The most important goal of the Group is to improve Australian and Latin-American relations. In June 1991, Andes presented its first submission to the Senate of Australia supporting their Inquiry on Australian Latin-American Relations.  

I strongly believe that cultural understanding and the fostering of cross cultural activities must be developed on an ongoing basis. Good relations among the regions and countries of the world will depend on this. Benefits will flow to governments, people in business, science, trade and the community in general.  

Lately,  Andes Group Inc. activities have  focussed on the diffusion of the Spanish Language and Latin American culture in Western Australia. By middle 1998, I can see the Andes Group Inc. supporting the international community through the following programs:  

•  How to be an Independent Learner. A free program for the Cyber community to approach all studies using Internet resources but especially for learning and teaching the Spanish language. This program also provides information and cultural links to Latin American countries. 

• The Andes Group Network. The network provides services that help to approach individuals, organisations and businesses in Australia and Latin American countries. These services can also extend to individuals in other countries speaking English or Spanish. 

I hope you will find this Web page useful as well as the site Spanish for the Independent Learner.  
 

In this era of the information technology community information, community education and training  programs are vital. These important tools should be use to prepare people for the reality of globalisation, not yet very well understood. There is not doubt that community information programs will help individuals to become aware of their needs and the preparation they require to confront their future in a globalised world.  

In my capacity of adult educator I can see a role for non-profit organisations on the Internet in facilitating a better understanding in communities of world changes. Globalisation goes beyond the new management practices and trade agreements, it covers a huge number of areas where language and understanding of world cultures are no less important in the process. I strongly believe they provide a starting point for good relations and further agreement between the countries of the world.  

The Andes Group Inc. is happy to be able to contribute to the promotion of  the Spanish language and the Culture of the Latin American Countries.   
 

Among the various projects that  I have designed, in close collaboration with members of the Group, the most important have been  "A Vision for the Leather Industry in Australia" (1994) and the Andes Group's spanish language and cultural program, Spanish in Action. This I personally designed and delivery in 1997 in some of the local libraries in Perth.  
 

Apart from The Andes Group I have a variety of other interests. As a Chilean native, I firmly believe in the importance of community organisations in the development of democracies that allow participation and individual recognition. These provide a foundation for peaceful globalisation. My  interests are to facilitate the reaching of such human aspirations. One of my areas of  interest  is to disseminate cultural awareness of the Latin-American countries in Australia and the development  of cross cultural activities in the community.  

As an Australian citizen I would like to see these great continents work more closely together  for a better understanding of the Asian Pacific Economic Region and the stabilisation of the world. Finally as a citizen of the world I would like to contribute in those fields of my interest that support clarification of the concept of globalisation especially those that help to obtain a better understanding of human and business relations.