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 Newsletter of the Arkansas-East Bolivia Partners of the Americas
 Bob Frans, Ed. rfrans@uark.edu
1366 W. Altheimer Dr., Fayetteville AR 72704-6804
Phone 479-575-3978 or 443-5403, Fax 479-575-3975
www.partners.net (national) or www.uark.edu/misc/partners (Arkansas)

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Some thoughts from the Executive Director Some thoughts from the Executive Director In lieu of a message from the President and at her request, the Executive Director would like to offer a few thoughts and observations in this issue of the newsletter. Also, since his term of office is drawing to a close this will be one of the last opportunities for him to “sound off” concerning Partners. As many of you know, his identification with Bolivia dates back to his marriage to a “Boliviana,” the late Maria Teresa Estenssoro Villanueva. Shortly thereafter, we discovered that the State of Arkansas was partnered with East Bolivia under Partners of the Americas. The rest is history. The marriage occurred 30 years ago in 1973 - a lot has happened in the Arkansas-East Bolivia partnership in those intervening years. Strong ties continue to be forged between Arkansas Partners and East Bolivia Partners, many dating back to the early years of our partnership (see below for a bit of background). Perhaps the overriding accomplishment of Partners continues to lie in the strength of those friendships. Partners is a good organization, eminently worthy of whatever involvement busy people can give to it. However, it seems significant that much of the interest and care comes from increasingly “grey heads” and little from the younger generation. Maybe that constitutes a challenge for the future.  The future of Partners is secure - whenever we can get outside ourselves for the good of others, and whenever we can make a difference in the lives of others, we have accomplished something. I hope you as members, prospective or otherwise, have been able to catch a little of the flavor of what Partners is all about through the medium of this newsletter. I trust you will continue to catch more of that flavor in the items that follow. Bob Frans rfrans@uark.edu

Editor's Note  We’ll try to catch up on some of the “neglected” issues in this newsletter - items that were put back last time because of the length of it. This might be a good time also, to solicit news articles that would be of general interest to the membership. So, please, if you have such items, let your editor have them. We would like to have personals about members, achievements, significant happenings, etc. We try to keep you up-to-date on official Partners events, but many of you know of other things happening your Editor doesn’t have access to. Let him (or her) know! Bob Frans  rfrans@uark.edu

Membership
Since membership status has been rather uncertain with the erratic schedule of Direcciones, we thought it might be good to publish the names of those current members for 2003. Here they are:
 

That’s it! If your name is not on the above list and you are receiving this issue of the newsletter, that means you are either an “old” member who has not paid dues, or you are a “prospective” member. Either way, we would welcome payment of dues by old members or we would cordially invite our prospective members to join. It’s simple!
Enough on that topic.

“Each year there will be a Congress of the Partners of the Americas. A voting Delegate will officially represent each Chapter, but all Chapter members will be encouraged to attend and participate at the Congress. The Congress will provide an opportunity for exchange and dialog among Chapters and their members, and will also be the occasion for an annual meeting of the Members. The Board of Directors will report to the Members at the meeting and Members will have an opportunity to propose, debate and vote on advisory resolutions. The PoA Board will appoint an experienced Partner leader to serve as President of the Congress.

“The Congress will elect twelve members of the PoA Board. These Board members will be from the respective Partners regions as follows: two from Brazil; one each from Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, northern Spanish-speaking South America, and southern Spanish-speaking South America; and five from the United States. They will be elected at large, with delegates from all Chapters voting for each position. 

“In addition to the twelve members elected by the Congress, there will be between seven and nine Board members elected by the Board to provide particular talents and as needed by  PoA, and taking into account also the goal of maintaining geographic balance on the Board. The President of PoA will serve as the twentysecond member of the Board, but will vote only in order to break a tie.

“All Board members will be limited to a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms, and to the extent feasible their terms will be staggered to assure election each year of approximately one-third of the Board.

“The Board will elect the officers (Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer) from among its members. No officer may serve more than one full three-year term in any office and all officer’ terms will expire at the end of their service on the Board. The rotation of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson positions between Latin America and the Caribbean and the United States will remain as at present. 

“There will be two Standing Committees of the Board with distinct responsibilities and authority:
Partnership Development Committee. The principal functions will include strengthening Partnership and Chapters, establishing and enforcing the Standards of Excellence and Requirements for Charter, establishing and communicating Minimum Requirements applicable to potential nominees seeking election to the Board of Directors, issuing charters, planning and leading the Congress, identifying issues of concern to Members, Partnerships and Chapters and assuring meaningful communications and opportunity for dialog among them and with the Partners of the Americas.

Program Management and Resources Committee. The principal functions will include fund raising, corporate, governmental and institutional relationships, public relations, and profile and image development, program development and oversight, and budgetary matters.

“The Board will also select a Board Development Committee that will be responsible for identifying, recruiting, introducing, reviewing qualifications of and recommending individuals with skills and talents needed on the Board of Directors, on Special Committees, and as officers of Partners of the Americas. In seeking nominees, the Committee will consider skills, talents, geographic diversity and the needs of PoA in order to establish and maintain a balance of perspectives among the officers and members of the Board. The Board Development Committee will be comprised of at least two persons from the United States and two persons from Latin America and the Caribbean and may include non-Board members.

“The Elections and By-laws Committees will function as presently. The Board or Chairperson may appoint other committees and task forces as needed. “There are, in addition, a number of non-substantive revisions in the proposed revised By-laws that are intended only to clarify or update language.”

Each of us, committed to helping others and able to overcome adversity, can have a significant impact on the world in which we live.”

That’s the teaser to get you interested. You must make reservations by September 30 - the convention price is $87/night for rooms at the Hyatt Regency Lexington and the convention registration fee is $260 per person before September 15. Registration forms are available from your President, Vice President, Executive Director, and probably others.

“‘The reforms introduced in Bolivia are important to the strengthening of democracy,’ Ms. Villada reflects. ‘It is important to generate popular understanding and support in order for the reforms to take hold in disadvantaged communities. Our program faces the challenge of changing citizens’ perceptions about the reforms and the new Code of Criminal Procedures, as well as to improve the administration of justice. On the other hand, recent public sector restructuring has resulted in the ‘downgrading’ of the former Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to a Vice-Ministry status, which might be interpreted as a let-down in the government’s political support for judicial reforms.  Nevertheless, in five months of work we have accomplished a bundle of positive results, and we are optimistic and feel ambitious about our next actions.’”

Our own Bettie Lu Lancaster, with others from her Democratic Initiatives Committee, is hard at work on this project. We expect to have much more to report on these
activities as the program develops.

Miguel with Rouald Peterson:  regular Wednesday morning breakfast at Pete's

He was hosted in NW Arkansas by Bob Frans and Miguel with Rouald Peterson in Central Arkansas by Thecia Taylor and Beth Washburn. While in Arkansas he met with Bettie Lu Lancaster on the justice project, past president Phil Serafini, and with Don Dombek, John Goodwin, Chuck West, and Ron Morrow on Farmer to Farmer, Regional Vice President Margaret Clark, Ray Barclay on the sports program, friend Roald Peterson, Vice President Sue Heily, Latin American Affairs Representative Robert Trevino, Director of LeadAR Joe Waldrum and International Programs expert Wayne Swegle. 

On his way from Fayetteville to Little Rock, Miguel stopped in  Russellville for the quarterly Board meeting of the Arkansas Partners on July 19. While in Little Rock Miguel met with Sue, Thecia and Bob to write the Annual Plan for 2003 and to agree upon the Annual Report for 2002. On July 23, Miguel departed Little Rock for Washington DC where he attended a leadership conference, before returning home to Santa Cruz.

Tuto Quiroga is scheduled to be a visitor to Arkansas sometime this early fall. We’re announcing this now so that everyone will be alerted to this visit. Sr. Quiroga is a former President of Bolivia, filling out the unexpired term of Sr. Hugo Banzer upon his death in office. Sr. Quiroga was greatly admired during his time as President, and is thought to be one of the rising representatives of the younger generation in Bolivian politics. He is being brought to Arkansas as part of the University of Arkansas Latin American Studies (LAS) program as an invited speaker in that program. This is a real coup for LAS and should be an event that many of you will want to attend.

The date has not yet been set, but we will try to let you know when it is - Partners will try to have an event honoring Sr. Quiroga while he is here.

Several Partners, especially Bettie Lu Lancaster and Bob Frans, met and spoke with Yvan Cordova during the Graduation Weekend Asado. Their discussions were reported in the Spring 2003 issue of Direcciones. Since then we’ve learned more about Yvan, his family, his brief but illustrious legal career in Bolivia, and his determination to see the newly enacted Bolivian penal code achieve its full promise.

Earlier, last fall, Yvan wrote a paper on the turbulent history of the emerging Bolivan
democracy, of which the code is a key feature. That paper is included following this profile of Yvan.

Family Background
Yvan is 29 years old. The middle child of five, he has two older brothers (Jaime and Eddy) and one younger (Marcos). He also has a sister (Rosio), the youngest sibling. The immediate family

Yvan Cordova, June, 2003

 was very poor. His mother (Emma) would waken at three or four in the morning and prepare foods to be sold on the streets of La Paz. Yvan and his brothers helped with the preparation and with the vending. His father (Edmundo) also worked hard to help his family. 

Eventually, he was able to attend the five-year law school at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, a public university in La Paz, and the premier university of Bolivia. Yvan, who was graduated with honors in his university, is the first member of his family and extended family to become educated as a professional. Among the other four, Rosio has also chosen to pursue advanced education. She will graduate from law school at San Andrés later this year. He thinks that the only way to be successful in life is education. 

Tuition at the Law College was about $7 per year! But at graduation, a student pays a substantial sum for "timbres," a kind of stamp tax, and another substantial sum to join the professional society - something like admission to the bar.

Experiences at the University
In his senior year at the college of law, Yvan was elected president of the student association. He was also the Law College’s representative on the university-wide Student Council. The university has a kind of co-government arrangement which gives a substantial share of decision-making power to the Student Council.

The system placed a share of the Law College’s student activity fees in the hands of the Student Council President for administration. At the time, 1995, the Law College had
no Internet connection and no computer labs. Yvan chose to spend the money to put the Law School online and to establish and equip a computer lab.

Fast Track 
At graduation time, Yvan was named valedictorian. He was interested in becoming a member of the law faculty, which customarily requires two years of practicing law to establish eligibility. But three months after graduating, he was invited to join the faculty as a professor of law. Two years later, he was named academic director of the Law College, over the faculty of 200.

The Fulbright representative at the American Embassy in La Paz invited applications for fellowships, related to implementation of the newly re-designed Justice System. Yvan applied, receiving support from the Dean of the San Andrés Law College, among others, and received the award, beginning his program in Arkansas, effective in January, 2002. 
 
The San Andrés Law College Justice Project The departamento of La Paz comprises 20 provincias, all of which are largely rural, composed of small towns and villages. The provincial population is mainly indigenous, Aymaras. The main language is also Aymara, many of the population unable to speak or read Spanish.

The Mallku
The law faculty at San Andrés is deeply committed to the implementation of the new Bolivian Penal Code,* especially in the provinces of La Paz. And a feature of the Code is that traditional justice systems, such as that of the Aymaras, are accorded respect. But there are inherent discrepancies between the two systems that require accommodation. The Aymara justice system refers to a natural and traditional authority called the mallku (in Spanish, condor, the giant bird of prey of the Andes). 

So San Andrés has instituted a unique and comprehensive program to teach about the new system in the provincial villages. (Significantly, the Government’s main education initiative has consisted of posters, exclusively in Spanish.) And recently San Andrés has added the feature of bringing provincial leaders to the University campus for interactive, two-way workshops.

Yvan has requested a copy of the latest program documentation and will share it with Partners.

Yvan’s Future Plans
On August 4, Yvan will travel to San Diego, where his Fulbright grant will support him in earning a master’s degree (LL.M.) at the University of San Diego (USD). Yvan notes that an apartment that costs $350 per month in Fayetteville, will cost $1,000 in San Diego. As noted by Bob Frans in the Asado article, Yvan plans to go back to Bolivia, and, rejoining his university, seriously intends to make a difference in the development of the recently enacted Penal Code.

Personal Note
Yvan is single. He is known as a lively participant in student social get-togethers.
 

In recent years, a highly visible exception to - or reversal of - the likely pattern of events described by Samuel Huntington in the 1960's has been evolving in Latin America. Where the logical consequence might have been dictatorship or chaos (Huntington Samuel - Political Order in Changing Societies - New Haven - Yale University -1960), in the case of Bolivia, the actual result has been the opposite. As the economic crisis and the social disempowerment of the trade union movement coincided in the mid-80's with consolidation of the democratic regimes and processes of institutional strengthening, one of the first examples of successful democracy within the Latin American region took root.

Bolivia entered the path to democracy by putting a spectacular brake on the economic hyperinflation that it was confronting at that time, and consolidating the basic elements of a representative democratic system. (Malloy James and Gamarra Eduardo - Revolution and Reaction: Bolivia - New Brunswick - New Jersey - 1988)

During these past 20 years, Bolivia has been experiencing deep changes in its social, political and economic structures. Despite transitional flaws that can be observed in the government system, Bolivian democracy has not only become stabilized but has also been strengthened with reforms that aim to grant greater participation and responsibilities to the common citizen.

Currently, as a consequence of the reforms that the Bolivian State and its Institutions are experiencing, it is evolving to adapt itself in a mixed economic system based on the laws of the free market, except where state intervention is inevitable in order to solve commercial problems that will appear. Thus the Bolivian State has passed from its old role as a producer of consumer goods and services to its new role as a regulator of private enterprise activities.

To fully comprehend this new reality, it is essential to review recent historical events in Bolivia. The conclusion of the military and dictatorial regime of Hugo Banzer Suarez (1971-1978) opened the door to the first attempt at a democratic election on July 9, 1978. This election was later annulled because of a scandalous fraud level: more than 183,000 votes in favor of the military candidate. (Data of the Permanent Assembly of Human Rights of Bolivia -The Fraud, an Attack on the Popular Will - Bolivia - 1989) 

In view of the fact previously described, a second attempt at democratic elections took place in July of 1979, which had as result a virtual tie between Victor Paz Estenssoro and Hernan Siles Suazo, who were two of the most important leaders of the Workers, Miners and Farmers Revolution of 1952. This tie in the electoral outcome resulted in the designation of Walter Guevara Arce as provisional President of the Nation with the sole purpose of conducting new elections. But no election took place because the Bolivian Congress adopted a noconfidence vote against the provisional president.

That legislative decision generated an atmosphere that produced a new armed military intervention on November 11, 1979 in charge of Alberto Natush Bush. Bush, who lasted in the power only 16 days, was forced to give the Power of the Nation to Lidya Gueyler Tejada - the only woman who has governed Bolivia until now (Alcaraz Irving -The Prisoner of the Palace -Bolivia - 1985). The election conducted under the authority of Lidya Gueyler was won by Hernan Siles Suazo. But acceptance of this electoral result was resisted by the Army Forces. On July 17, 1980, this led to one of the bloodiest  pages of democratic history in Bolivia, the usurpation of the government by the dictator Luis Garcia Meza Tejada. 

However, the harshness of the imposed dictatorship, the degree of deterioration of the Armed Forces, as well as the direct linking of the Government with drug trafficking, caused conditions for the fall of the dictatorship to occur rapidly. Thus the miscreant Government headed by Garcia Meza had produced an unexpected result, uniting in hard opposition all the forces of the civil society. (Lavaud Jean Paul - Bolivie, Le Retour des Militaires: Problemes d’ Amerique Latine).

After a period of agreed transition, under the authority of another military man Guido Vildoso, on October 10, 1982, the winner of the last democratic election made in 1980 (Hernan Siles Suazo) was invested as President of the Bolivian Republic. 

Unfortunately, as a result of the strong influence of trade unionist sectors in the decisions
of the government, it generated an absence of a real power from the Government and produced a deep economic crisis, the like of which had never been seen before. The greater manifestation of that economic moment was an uncontrollable hyperinflation and the loss of buying value for the national currency. In 1982 the economic inflation was 13.50%, three years later it was 20,560%. (Bolivian National Institute of Statistics - www.ine.gov.bo). These facts determined the reduction of the constitutional mandate of President Siles Suazo; therefore, on August 6, 1985, he had to hand over the constitutional power to Victor Paz Estenssoro.

On the basis of the antecedents and works made in previous meetings with Jeffrey Sachs and others of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and the participation of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, President Victor Paz, on August 28 of that same year, promulgated Supreme Decree 21060. This was the legal instrument that established in Bolivia a new economic model based on the law of supply and demand, interest rates open to the market, freedom in importation and exportation of products, unique tariff for the exports, freedom of labor hiring, reduction of the fiscal cost and dismissal of the mining labor force.

These legal measures of economic shock produced the most important political effect: re-establishment of real authority of the State over society, eliminating the power
which until that moment had been in the hands of the trade unionist sectors, taking advantage of the citizenry’s outcry and clamor for economic stability and respect for their minimum rights (Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada - New Economic Policy - Seminary ILDIS - September of 1995).

The first spectacular consequence of this process of adjustment was that the fiscal deficit of the Gross Domestic Product passed from 27.4% in 1984 to 2.7% in 1986, and the economic inflation was reduced from 20,400% in 1985 to only 11% over two years (Ibaniez Rojo Enrrique - Neo-liberal Democracy in Bolivia - University Complutense - Madrid - 1993).

On August 6, 1989, Jaime Paz Zamora, who had placed third in the democratic  elections of that year, acceded to the Bolivian presidency, thanks to an historic political agreement, one of the most important landmarks in the development of Bolivian democracy. Through this accord Paz Zamora received support from ex-dictator Hugo Banzer Suarez, against whom he had been struggling mightily during the dictatorship. Then arises a very well- known phrase that said: "we have constructed a bridge of democracy that helped us to cross the rivers of blood that separated us.”

Within the consolidation of the democratic process in Bolivia, July 9, 1992 is an important date. Under the auspices of the Catholic Church all political parties with representation in the Parliament subscribed to the “Agreement for the Modernization of the State and the Strengthening of Democracy.”

This legal instrument determined the reform and modernization of the Judicial Power, the reform of the Political Constitution of the State, electoral reform, and the beginning of political administrative  decentralization. After a new democratic transition, on August 6, 1993, there arose the president of the Republic, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, whose governmental administration featured the promulgation of such important laws as Law of Capitalization, Law of Popular Participation, Law of Education Reform. One of the most important milestones of the democratic process and of this government administration happened on March 15, 1995, when, after a long process of extradition from Brazil to Bolivia, the ex-military dictator Luis Garcia Meza was finally jailed. 

In 1997, after the Political Constitution of the State was reformed and through a new democratic election, the ex-military dictator Hugo Banzer Suarez won and acceded
to the Presidency of Bolivia. Lamentably, the Banzer administration was characterized by a deterioration of the economical situation, aggravated by the emergent consequences of Asian, Mexican and Brazilian crises.

This government administration had among its main achievements, the adoption of the "Struggle Against Drug Trafficking" as a Policy of State and also the eradication of 90% of the existing crops of coca leaf destined to illicit traffic. The deteriorating health of the President, who was affected by cancer, and his subsequent death, caused a transfer of constitutional power to Jorge Quiroga Ramirez.

Note that during this democratic period, the processes of institutionalization of the National Customs Office, National Service of Roads, and the National Tax Office were consolidated. Up until then they had been political booty of the governments in power.

The last democratic elections in Bolivia on June 30, 2002 constitute irrefutable proof of the significant democratic advances that the country has experienced. As a result of this electoral process we find Evo Morales Ayma, who is leader of the coca leaf growers and indigenous peoples, in second place in the vote count. This qualified him to dispute constitutionally the presidency of the Bolivian Republic. At this time, as a consequence of democratic process, the Legislative Power of Bolivia has within its components many genuine representatives of social sectors and indigenous farmers, who had previously been systematically excluded from the exercise of power.

Another sign of the maturity of the political system and of Bolivian democracy is the presence of the indigenous farmers’ leader Felipe Quispe Huanca, who is presently serving next to other representatives from native towns as a Congressman in the National Parliament. This presence in the Congress of social sectors that were excluded in the past has a transcendental importance. Formerly, some of these people were engaged in terrorist activities as a way to protest against the system; but presently they have chosen to accept its rules and pursue their objectives from within, and with mutual respect.

Certainly, the Bolivian democratic system, in its historical evolution, has encountered a series of deficiencies; and there are still many aspects that need improvement. But to deny the advances that have occurred would be to deny the struggle and sacrifice of the Bolivian people to consolidate their institutions.

Day by day Bolivia relies upon solid institutions such as the Constitutional Tribunal (March 19, 1998), which is responsible for watching over the legality and constitutionality of the juridical norms of the country; the Public Ombudsman (December 22, 1997), charged to assume the defense of society against abuses of the state administration; and the Judicial Council (December 22, 1997) created as chief and disciplinarian of the judicial power. Further, a reform of the Pension and Retirement System takes effect upon entry into full force of the New Code of Penal Procedures (May 31, 2001). The latter calls for active participation of common citizens in the administration of justice.

During more than two decades, Bolivia has immersed itself in a totally new constitutional environment, achieving a context of increasingly democratic governance. The changes continue to be surprising, given that the transition has occurred under extremely precarious conditions. Day by day, Bolivia finds itself in a prolonged stage of democratic consolidation, achieving a macroeconomic stability that shows accumulated inflation of 1.11% and a projection of 1.95% annual economic growth. (La Razon Bolivian Newspaper - October 15, 2002)
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*Yvan Cordove is a  FULBRlGHT GRANTEE, Administered by LASPAU
 

Board Actions
There have been two meetings of the Board in 2003 that have not been reported. The first of these was January 25, 2003:

Executive Director and Editor Bob Frans offered his resignation from both these positions effective December 31, 2003. He also offered, upon approval by the Board, to continue in these positions until the end of the year, subject to his ability to do so. The Board approved.

Don Dombek’s growing interest and work with the Farmer to Farmer program was noted. It was announced that he would assume the Chairmanship of that work with Phil Serafini continuing to assist. 

Ed Hawkins is working to get members involved in one of the program areas of our partnership. The idea of a membership card was brought up - accordingly, Ed started the process and the Executive Director had cards printed with our logo, to be given out upon payment of the current year’s dues.

The construction of a banner was discussed and the Board was informed that it was being worked on. The Executive Director was instructed to circulate the proposed logo for the banner design to the Board, which was later done. 

The next Board m eeting was April 26, 2003. Bettie Lu Lancaster reported on her recent trip to Bolivia for the justice project. Her report on that trip can be found in the previous issue of Direcciones (number 33 on our web site). She is working with several others in the
Fayetteville area on this project and expects to provide greater detail on their work soon. She is to coordinate some of their activities with Miguel Cortez during his visit here. 

Don Dombek reported on his activities with Farmer to Farmer, particularly a workshop in Washington and a trip to Bolivia. There he met with the country coordinator for FTF in Cochabamba, where it was decided that the FTF activities would concentrate on rotational grazing, dairy production, and intensive urban vegetable production.

Ed Hawkins presented his plans to produce a short video to help boost interest in Partners throughout the state. He was authorized to proceed with the project.

It was announced that Stacy Ericson would be the new Editor of Direcciones and that Laurin Wheeler would be the new Executive Director, both positions effective January 1, 2004. Both will work with Bob Frans in assuming these new duties.

New Members
We have some new member to report since we last did this. They are:

Diana Worthen 
16700 Doolittle Rd., Springdale AR 72764
479-872-1977

T. J. Adair
270 Madison 3590, Pettigrew, AR 72752
479-677-8840

Jim Correll
2038 N. East Oaks Dr. #8, Fayetteville AR 72703
jcorrell@uark.edu

John & Phoebe Goodwin
2903 Inwood Ln., Fayetteville AR 72701
479-443-4493 
(not really new members, just newly returned to Fayetteville after 8 years)

Hank & Jo Ann Kaminsky
543 Assembly Rd., Fayetteville AR 72701
479-443-2077

Paul McLeod
14810 Blue Jay Lane, Fayetteville, AR 72704
479-575-3397

Welcome, to all of you - we’re glad you’re members!

New Appointment!!
Just before going to press with this issue of Direcciones, we learned that Don Wagner, Chair of the Board of Directors for Partners of Americas, appointed President Thecia Taylor to be Chair of the Nominations and Election Committee for 2003. This will entail her drawing together all the nominations for the various Board positions prior to
the International Convention in Lexington. 

Congratulations, Thecia!

As posted at http://www.partners.net/know_us/partnership_profiles/Arkansas.htm PARTNERSHIP NAME: Arkansas-East Bolivia CHAPTER WEBSITE: www.uark.edu/misc/partners CHAPTER NAME: Arkansas FOUNDED: 1965 (One of the very first chapters - maybe third.) OVERVIEW / HISTORY: Chapter began with heavy medical emphasis, and strong Central Arkansas focus. Activities have diversified over the years, and membership balance has shifted somewhat towards Northwest Arkansas. A considerable number of current members are active and retired UA Fayetteville faculty. A major chapter initiative was the agreement with the UofA to enroll Bolivian students at in-state tuition rates. There are now more than 80, with over a dozen new graduates this year, and several in doctoral programs. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: A strong stream of travelers (both directions) has been active in democratic initiatives, social and cultural programs, the Partners/Kellogg Fellowship program, Farmer to Farmer projects, a new sports initiative, and special education, as well as community health initiatives and radio communications, among others. ONGOING ACTIVITIES / PRIMARY CHAPTER INTERESTS: Many of the above are continuing. A fundamental judicial reform initiative in Bolivia, supported by a major four-year Partners program, is just getting underway with strong Arkansas chapter participation. Current and archived issues of our quarterly Direcciones publication are available in color online at the website. They include detailed reports, activity profiles, plus photos. COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS/SUPPORTERS: Hispanic Women's Organization of Arkansas, UA Cooperative Extension Service, LULAC (League of Latin American Citizens), and Arkansas Governor's Staff. IMAGE: See our chapter banner, below: