ss/1-9-2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NORMAN — His Excellency Mauro Vieira, Brazilian Ambassador to the United States, will be the keynote speaker at a President’s Associates dinner at the University of Oklahoma Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. Ambassador Vieira’s career includes diplomatic assignments and domestic roles in Brazil. He will speak about urban development in Brazil.

Brazil has the largest population in Latin America and one of the top in the world. With an annual economic growth rate of more than 7 percent, Brazil is poised this year to become the world’s sixth-largest economy. With the two largest democracies and economies in the Western Hemisphere, the United States and Brazil have traditionally had an active political and economic relationship.

“Brazil has already emerged as a major global leader,” said OU President David L. Boren. “The partnership between our two nations in the Americas has never been more important.”

Prior to being appointed Ambassador to the United States, Vieira was the Brazilian Ambassador to Argentina from 2004 to 2009. He holds a juris doctorate from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and graduated from the Instituto Rio-Branco, the Brazilian diplomatic academy.

At the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations, Vieira has held leadership positions, including Chief of Staff to the Secretary-General and Chief of Staff to the Minister of External Relations. From January 2003 to May 2006, he was the representative of the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations to the Board of Directors of Itaipu Binacional hydroelectric power plant.

Vieira also has held positions at other Brazilian federal agencies, having served as Secretary for Managerial Modernization at the Ministry of Science and Technology, Assistant Secretary-General for Science and Technology, and National Secretary for Management at the National Institute for Social Security at the Ministry of Social Security and Assistance.

Abroad, Vieira served at the Embassy in Washington (1978-1982); the Mission to the Latin American Integration Association in Montevideo (1982-1985); the Embassy in Mexico City (1990-1992); and the Embassy in Paris (1995-1999).

Vieira has been honored by the governments of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, France, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania.

Because of the venue, limited seating is available by reservation for OU students, faculty, staff and the public. Reservations will be accepted as they are received. For reservations, more information and accommodations on the basis of disability, please call the OU Office of Special Events at (405) 325-3784.