What is the LATAM Conference?

The LATAM Conference is the annual flagship event of the Hertie School Latin American Club (HeLAC), the student association of the Hertie School in Berlin, founded in 2018 by students of Latin American nationalities —who make up around 15% of the student body— together with others who share an interest in and connection to the region. Since its first edition in May 2023, it has established itself as one of the leading spaces for dialogue between Europe and Latin America within Germany’s public policy ecosystem.

Conceived as a two-day multidisciplinary event, the LATAM Conference brings together diplomats, academics, policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, journalists, and civil society representatives from both regions. Its purpose is twofold: on one hand, to offer a platform for knowledge exchange, idea generation, networking, and collaborative problem-solving; on the other, to challenge oversimplified narratives about Latin America —the notions of economic insignificance, chronic political instability, or cultural reductionism— and to present the region as an active, innovative global actor rather than a passive recipient of world trends.

The format combines keynote speeches, expert panels, and interactive sessions, complemented by a hallmark of the event: direct diplomatic engagement, through visits and closing receptions at Latin American embassies in Berlin (Peru in 2024, Brazil in 2025, Mexico in 2026). Moderation is almost always led by Hertie School students, professors, and researchers, reinforcing the initiative’s participatory and educational character.

Across its editions, the conference has evolved thematically without losing its core focus. The earlier editions addressed democracy, human rights, migration, anti-corruption, and German–Latin American diplomatic relations. More recent editions incorporated digital governance and artificial intelligence, energy transition and critical minerals, climate finance, gender data, multilateralism, and skilled labor mobility. Each edition is also built around a guiding theme: in 2025, “Exploring Resilient Responses and Strengthening LATAM Alliances,” and in 2026, “Latin American Resilience in a Changing World,” consolidating resilience as the region’s narrative framework in the face of geopolitical fragmentation, the climate crisis, and global democratic stress.

At its core, the LATAM Conference seeks to bring the academic excellence of the Hertie School together with the voices and experiences of Latin America, contributing to evidence-based policy and a renewed Europe–Latin America cooperation.

By edition

Across four editions, speakers have come from 11+ Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela). Closing receptions have been hosted at the embassies of Peru, Brazil, and Mexico, and past keynotes include Norbert Lammert (former President of the Bundestag) and Luis Moreno Ocampo (first Chief Prosecutor of the ICC).

Participating institutions