Embassy Staff Attend HelpArgentina Social Ambassadors Award Ceremony

September 1, 2009

Thomas Kelly at HelpArgentina 2009 Social Ambassadors Awards Ceremony

On September 1, Chargé d’Affaires Thomas Kelly and other Embassy staff attended the HelpArgentina 2009 Social Ambassadors Awards Ceremony at the Palacio San Martín in Buenos Aires.  The purpose of the event was to recognize individuals who have served as “Social Ambassadors,” raising  funds outside of Argentina to support social organizations and projects within the country, regardless of whether that individual is Argentine or not.  Several of the award nominees were Argentines residing in the USA.

Soccer player and founder of the Fundación PUPI Javier Zanetti, actor and Director of the Casa de la Cultura de la Calle Gastón Pauls, Member of the Council of Ambassadors Félix Cordova Moyano, María Julia Díaz Ardaya who is responsible for relations with the Grupo Clarín Community, Belen Quellet from the Management Team for La Nación Foundation, Manuel Lozano the Director of Red Solidaria, President of HelpArgentina Emilio Ocampo, and HelpArgentina 2007 Social Ambassador winner Agustina Blanco served as judges to determine the recipients of the 2009 awards.

Winners of the 2009 Social Ambassadors Awards are Gabriela Fiorenza, Pablo Blanc, Mario Raimondi, Alejandro Itkin, and Eduardo Gallardo.  Examples of projects that the Social Ambassadors made possible include building schools in rural areas of Argentina, creating programs to integrate at-risk youth into society, and supporting a variety of social projects throughout the country.