FORT LAUDERDALE – The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (GFLGLCC) has been named a Collaborating Partner in the first U.S. government-backed trade mission to Bogotá, Colombia.
According to GFLGLCC President Keith Blackburn the trade mission, which will be led under the auspices of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)—which will be held September 11 through 15—marks the first U.S. government-certified LGBT trade mission, made possible through a Memorandum of Understanding signed last year between the NGLCC and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Said NGLCC president Justin Nelson, “The support and backing of the U.S. government gives the mission increased validation as we work with our Colombian counterparts, and that’s good for our members who will be attending and looking for new and expanded markets.”
Participants will be credentialed as delegates to the inaugural LGBT Summit of the Americas, which will take place in conjunction with the trade mission, bringing together LGBT business leaders from the U.S., Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Uruguay. Invited speakers include the Honorable Angelino Garzón, Vice President of Colombia, and the Honorable Peter McKinley, U.S. Ambassador to Colombia.
According to Blackburn, the trade mission presents an opportunity for South Florida-based LGBTcertified businesses to meet counterparts, including buyers and business leaders, and to work with the commerce attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota to build connections crucial to international export and import trading.
For more information on the trade mission and summit, or to become a GFLGLCC member, visit gogayfortlauderdale.com.