The Bocas Lit Festival was just last week. I’m sure there were many good readings. But I suggest there was one omission - a reading from My Story My Secrets — Letters To My Younger Self.

Miami, 30 April 2018 – A wide and diversified network of leading organisations, sports bodies, linguistic blocks, universities, NGOs, law enforcement agencies and social influencers have just come together to join SIGA in a powerful call for action against abuse, smuggling and trafficking of children and young people in
sport.

AGENDA

14:00   OPENING SESSION

• Fermin Vazquez

Senior Director of Administration at Miami Dade College, North Campus

•  Alejandro Servalli

Senior Aide to Mayor Francis Suarez

• Linda Alexionok

President, Voices for Florida

• Paulo Speller

Secretary General, Organisation of Ibero-American States

• Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros

CEO, SIGA

14:30   SPORT HAS THE POWER – A Testimony

• Hristo Stoychkov

Soccer legend, winner of the 1994 Ballon d’Or, former FC Barcelona soccer player

14:45   CHANGING THE GAME: COUNTERING ABUSE OF CHILDREN IN SPORT

• Massimiliano Montanari

Executive Director, Save the Dream

• Andrew Smola

Workforce Analytics Lead, Panasonic

• Rebecca González – Ramos

Assistant Special Agent, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

• Shellie Pfohl

President & CEO, United States Center for SafeSport

• Brian Lewis

President, Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee / President, Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees

Moderator: Angela Adams Suggs, President, Florida Sports Foundation

15:45   PROTECTING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN SPORT: COUNTERING SMUGGLING & TRAFFICKING

• Carmen Pinto

Assistant Special Agent, United States Department of Homeland Security

• Ricardo de Buen Rodriguez,

Founder & President, Sport Integrity Mexico

•  Heather Fischer

Manager, Human Trafficking Program, McCain Institute

• Selena Respass

S.O.J Faculty, Miami Dade College

•  Timothy Patrick Gill Sr

Vice President, Specter Security Group

Moderator: Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami-Dade State Attorney

16:45  COFFEE BREAK

17:00  RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE PATHWAY TO ELITE/ PROFESSIONAL SPORTS: SETTING UNIVERSAL STANDARDS FOR A TRUSTED INDUSTRY

• Ângela Melo

Director – Policies and Programmes, UNESCO

• João Paulo Almeida

Director General, National Olympic Committee of Portugal

• Katie Simmonds

Director, Sports Governance and Financial Integrity, ICSS INSIGHT / Acting General Council, SIGA

• Laila Mintas

Deputy President, Sportradar US

• Lisa Delpy Neirotti

Director Sport Management Programs & MTA, George Washington University

• David Luna

President & CEO, Luna Global Networks / SIGA Council Member/ former Chairrnan OECD’s Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade and Senior Director, US Department of State

Moderator: James Cottrell, former Partner, Deloitte US / Member, Consultative Committee, World Economic Forum/PACI

18:00   THE WAY FORWARD

• Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros

CEO, SIGA

THERE is nothing like the power of sport to lift our sagging spirits and remind us of the endless possibilities that can be attained through hard work and commitment.

The Office of the Prime Minister has given over $1 million to Bishops High School, Mt Marie to help fund a $4 million state-of-the-art sports field, which is expected to be completed by September.

MEN’S CHAMPION Richer Perez of Cuba will return to defend his Tobago International Sea to Sea Marathon title on May 20. Other elite runners expected include Mexican-based George Towett, a four-time UWI SPEC champion, and his wife Caroline Kiptoo, a two-time UWI SPEC champion.