Camila Vallejo Returns to Lead Latin American Social Security Leadership School

Original article: Camila Vallejo vuelve a escena: dirigirá escuela de nuevos liderazgos latinoamericanos

Former Minister of the General Secretariat of Government, Camila Vallejo Dowling, is making a comeback as she takes the helm of the Latin American School of Leadership in Social Security. This initiative by the Inter-American Social Security Conference (CISS) aims to educate and connect young leaders of the region.

“We are excited to welcome Camila Vallejo to CISS, who joins our team as the director of Ruta Continental: Latin American School of Leadership in Social Security,” the organization announced.

They stated that the experience and leadership of the former state secretary and congresswoman will be crucial in training, connecting, and supporting youth who are sure to change the world. They are committed to ensuring that these individuals have the technical skills necessary to succeed.

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This regional initiative aims to educate and connect a new generation of youth leaders committed to social security, social rights, and democracy in Latin America.

CISS explained that Ruta Continental arose from the need to bring technical knowledge about social security to younger generations involved in social organizations, public institutions, unions, communities, and media spaces, who can find new tools for expanding their participation and influence through training and regional collaboration.

Specifically, the School features an academic program focused on imparting knowledge that combines content on social security systems in Latin America with leadership and strategic communication tools.

According to CISS, its focus areas include the current challenges facing health, pension, labor, and care systems, as well as ways to communicate and position these issues in the public debate.

Training for Youth Who Are «Doing So Much for Their Communities»

During the presentation of this initiative in Mexico City, Vallejo stated that “there are young people who are already doing so much for their communities and that, with training, tools, and collaborative networks, they can achieve even more.”

“In student organizations, unions, care collectives, rural and indigenous communities, public institutions, and media, there are valuable experiences that deserve to connect,” emphasized the director of Ruta Continental.

CISS Secretary General Pedro Kumamoto Aguilar noted that “youth are a particularly vulnerable population, largely due to their lack of awareness of their own rights. It is against this reality that this School was born, whose purpose is to provide youth with the tools and information to know and promote their rights and those of their communities.”

Regional Network of Youth Leadership Linked to Social Security

At the launch of Ruta Continental, Vallejo led a circular dialogue process with youth from Mexico City, addressing new youth leaderships and the role these generations play in public discussion.

The discussion focused on the importance of enhancing their capabilities and creating spaces for them to actively participate in debates that are meant to define the present and future of social rights in Latin America.

“With this initiative, CISS aims to contribute to the training of leaders capable of fostering an informed public conversation about social security and its role in building more just and democratic societies,” the organization emphasized in a press release.

The first cohort of the school is expected to consist of 50 young individuals aged 18 to 30 from different Latin American countries. The Ruta Continental program includes an in-person training meeting in Mexico City, along with a support process lasting 12 months. The goal is to promote the construction of an active regional network of youth leadership linked to social security.

The call for applications to join the first cohort will be open until November 5, 2026, and applicants do not need previous specialized experience in social security.