ABLA, Association of Bi-National Centers of Latin America, will hold its biennial convention from August 13 to 17 in Buenos Aires, hosted by ICANA, the Argentine-American Cultural Institute, and sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and the Department of State.
Bi-National centers are nonprofit organizations whose main objective is to promote mutual understanding between the people in the host country and the United States through educational and cultural programs. BNCs work in five main areas: English language teaching; cultural activities; student advising services promoting study in the US; provision of information about the US, and exchange alumni networking. They are also innovative hubs that work closely with their communities to promote entrepreneurship and leadership. The Latin American BNC network encompasses more than 120 centers in 18 countries, representing almost all major metropolitan areas in the region.
ABLA conventions started in 1988 and give members an opportunity to foster growth and improvement through the exchange of best practices and the debate of common challenges. Conventions usually host hundreds of education professionals, including executive directors, teachers, managers, academic coordinators, librarians and educational advisors.
ICANA, ABLA 2018´s host, is Latin America´s oldest BNC, celebrating its 90° anniversary this year. It is part of a network of 13 BNCs across 10 provinces in Argentina.
