The Winners of the Country Stage of the V International Contest "Leader of Public Diplomacy" in Latin America have been Announced
The solemn awarding ceremony of the country stage winners of the V International Contest "Leader of Public Diplomacy" in Latin America took place on June 17, 2026 in Salvador (Brazil) as part of the World Public Summit: Latin America "New World: Latin America in Shaping a Shared Future". The event brought together representatives of the international expert community, public leaders, cultural, scientific and business figures, noting the leaders whose activities are aimed at developing public diplomacy, strengthening trust and humanitarian cooperation between the countries.
The Contest has a long history and unites leaders from dozens of countries. In 2026, it will be held in a new format – with country, regional stages and an international final. Latin America has become one of the key venues of the Contest. This is symbolic: a region with a deep history and traditions is actively involved in shaping the global humanitarian agenda today.
Winners of the regional stage of the International Contest "Leader of Public Diplomacy" in Latin America:
Nomination “Educational Diplomacy”
Caroline Gaspard – Director of the Russian House in Mexico City (Mexico);
Fidel Antonio Castro-Smirnov – Academician of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, Professor at the University of Havana (Cuba);
Julio Rezendi - Professor at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte University, founder of the first international Mars station in the Southern Hemisphere, Habitat Marte for simulation experiments (Brazil).
Nomination “Cultural Diplomacy”
Tadeo Castellone – Editor-in-Chief of PIA Global (Periodismo Internacional Alternativo (Argentina);
Irina Samodaeva – Director and founder of the Irina Samodaeva Foundation for the Development of music education (Mexico);
Natalia Bogdanova is the Chair of the Coordinating Council of Compatriots in Panama (Panama).
Nomination “Media Diplomacy”
Adriana Viera – journalist, co-founder and Technical Director of the InterMídia Comunicação Integrada Agency (Brazil);
Patricio Mary Bell - journalist and writer (Argentina).
Nomination “Business Diplomacy”
Lauren Careno Diaz - Vice President of Marketing Q Strategies & Communications consulting company (Mexico).
Nomination “Scientific Diplomacy”
William Schneider Rabelo - organizer of international charity and educational space missions between Russia, Brazil, the USA, Colombia, Armenia and other countries, the organizer of the international art project "Rocket of Dreams" in Brazil.
The country stage of the Contest in Latin America was an important step in the development of an international network of public diplomacy leaders and a confirmation of the high interest in shaping a new humanitarian agenda.
"Today we have taken another step towards forming a global community of leaders united by the values of dialogue, trust and cooperation," said Svetlana Smirnova, Chairperson of the General Council of the World Peoples Assembly, following the event.
Media information and cooperation issues: media@world-assembly.org.
More information about the regional summits of the World Peoples Assembly is on the official website of the World Public Summit.
