As an old Chinese proverb says: this is the end, close your eyes and count to ten [unknown author].

The third day of the South American Business Forum marked the closure of the nineteenth edition of the event. It was a very intimate day in which participants, speakers, and organizers were able to connect more deeply, fostering lasting bonds and a sense of SABF community.

The Blog's team brings you a summary of the  events of the day.

SABF Spaces

The day began with a series of 6 small spaces in the green areas of the ITBA Technological District campus.

These spaces included an origami area where participants learned to make frogs and cranes, a book exchange space where many participants left their book dedications, a mate corner where foreign participants were taught how to prepare mate and experience the Argentine tradition, a games corner with chess and Scrabble, and a speakers corner where participants could stand on a chair and propose a topic for open discussion within the group.

Throughout the day, participants and guests had the opportunity to leave anonymous (or not) messages for other participants and organizers in little envelopes, AKA sugar cubes.

Closing plenary

Guadalupe Nogués delivered the closing plenary of the event with her talk titled "Bridges in Times of Uncertainty." She discussed the complexity of the major problems we face, referring to them as wicked problems, where implementing a solution affects the original problem and ripples through distant parts of the network.

Collaboration means contributing a piece to the puzzle, knowing that it won't be complete until others contribute their pieces as well.

Guadalupe concluded by stating that to collaborate with others, it will be necessary to trust those who are different. According to science, trust is enhanced by encouraging diversity and improving communication with those who are unlike us.

Rob Britton

After the three days of the SABF, Rob Britton, who has been a fundamental component of the event since its begginings and has participated in most of its editions, offered his conclusions. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of gratitude and continuous learning, stating that there is no such thing as too much gratitude and that learning knows no bounds.

Rob encouraged the audience to be more proactive and contribute even more to the SABF community, utilizing the gifts and privileges they have to help others. As he gave the floor to the participants, moments of gratitude, laughter, and shared emotions were experienced.

Rob highlighted that both he and Rick Dow, another member of the SABF Board of Trustees, consistently return to the event because they love being here. They recognize the challenges the region faces. However, after spending three days with the SABF community, they feel happy and confident that the world is in good hands, thanks to the participants' ability and commitment to tackle global challenges.

The end

Martina and Iván, co-directors of this edition of the SABF, delivered an emotional closing to the event where they expressed gratitude to everyone who made it possible. They encouraged all participants to take what they learned back to their communities and make a positive impact. Lastly, they congratulated this year's organizing team for their hard work, tremendous commitment, and human warmth throughout the entire event.

For the blog's journalistic team, it has been an honor to serve you for another year. We will meet again for the twentieth edition of the SABF.