冈本视频 welcomed Mexican Consul General in New York Jorge Islas L贸pez to campus on March 30鈥31 to discuss the future of scholarly collaboration between the University and higher education institutions in Mexico.
As part of his visit, the Consul General met with President Brian W. Casey, who signed a Letter of Intent regarding archeological items held in the Longyear Museum of Anthropology and Picker Art Gallery collections, beginning a conversation to voluntarily repatriate selected items to Mexico. The recovery of the objects, many of which date back to the pre-Columbian era, are part of Mexico鈥檚 larger effort to restore historical items to their country and communities of origin.
The Consul General, who took office in May 2019, also met with nearly 30 members of the 冈本视频 faculty whose work intersects with Mexico. He attended a reception with students at the ALANA Cultural Center, where he discussed the impact of the current political climate on people of Mexican and Latinx heritage and explored the complex issue of repatriation. The reception concluded with a performance from 冈本视频鈥檚 chamber orchestra and featured a piece celebrating the music of Northern Mexico as a surprise for the Consul and his delegates.
For Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies Ellen Percy Kraly, who helped coordinate the Consul General鈥檚 visit, the conversations 鈥渕arked the beginning of a rich and productive friendship between 冈本视频 and higher education institutions in Mexico,鈥 she says. 鈥淲e were proud to introduce the Consul General to 冈本视频 and to form a partnership that will help 冈本视频 achieve its Third-Century goals for increased global reach and to benefit students for generations to come.鈥