Manuel Arango, celebrated businessman and philanthropist, founder of Grupo CIFRA, founder of Mexican Center for Philanthropy Watch video here More photos

SAN DIEGO — UC San Diego is sponsoring a glitzy, entertaining and thought-provoking two-day event titled “Mexico Moving Forward” that will be full of spice, song and the insights of a dozen visionary Mexican leaders in science, art, culture and business. While celebrating the excellence of their country, the Mexican leaders — from novelist and historian Rafael Tovar y de Teresa to businessman and philanthropist Manuel Arango — will lead a lively, unscripted and open dialogue on the future of the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world.

“Californians are well aware of social problems clustered along the U.S.-Mexico border regions, but we shouldn’t lose sight of much more important developments in Mexico: the huge growth of its economy and its many incredible cultural, business, artistic and other accomplishments,” said Peter Cowhey, dean of UC San Diego’s School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS). “Our two-day celebration of Mexican excellence is designed to draw attention to Mexico’s dynamic potential.”

Mexico has experienced rapid economic, social and technological growth over the past two decades, and now manufactures more autos than the United States. Mexico has the world's 11th largest economy and is expected to grow to become the fifth largest by 2050.

The event will start with a gala dinner Feb. 9 at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, with proceeds to benefit UC San Diego’s Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies (USMEX) Endowment. The following day, the public is invited to attend a lively day-long symposium at IR/PS. To register go to http://usmex.ucsd.edu/events/mmf/.

"For more than 30 years the center has promoted a better understanding of all that Mexico has to offer the United States and the world, and we’re excited to host a celebration of Mexican women and men who have distinguished themselves by their excellence in their fields as our campus celebrates its 50th anniversary,” said Alberto Díaz-Cayeros, director of USMEX. “This is a great opportunity for both Mexicans and Americans to reflect on what Mexico offers to the world in the realms of culture, art, science and entrepreneurship, and hence focus on the best the country has to offer to its citizens and the United States."

A wide variety of Mexican civic leaders are participating in the Mexico Moving Forward event at UC San Diego. The event will particularly spotlight the state of Baja California with a “Baja by the Sea Expo” as the closing attraction of the two-day celebration, to be co-hosted by the city of Tijuana, Mexico.

“Mexico Moving Forward is a great opportunity to reflect on the positive aspects of Mexico, aspects that are not featured by the media on a daily basis, but are well known by people who have visited or studied our country for many years,” said Remedios Gomez Arnau, consul general of Mexico in San Diego.

This timely conference not only allows us to appreciate appreciate Mexico as a center of rich culture, history and gastronomy, but also Mexico as a modern society that vigorously is working to improve its environment, its scientific and technological development and the well being of its population.”   

San Diego’s El Vitral restaurant will host the lunch on Feb. 10 featuring their signature fine Mexican cuisine prepared by chef Norma Martínez. The three-course lunch features Salmón al pibil sobre arroz de cilantro. The gala dinner on Feb. 9 at the Hilton Torrey Pines to be prepared by Martínez will duplicate the three-course dinner that was presented at the White House for President Felipe Calderón's state visit in May 2010.

The media sponsors for the event are Univisión and Telemundo, Spanish-language TV stations in San Diego, broadcasting in the U.S. and Mexico, respectively, and UCSD-TV. 

The Feb. 10 symposium features the following speakers:

• Manuel Arango, celebrated businessman and philanthropist, founder of Grupo CIFRA, founder of Mexican Center for Philanthropy.
• Rodolfo Dirzo, world renowned ecologist/botanist, director of the Dirzo Lab at Stanford University.
• Exequiel Ezcurra, internationally renowned plant ecologist and director of the University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States.
• Eugenio Garza Herrera, president of Xignux and president of the Mexican Businessman’s Council.
• Diana Magaloni, director of Mexico’s Museum of Anthropology, the world’s leading museum of anthropology.
• Raúl Padilla López, board president of the University of Guadalajara and the University Cultural Center; founder of Féria Internacional del Libro.
• Mónica Patiño, celebrity chef and owner of La Taberna del León located in Valle de Bravo, the State of Mexico, MP Café and Bistro and Náos Restaurant, both in Mexico City.
• Cristina Rivera Garza, historian and top-selling novelist and winner of the prestigious Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Award.
• Sebastián, Mexico’s foremost living monumental sculptor.
• Roberto Servitje Sendra, CEO of Bimbo Bakeries, the world’s largest producer of baked goods.
• Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, foremost expert on the history of Mexican art and culture, novelist and former director of the Mexican National Council for the Arts.
• Roxana Velásquez Martínez del Campo, the first female executive director of the San Diego Museum of Art and the former director of Mexico’s Museum of Fine Arts in Mexico City.