Hey Cardanians! Welcome aboard to a Special Edition of the Cardano Newsletter!!

This edition is packed with valuable insights into Cardano's latest developments. 

We have a new special edition of the Newsletter! We are happy to announce that Argentina Digital Nation, a very exciting event that took place last week and was organized by the Latam Cardano Community, was a complete success. So many exciting things have been happening in Argentina recently. Let’s dive in.

More than 400 people attended Argentina Digital Nation to discuss blockchain technology

Last Wednesday, political figures, representatives from the private and public sector, and spokespeople from prominent technological companies based locally and abroad, gathered at the Hilton Hotel in Puerto Madero to participate in Argentina Digital Nation (ADN), an event organized by the Latam Cardano Community. 

More than 400 people attended the event, listening in on the six panels included in the agenda: Government, Finances, Culture and Society, Business, Education, and Innovation. Notable figures within the Cardano ecosystem led the conversation, such as J.J. Siler, Chief of Staff at Input Output Global and Rafael Fraga, the Latam Business Development Lead at the Cardano Foundation, who both participated in the Government panel. Likewise, the Business panel included the participation of Daniel Friedman, founder and executive director of Zengate Global, along with Alan Verbner, co-founder of Atix Labs, a leading software lab that was subsequently acquired by Globant.

ADN wrapped up with a keynote address from Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson, who focused his speech on the ways blockchain technology can be implemented to improve political, economic, and social problems, introducing more equitable and democratic changes in society for a more sustainable and transparent future.

But this was only one of a series of major events that have been taking place in Argentina in the past few weeks, signaling a growing community looking to embrace and adopt blockchain technology at large.

In his keynote address, Charles Hoskinson highlighted Argentina’s entrepreneurial spirit, and how he started collaborating with software developers and engineers in the country as early as 2012. He indicated that this relationship has deepened over the years, and that Argentina has become a prominent country in the development and implementation of blockchain technology and a cryptocurrency market. It was because of this resilient spirit and innovative mindset, he said, that Buenos Aires would be chosen as the city that would host the Cardano Constitutional Convention in December 2024.

Hoskinson meets with Argentine public officials

While Charles Hoskinson was in Argentina for the event, the Cardano founder maximized his time by gathering with key political figures from across the country. On Tuesday, Hoskinson met with Jorge Macri, the Mayor of the city of Buenos Aires, the highest executive authority responsible for the city’s administration and governance. The pair gathered in preparation for the Cardano Constitutional Convention, only four months away.

That same day, Hoskinson and his team met with Diana Mondino, Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs, to also discuss the end-of-year Convention. Cardano Newsletter founder Lucas Macchiavelli was also present at both reunions, expressing that they were productive and presented opportunities for future collaboration.

On Wednesday, while ADN was in full swing, Charles Hoskinson also took a moment to meet with the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), H.E Saeed Al Qemz,i and Rogelio Frigerio, the governor of the province of Entre Ríos in Argentina, to explore existing and potential partnerships. On that occasion, Hoskinson was accompanied by Rafael Fraga and J.J. Siler, Chief of Staff at Input Output Global. 

During the meeting, the UAE Ambassador encouraged the Entre Ríos government to explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation in finance and commerce. The meeting also laid the groundwork for technical discussions on potential collaborations to drive economic and social development in the region.

Charles Hoskinson and his team also made time to visit Globant’s offices in Argentina, meeting with its founders, current president, and chief technology officer. Globant is a technology company renowned for its expertise in software development and digital transformation services. The company operates across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, and telecommunications, offering tailored solutions to enhance operational efficiency and innovation.

The Cardano founder also made an appearance at a graduation ceremony at the National Technical University in Buenos Aires (UTNBA), where the most recent cohort of Ada Labs for Blockchain Applications (ALBA) received diplomas after completing an intensive course on blockchain adoption. Together with the Cardano Foundation, UTNBA distributed 20 diplomas for “Cardano Developers,” the first course organized by ALBA.

Next Steps: Constitutional Workshops

Last week, José Iadicicco of Ada Labs also hosted the first ever Constitutional Workshop in Argentina. Over 20 people participated in dynamic discussions, setting the stage for Cardano’s governance. 

In July, Intersect announced the locations of the more than 50 workshops that will be taking place across the globe in preparation for the final ratification of the Cardano Constitution. This series of worldwide workshops this summer will serve to gather input for the development of the final Constitution. 

This collaborative effort, facilitated by Cardano’s member-based organization Intersect, aims to ensure the document reflects the community's vision for the network's future. These workshops will provide a platform for discussions on the document's content and will also select representatives to participate in the upcoming Constitutional Convention.

A second and final workshop will take place in Buenos Aires on September 4th, hosted by Alex Pestchanker, Intersect’s Non-Executive Director and co-founder of the Latam Cardano Community. 

These organizational and educational efforts, paired with Charles Hoskinson’s active participation not only in Argentina Digital Nation, but also in meeting with government representatives and key figures within the local Cardano Community, represent a growing acceptance toward a world where the adoption of blockchain technology and an economy based on cryptocurrency in Argentina become more and more prevalent.