Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence

The Latin America Centre of Asia–Pacific Excellence is one of three centres of Asia–Pacific Excellence (CAPEs) set up by the New Zealand Government to enhance New Zealand’s engagement with North and Southeast Asia and Latin America. The CAPEs deliver a range of programmes aimed at making New Zealanders aware of the significance of the Asia–Pacific region to New Zealand, and to deepen our cultural knowledge and economic, trade, political and business relationships.

The Latin America CAPE focuses on developing business connections with Latin America’s largest economies and most trade-friendly countries.

The Latin America CAPE has supported a range of projects throughout the region. These include exhibitions and workshops related to Latin America, such as De la Milpa a la Mesa: A Mexican Food Journey (Mexico) and Nicolás Paris: ko ngā herenga kei waenga i a tātou, lo que nos une, what connects us (Colombia); film, music and educational resources, such as Amazon – Raised Up Sky (Brazil), The Inside Guide: Exploring Kiwi Success in Brazil (Brazil), Irisado (Argentina and Colombia), The Majestic Samaúma (Brazil), Legendary Links – A Muysca x Māori Collab (Colombia), Virtual Machu Picchu Pueblo Learning Tool (Peru) and the annual Latin America and Spain Film Festival; and research and training for creative entrepreneurs, such as the Creative Business Collaboration Project (Chile and Brazil), internships through the Cultural Sector Partnerships programme (Mexico) and Māori and Pacific Business: Latin America ReConnect programme (Chile, Colombia and Mexico).

The CAPEs are supported by a consortium of four universities: University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, University of Otago and University of Waikato; they are funded by the Tertiary Education Commission until June 2024. The Latin America CAPE is hosted by Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.

The Latin America CAPE is led by Dr Matthew O’Meagher and deputy director Craig Nicholson. Its creative programmes and projects have been delivered by Nicole Freeman, Nikki Lima, Adriana Destenave-Fernandez, Jorge Jimenez Castano, Lucy O’Neill and Shannon Chang.

Location

Wellington, New Zealand

Date

Established in 2017

Published 02 November 2023