The Maison de l’Amérique latine is an exceptionnal and privileged place of receptions and meetings for the cultural and diplomatic Latin American community in Paris.
It has the ambition of being a lace of encounters and exchanges, where all artistic expressions meet.
The Maison de l’Amérique latine counts with of conference rooms, an auditorium, and lounges that open onto a wide park. It is equiped with all the infrastructures that are necessary to the organization of events and receptions of quality.
PRESENTATION OF THE INSTITUTION
Historical background of the institution
The Maison de l’Amérique latine (House of Latin America) was founded in 1946, in the wake of the French Resistance, under General de Gaulle’s impulse and following the initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It was born of the necessity of having Latin-American and French people meet in order to get to know each other better.
Professors Paul Rivet, Pasteur Vallery-Radot, the former ambassador of Brasil, Mr Luiz de Souza Dantas and Mr. Robert de Billy materialized this generous idea, laying down the basis of the Maison de l’Amérique latine, whose goal is to serve, reinforce, and develop the relationships and all sorts or exchanges between France and the 20 Republics of Latin America.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PLACE
The Maison de l’Amérique latine occupies two different mansions :
- « The Hotel de Varengeville » built in 1704 by the architect Jacques Gabriel V.
- « The Hotel Amelot de Gournay » built in 1712 by the architect Boffrand.
After having belonged to prestigious families, these two mansions became properties of the Bank of France. They are linked by the first floor lounges which open onto gardens à la française.
Though the “Hotel de Varengeville” was greatly mutilated in 1876 because of the extension of the boulevard Saint-Germain, and the “moods” of the different owners, the “Hotel Amelot de Gournay”, on the other hand, preserved the aspect it had when it was first built. The portal, the courtyard and the lounge named “of the Ambassadors” belong to the national survey’s list of historical monuments.
THE MAISON DE L’AMERIQUE LATINE NOWADAYS
Since 1984, the successive authorities have dedicated themselves to perpetuate the existence of the institution and to give the opportunity to acquire a status and visibility on lever with France’s foreign policy’s ambitions towards Latin American States.
Under the presidency of Mr. Guy Georgy, ambassador to France, the measures implemented have permited to restore, renovate and adapt parts of the two buildings that are occupied by the Maison de l’Amérique latine in order to put them more in accordance with it main missions : diplomatic, cultural and economic.
The Maison de l’Amérique latine has demonstrated that, at its scale, it has played an irreplaceable role at the service of the Latin-American policy in France. This role being particularly appreciated by the nations of Latin America and the ambassadors appointed to France.
On June 25, 2024, Mr. Jean-Marc Laforêt, diplomat, former ambassador, great expert of the region and Vice-President of the Maison de l'Amérique latine, was elected President.
SPHERES OF ACTIVITY
DIPLOMACY
The Maison de l’Amérique latine is a privileged place of receptions and meetings for the Latin American diplomatic community in Paris.
All Latin American ambassadors, independently of the orientation of their government, are strongly linked to our institution, where they meet regularly. Moreover, each in turn, holds the functions of governor of the Maison during one month.
At the moment of their appointment, the French ambassadors in Latin America make contact with the current actors of the cooperation in the host country. The same goes when they are passing through Paris.
The Maison de l’Amérique latine welcomes Latin Américan personalities, on a visit to France (from the diplomatic, political, cultural, scientific and economic world) and organizes meetings with their French counterparts or the Latin American community of the capital.
CULTURAL
The Maison de l’Amérique latine has the ambition of being a crossroad of cultures, a lace of meeting and reflexion, where the ancestral forms of the artistic expression join the most innovative movements of contemporary creation
The different cultural activities represented are arts, literature, politics, philosophy and music. Debates about current events, conferences, exhibitions, literary prizes (Roger Caillois, Carbet, Edouard Glissant) and spectacles are organized.
Close links are maintained and many events are co-produced with the cultural services of the Latin American embassies, the French and the foreign institutions, associations, non governmental organizations and the museums which deal closely with Latin American arts.
ECONOMY
In addition to round table discussions organized when the ambassadors of France leave for Latin America, the Maison de l’Amérique latine is a basis of support for the French firms efforts to export and invest in Latin America. It organizes the TELA (Panels of Latin American Economies) in partnership with the Institute of the Americas, the Instiut des Hautes Etudes d’Amérique latine, in conjunction with the support of relevant administrations, the MEDEF International and the Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
MEASURES
In order to complete the directives assigned, the Maison de l’Amérique latine takes the majority of its resources from :
- renting its spaces
- contributions of its members
- sponsoring
It benefits also from the support of the French Department of Foreign Affairs.