rising pressures related to migration in Latin America arose, a pressure that is still present to this day. The knowledge that he has gained through his experiences will help to shed light on how to better manage and approach cross-border cooperation.

Pineda hopes that attendees will be able to utilize Duque Márquez’s knowledge to become agents of change surrounding similar issues in the future.

“As director, I hope to elevate the Lewis Center’s position in a number of important conversations related to Latin America and Canada,” noted Pineda. “UIW, with its diverse community, is well positioned to bring those perspectives to the table and help inform conversations in San Antonio and in the state of Texas about Latin America and Canada … Events like Duque Márquez’s visit set the tone.”

General Admission tickets are $40 each. This includes event entry, open seating within the general admission area, light appetizers and one complimentary glass of wine or beer for guests aged 21 and over.

Click here to learn more and to buy tickets now.

For more information, please contact Director of the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas Dr. Richar Pineda by emailing Rdpineda@uiwtx.edu.