NEH Hosts Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez for a Discussion of “Culture and Prosperity”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) will host the President of the Republic of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez, for a discussion on “Culture and Prosperity: Building a Creative Economy,” in Washington, D.C.

As part of his visit to Washington, President Duque Márquez will meet with the leadership of NEH and other cultural organizations to discuss the role of creative industries in fostering economic growth.

The event, which begins at 4:30 p.m., features welcoming remarks by NEH Chairman Jon Parrish Peede and U.S. Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary Kevin O’Reilly, followed by a conversation between President Iván Duque Márquez and NEH Senior Deputy Chairman Carlos Díaz Rosillo about the link between culture and prosperity.

Iván Duque Márquez received his law degree from Universidad Sergio Arboleda, where he studied philosophy and the humanities. He also holds degrees from American and Georgetown universities. He is the author of several books, including one, co-written with fellow Colombian Felipe Buitrago Restrepo, coining the term “Orange Economy” for cultural and creative industries. As a senator, he put forward the “Orange Law” that promotes creative industries and culture as an engine for development. In 2018, he was elected President of Colombia for the 2018–2022 constitutional term.

This international meeting will take place at President Lincoln’s Cottage in Northwest Washington, D.C., where Abraham Lincoln lived for over a quarter of his presidency. It was at the Cottage that Lincoln made some of his most critical decisions. While in residence there, he visited with wounded soldiers, spent time with self-emancipated people, and developed the Emancipation Proclamation. President Duque will receive a tour of President Lincoln’s Cottage during this afternoon’s event.

National Endowment for the Humanities: Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.