Tuesday, April 21
2:30 p.m. - ARRIVAL TO PANAMA Tocumen International Airport
4:00 PM - PANAMÁ 360° Liberty Latin America
6:00 p.m. HOTEL CHECK IN La Compañía Casco Antiguo
7:30 p.m. WELCOME RECEPTION: WITH PANAMA’S LEADERSHIP Private Residence
Wednesday, April 22
7-8 a.m. - BREAKFAST La Compañía Casco Antiguo
9:00 a.m. - MAYORS PANEL Museo del Canal
10:30 a.m. - COFFE EXPERIENCE + MUSEUM EXPLORATION Museo Del Canal
11:30 a.m. - GLOBAL TRADE & CONNECTIVITY Museo Del Canal
1:30 p.m. - SOIL TO STORY El Callejero
2:30 p.m - LUNCH BEC Experience
4:00 p.m. - INVESTMENT & CREATIVE ECONOMY Diablo Rosso + Espacio Creativo
5:30 p.m. - CASCO VIEJO EXPLORATION
6:30 p.m. - EXECUTIVE TIME
8:00 p.m. - DINNER Fonda Lo que Hay
THURSDAY, April 23
7-8 a.m. - BREAKFAST + OPTIONAL BIKE RIDE La Compañía Casco Antiguo
9:30 a.m. - ECOSYSTEMS OF COLLABORATION Ciudad del Saber
11:00 a.m. - DESIGN + CIRCULAR ECONOMY Clandestino + Simple AF
12:00 p.m. - LUNCH Gamboa Bakery
1:00 p.m. - HEALTH & BIODIVERSITY: FIRESIDE CHAT Ciudad del Saber
FRIDAY, April 24
7-8 a.m. - BREAKFAST La Compañía Casco Antiguo
9:00 a.m. - BUILDING A GLOBAL CITY COPA Corporate Office
10:30 a.m. EXECUTIVE TIME
11:00 a.m. - WATER & COMPETITIVENESS COPA Corporate Office
1:00 p.m. - TABLE AS TERRITORY: LUNCH & REFLECTIONS MAÍTO
4:00 p.m - HOSPITALITY & PROSPERITY La Compañía Casco Antiguo
5:30 p.m. - EXECUTIVE TIME Diablo Rosso + Espacio Creativo
7:30 p.m. - AMERICAS SUMMIT SENDOFF
TUESDAY, APRIL 21
PANAMÁ 360°: Strategic Overview
4:00 - 6:00 PM
Liberty Latin America
Event Overview:
This opening session of the 2026 Americas Summit provides a high-level overview of Panama’s economic, demographic, and geopolitical landscape, positioning the country as a strategic gateway for trade, logistics, finance, and innovation across the Americas. The conversation highlights Panama’s role as a connector between regions and markets, while framing the growing economic and cultural ties between Panama and Colorado.
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Liberty Latin America is a leading communications company with approximately 9,000 employees operating in more than 20 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean under the consumer brands BTC, Flow, Liberty, and Más Móvil. The company provides residential and business customers with communications and entertainment services including digital video, broadband internet, telephony, and mobile services. Its business portfolio includes enterprise-grade connectivity, data center, hosting, and managed solutions, as well as information technology services serving customers ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to multinational companies and government agencies. In addition, Liberty Latin America operates an extensive subsea and terrestrial fiber optic cable network connecting approximately 30 markets across the region.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
Hotel Check in
6:30 - 7:30 PM
About the Venue:
La Compañía Casco Antiguo is a restored 17th-century Jesuit complex in the heart of Panama City's historic district, spanning three architectural periods: a Spanish colonial building from 1688, a French building from 1739, and an American building from 1904. Together, they offer a living experience of Panama's history as a crossroads of the world.
Beyond the hotel, La Compañía Hotels & Resorts includes Villa Ana, a 1928 mansion turned cultural and entertainment hub, and La Compañía del Valle, a wellness and nature retreat two hours from the city, home to Elysium Spa, the largest in the region. The collection is designed to connect visitors with Panama's culture, gastronomy, and people, and to present the country as a distinctive destination on the world stage.
Welcome Reception
8:00 - 10:00 PM
Residency of Jaime Alemán
Event Overview:
An opening evening bringing together Panamanian leadership and Colorado's delegation, led by Governor Jared Polis, to mark the launch of the 2026 Americas Summit Panama.
At a time when the hemisphere calls for deeper connection, this gathering celebrates what Panama and Colorado share: a rare instinct for bridging peoples, markets, and ideas across borders and cultures. From the Canal to the Rockies, both are places where the world's currents meet.
Welcoming remarks from leaders on both sides will open a week of cross-sector collaboration, creative diplomacy, and shared purpose ,anchored in a common vision for a more connected, resilient Americas.
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Jaime E. Alemán (b. November 14, 1953, Panama) is a Panamanian attorney and diplomat. He is Senior Partner at Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee (ALCOGAL) and has served in numerous public and international roles, including Panama’s Ambassador to the United States (2009–2011) and Minister of Government and Justice (1988). Earlier in his career, he was Legal Adviser at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C.
Alemán holds a BA in Economics, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame (1975) and a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law (1978). He is admitted to the District of Columbia Bar and the Panama Bar.
An avid explorer, he became in 2020 the first Hispanic-American to visit all 193 United Nations member states. He later reached both the North and South Poles (2024) and flew to space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-32 mission in 2025, becoming the first person in history to have visited every UN country, both poles, and space.
He is the author of La Honestidad no Tiene Precio and Alrededor del Mundo en 40 Años. He is married to Pilar Arosemena de Alemán, with whom he has three children.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
Wednesday, April 22
MAYORS PANEL
9:00 - 10:30 AM
PANEL Overview:
From public safety and mobility to housing affordability, digital services, and civic trust, mayors are managing the most complex and contested terrain in modern governance, often with fewer resources than the problems demand. This session brings together mayors from Panama and Colorado for an unscripted conversation about what it actually takes to lead a city in 2026. The discussion will explore how technology is being deployed to improve service delivery and community participation, how cities are rebuilding trust after periods of protest and polarization, and what urban leaders on both sides of the hemisphere can learn from each other.
SPEAKERS:
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Built in 1875 and transferred to the Panama Canal Museum's Board of Trustees in 1996, this landmark building in Casco Antiguo has welcomed visitors since 1997. The museum is a non-profit dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Panama and its Canal through permanent and temporary exhibitions spanning art, culture, archaeology, and photography.
More than an archive, it serves as a living platform for education, dialogue, and community engagement, connecting local and international audiences to Panama's heritage and contemporary culture.
Alemán holds a BA in Economics, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame (1975) and a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law (1978). He is admitted to the District of Columbia Bar and the Panama Bar.
An avid explorer, he became in 2020 the first Hispanic-American to visit all 193 United Nations member states. He later reached both the North and South Poles (2024) and flew to space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-32 mission in 2025, becoming the first person in history to have visited every UN country, both poles, and space.
He is the author of La Honestidad no Tiene Precio and Alrededor del Mundo en 40 Años. He is married to Pilar Arosemena de Alemán, with whom he has three children.
Sponsored by
COFFEE EXPERIENCE + MUSEUM EXPLORATION
10:30 - 11:30 AM
Experience Overview:
Hosted by Siete Granos and led by Chef Amael Candanedo, this guided coffee tasting offers an introduction to Panama’s world-renowned specialty coffee culture. Set inside the historic Museo del Canal, guests will sample exceptional Panamanian coffees while learning about the country’s unique terroir, craftsmanship, and growing global reputation.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
GLOBAL TRADE & CONNECTIVITY
11:45 - 1:00 PM
SPEAKERS:
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Built in 1875 and transferred to the Panama Canal Museum's Board of Trustees in 1996, this landmark building in Casco Antiguo has welcomed visitors since 1997. The museum is a non-profit dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Panama and its Canal through permanent and temporary exhibitions spanning art, culture, archaeology, and photography.
More than an archive, it serves as a living platform for education, dialogue, and community engagement, connecting local and international audiences to Panama's heritage and contemporary culture.
Alemán holds a BA in Economics, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame (1975) and a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law (1978). He is admitted to the District of Columbia Bar and the Panama Bar.
An avid explorer, he became in 2020 the first Hispanic-American to visit all 193 United Nations member states. He later reached both the North and South Poles (2024) and flew to space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-32 mission in 2025, becoming the first person in history to have visited every UN country, both poles, and space.
He is the author of La Honestidad no Tiene Precio and Alrededor del Mundo en 40 Años. He is married to Pilar Arosemena de Alemán, with whom he has three children.
Panel Overview:
Panama’s geographic advantage has long placed it at the center of global commerce. This conversation convenes leaders in trade law, diplomacy, and economic development to explore how policy, investment, and partnerships are shaping the future of hemispheric trade.
From the Panama Canal and free trade zones to the U.S.–Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, the discussion will examine how regulatory alignment, diplomacy, and private sector leadership are strengthening cross-border connectivity.
The panel will also highlight opportunities for Colorado’s key export sectors, including aerospace, energy technology, agriculture, and advanced manufacturing, to expand commercial ties with Panama and across Latin America.
Sponsored by
SOIL TO STORY: LUNCH AND CONVERSATIONS
1:30 - 3:30 PM
El Callejón del Casco + BEC Experience
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Built in 1875 and transferred to the Panama Canal Museum's Board of Trustees in 1996, this landmark building in Casco Antiguo has welcomed visitors since 1997. The museum is a non-profit dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Panama and its Canal through permanent and temporary exhibitions spanning art, culture, archaeology, and photography.
More than an archive, it serves as a living platform for education, dialogue, and community engagement, connecting local and international audiences to Panama's heritage and contemporary culture.
Alemán holds a BA in Economics, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame (1975) and a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law (1978). He is admitted to the District of Columbia Bar and the Panama Bar.
An avid explorer, he became in 2020 the first Hispanic-American to visit all 193 United Nations member states. He later reached both the North and South Poles (2024) and flew to space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-32 mission in 2025, becoming the first person in history to have visited every UN country, both poles, and space.
He is the author of La Honestidad no Tiene Precio and Alrededor del Mundo en 40 Años. He is married to Pilar Arosemena de Alemán, with whom he has three children.
EVENT Overview:
Panama’s geographic advantage has long placed it at the center of global commerce. This conversation convenes leaders in trade law, diplomacy, and economic development to explore how policy, investment, and partnerships are shaping the future of hemispheric trade.
From the Panama Canal and free trade zones to the U.S.–Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, the discussion will examine how regulatory alignment, diplomacy, and private sector leadership are strengthening cross-border connectivity.
The panel will also highlight opportunities for Colorado’s key export sectors, including aerospace, energy technology, agriculture, and advanced manufacturing, to expand commercial ties with Panama and across Latin America.
INVESTING IN THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
La Manzana + Diablo Rosso
Panel Overview:
As cities across the Americas rethink growth, the creative economy has been a powerful driver of innovation, identity, and inclusive development. This panel explores how strategic investment in the arts—through public-private partnerships, philanthropy, and cultural infrastructure—can generate economic opportunity while strengthening community resilience and cultural ecosystems.
The conversation will examine current approaches to funding creative industries, supporting artists as entrepreneurs, and leveraging cultural assets to attract talent, tourism, and long-term investment. Speakers will also address how to ensure these investments are equitable, locally rooted, and responsive to the evolving dynamics of urban change.
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DiabloRosso is a creative think tank located in the historic old quarter of Panama City. It is also a community that supports and promotes artistic talent in its most broad and multidisciplinary definition.
Founded in 2006 to help fill the existing void for emerging art practices in the region, it has established itself as a place of empowerment and stimulation, advancing the public’s appreciation for contemporary art, mainly through the generation of social impact in the surrounding community.
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Preguntas a la Isla is an exhibition by Argentine artist Irene Kopelman, whose work navigates the space between scientific observation and art. Rather than representing landscapes, Kopelman seeks “to learn how to look at them: to remain long enough for perception to change its nature.”
Developed during extended stays on Barro Colorado Island, STRI, her works—indices, cuts, and variations—act as tools of attention. Traditional media become instruments for observing, collecting, comparing, and revisiting, creating an archive of successive observations rather than a fixed environment.
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, in 1974, Kopelman studied painting at the National University of Córdoba and later joined the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
Casco Viejo Exploration
5:30 - 6:00 PM
La Manzana + Diablo Rosso
Panel Overview:
As cities across the Americas rethink growth, the creative economy has been a powerful driver of innovation, identity, and inclusive development. This panel explores how strategic investment in the arts—through public-private partnerships, philanthropy, and cultural infrastructure—can generate economic opportunity while strengthening community resilience and cultural ecosystems.
The conversation will examine current approaches to funding creative industries, supporting artists as entrepreneurs, and leveraging cultural assets to attract talent, tourism, and long-term investment. Speakers will also address how to ensure these investments are equitable, locally rooted, and responsive to the evolving dynamics of urban change.
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DiabloRosso is a creative think tank located in the historic old quarter of Panama City. It is also a community that supports and promotes artistic talent in its most broad and multidisciplinary definition.
Founded in 2006 to help fill the existing void for emerging art practices in the region, it has established itself as a place of empowerment and stimulation, advancing the public’s appreciation for contemporary art, mainly through the generation of social impact in the surrounding community.
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Preguntas a la Isla is an exhibition by Argentine artist Irene Kopelman, whose work navigates the space between scientific observation and art. Rather than representing landscapes, Kopelman seeks “to learn how to look at them: to remain long enough for perception to change its nature.”
Developed during extended stays on Barro Colorado Island, STRI, her works—indices, cuts, and variations—act as tools of attention. Traditional media become instruments for observing, collecting, comparing, and revisiting, creating an archive of successive observations rather than a fixed environment.
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, in 1974, Kopelman studied painting at the National University of Córdoba and later joined the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam.
SPEAKERS:
DINNER
5:30 - 6:00 PM
La Manzana + Diablo Rosso
Panel Overview:
As cities across the Americas rethink growth, the creative economy has been a powerful driver of innovation, identity, and inclusive development. This panel explores how strategic investment in the arts—through public-private partnerships, philanthropy, and cultural infrastructure—can generate economic opportunity while strengthening community resilience and cultural ecosystems.
The conversation will examine current approaches to funding creative industries, supporting artists as entrepreneurs, and leveraging cultural assets to attract talent, tourism, and long-term investment. Speakers will also address how to ensure these investments are equitable, locally rooted, and responsive to the evolving dynamics of urban change.
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DiabloRosso is a creative think tank located in the historic old quarter of Panama City. It is also a community that supports and promotes artistic talent in its most broad and multidisciplinary definition.
Founded in 2006 to help fill the existing void for emerging art practices in the region, it has established itself as a place of empowerment and stimulation, advancing the public’s appreciation for contemporary art, mainly through the generation of social impact in the surrounding community.
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Preguntas a la Isla is an exhibition by Argentine artist Irene Kopelman, whose work navigates the space between scientific observation and art. Rather than representing landscapes, Kopelman seeks “to learn how to look at them: to remain long enough for perception to change its nature.”
Developed during extended stays on Barro Colorado Island, STRI, her works—indices, cuts, and variations—act as tools of attention. Traditional media become instruments for observing, collecting, comparing, and revisiting, creating an archive of successive observations rather than a fixed environment.
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, in 1974, Kopelman studied painting at the National University of Córdoba and later joined the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam.
SPEAKERS:
Thursday, APRIL 23
ECOSYSTEMS OF INNOVATION
9:00 - 10:30 AM
Ciudad del Saber
Panel Overview:
This panel explores Panama and Colorado as hubs for regional integration, innovation, and entrepreneurial growth in the Americas. Bringing together leaders from development finance, multilateral institutions, startup ecosystems, and innovation hubs, the conversation will highlight how incubators, venture capital, and cross-border partnerships are reshaping governance, economic opportunity, and sustainable development across the hemisphere.
From Ciudad del Saber’s innovation campus to Colorado’s thriving startup scene, the discussion examines how institutions and entrepreneurs can work together to build a more connected and resilient Americas.
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Ciudad del Saber is a former U.S. Army base transformed into a 120-acre hub for research, innovation, and collaboration in Panama. Housing scientific institutions, startups, and educational programs, it fosters cross-sector partnerships that drive knowledge, community engagement, and solutions to complex challenges in science, technology, and social development.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
CIRCULAR ECONOMY & DESIGN TOUR
Clandestino Lab + Simple AF (Ciudad del Saber)
10:45 - 11:45 AM
Event Overview:
Meet the founders of Clandestino and Simple AF to explore innovative approaches in sustainable product design and circular economy practices. Gain firsthand insights into how creativity, ethics, and entrepreneurship come together to shape environmentally conscious businesses.
Clandestino Lab Panama is a design-driven concept store and creative hub that celebrates Panamanian culture and craftsmanship. Focused on circular economy principles, it collaborates with local makers and artists to create innovative, sustainable products that blend tradition with contemporary style.
Simple AF is a Panama‑based circular design studio that upcycles textile waste and other discarded materials into new, functional products through corporate collaborations. Working with partners on projects like transforming unused uniforms and event banners into bags and accessories, the brand applies circular economy principles to divert textiles from landfills while creating social and environmental value.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
HEALTH & BIODIVERSITY
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Ciudad del Saber
Panel Overview:
This panel explores the intersection of public health, biodiversity, and community knowledge across the Americas, positioning Panama as a vital bridge between ecosystems and innovation. From the rainforests of the Darién Gap to cutting-edge vaccine research, speakers will examine how biodiversity underpins human health—shaping disease prevention, biomedical discovery, and long-term resilience.
Grounded in both science and lived experience, the conversation will also highlight the health realities of migration through the Darién, the role of Indigenous knowledge systems in sustaining well-being, and the ethical dimensions of building an inclusive bioeconomy. Together, panelists will explore how integrating environmental stewardship, public health systems, and community leadership can drive healthier, more resilient societies across the Americas.
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SENACYT (Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación) is Panama’s national agency for science, technology, and innovation. It drives research funding, promotes scientific development, and fosters collaboration between institutions, the private sector, and communities to advance knowledge and solutions that strengthen Panama’s social and economic progress.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
crossroads of the americas
3:00 - 4:30 PM
Panama Canal
Panel Overview:
This session offers an exclusive look at the Panama Canal’s strategic priorities, lessons from the 2023–2024 drought, and how Panama is preparing its most critical asset for the next century of global trade. It also explores the Canal’s major infrastructure projects of the past, with insights from leaders who have shaped its evolution. A rare opportunity to hear directly from those at the helm of this global gateway.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
KEYNOTE: MAKING NATURE’S ECONOMY VISIBLE
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Punta Culebra, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
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Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution, founded more than a century ago to increase and share knowledge about the past, present, and future of tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, train the next generation of scientific leaders, and promote conservation by raising public awareness of the beauty and significance of tropical ecosystems.
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Located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, the Punta Culebra Nature Center is dedicated to exploring the natural world through science. Visitors can see nearly 200 species of amphibians, get up close with butterflies in the LepiDome, discover the colorful fish of the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, spot sloths and other animals along forest trails, and enjoy scenic views of ships in the Panama Canal—all just minutes from Panama City.
event Overview:
The economics of nature is no longer theoretical — it is being built right now. Drawing on over a century of research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the living laboratory of Barro Colorado Island, Joshua Tewksbury presents the emerging science and financial frameworks that are already pricing biodiversity, quantifying ecosystem services, and transforming how governments and markets account for the natural world. This keynote puts Panama at the center of that story — as one of the most biodiverse nations on earth and a country whose economic engine depends entirely on the health of its forests and watersheds.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
FRIDAY, April 24
INFRASTRUCTURE & BUILDING OF A GLOBAL CITY
9:00 - 10:00 AM
COPA Airlines
Panel Overview:
This panel brings together the builders and operators of Panama City and Denver's most ambitious infrastructure projects to examine what it takes to turn a well-positioned city into a globally competitive one. Metro Line 3, the Fourth Bridge over the Canal, the Tocumen Airport expansion, and the Saneamiento de Panamá program are transforming Panama City at a scale not seen in decades. In Denver, the airport expansion, the RTD transit buildout, the National Western Center redevelopment, and the I-70 corridor transformation are reshaping how the city connects to the world. The conversation examines the financing structures, design philosophies, and operational challenges behind landmark infrastructure, and what both cities are learning about building for resilience, equity, and long-term global relevance.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
Water and competitiveness
11:00 - 12:00 AM
COPA Airlines
Panel Overview:
Colorado and Panama are both defined by water. One by the complexity of managing the Colorado River, the most litigated and allocated river in the American West.The other by the rainfall that feeds the canal that moves the world's commerce and biodiversity. Both face the same underlying threat: a changing climate rewriting the water cycle faster than institutions can adapt. This cross-regional dialogue brings together environmental authorities and conservation scientists from both regions to examine infrastructure investment, conservation strategy, indigenous water rights, and the critical question of how water stewardship becomes a driver of economic competitiveness rather than simply a cost of doing business.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
TABLE AS TERRITORY: CUISINE, IDENTITY & DIPLOMACY
1:00 - 3:00 PM
Maito
EVENT Overview:
At Maito, one of Latin America's most celebrated restaurants, Mario Castrellon has spent over a decade doing something deceptively simple: cooking Panama. This conversation explores how a kitchen becomes a laboratory for national identity, how indigenous ingredients and Afro-Panamanian traditions become the raw material for a global culinary conversation, and what it means to build a restaurant that is both a cultural institution and an economic engine for the farmers, fishermen, and communities it sources from.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
HOSPITALITY & PROSPERITY
4:00 - 5:30 PM
La Companía, Casco Antiguo
Panel Overview:
Panama is experiencing a convergence of tourism growth and lifestyle migration.This session will explore how authentic storytelling, heritage preservation, and community-centered design create visitor and resident experiences that are economically sustainable, environmentally responsible, and genuinely Panamanian. From the restoration of Casco Viejo to Panama’s emerging film industry and eco-tourism initiatives, speakers will discuss how hospitality serves as a vehicle for national pride, local economic empowerment, and global cultural influence — with insights from Colorado’s experience in managing growth while protecting natural and cultural assets.
SPEAKERS:
Sponsored by
Americas Summit Sendoff
8:00 - 10:00 PM
BRUMA
Panel Overview:
Close the 2026 Americas Summit with an evening celebrating connection and creativity in the historic charm of Casco Viejo. Welcome drinks in the historic charm at MAC Panamá,a leading contemporary art institution dedicated to amplifying diverse voices and artistic practices from Panama and across Latin America followed by a lively send-off reception at Bruma, featuring a Panamanian DJ set with sounds from across the Americas.
SPEAKERS:
