As part of the International Summit on Governance, Leadership and Democracy, Luis Eduardo Prado, professor at the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO), together with Massiel Castro, director of the Ibero-American University Foundation (FUNIBER) in the Dominican Republic, presented a lecture entitled: ‘The importance of public speaking in the education of social and youth leaders.’
Before an audience of young politicians, social leaders and academics of various nationalities, Prado argued that public speaking should be considered an essential tool in the training of those who will guide the future of the countries of the Ibero-American region during the 21st century.
During her speech, the UNEATLANTICO professor emphasised that this discipline is more than just eloquence, as it serves as the main vehicle for the development of various soft skills. According to Prado, the practice of public speaking is crucial for modern leadership as it enhances skills such as rigorous research, active listening and the promotion of critical thinking, especially among social leaders.
Likewise, the UNEATLANTICO professor urged the politicians present to prioritise communication training as both an ethical and strategic pillar. In his speech, he asserted that a leader who does not know how to communicate clearly and with empathy will not be able to mobilise the changes that the region demands. The ultimate goal, as Prado explained, should be ‘to train politicians who not only aspire to hold public office, but who are also capable of inspiring confidence, not only during their campaign, but throughout their entire term in office.’
For her part, Massiel Castro took advantage of the meeting to extend an invitation to all attendees to learn more about scholarship programmes in various areas of knowledge, with special emphasis on programmes in Law and Politics, as well as Humanities and Communication. These areas are of particular interest both to the young leaders present and to the institutions they represent in this international forum.
Finally, the presence of representatives from UNEATLANTICO and FUNIBER served to lay the foundations for institutional relations with REDMUN, with the aim of continuing to collaborate on social, cultural and academic matters. The participation of both institutions consolidates UNEATLANTICO’s international profile in far-reaching debate spaces in Latin America and reaffirms FUNIBER’s commitment to promoting higher education and development in the region.