Giancarlo Ibárgüen, President of Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala City, Guatemala, received the institute’s first Guardian of Freedom Award in a ceremony at the university’s campus on Nov. 16. More than 250 guests attended the award ceremony including the presidents of leading free market institutions such as the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, the Cato Institute, Liberty Fund Inc., the Fund for American Studies, the Foundation for Economic Education, and the Acton MBA Program in Entrepreneurship.

Rev. Robert Sirico, Dr. Alejandro Chafuen, Jeff Sandefer and Giancarlo Ibárgüen at the Award Ceremony

Rev. Robert Sirico presented the award sculpture and citation to Giancarlo stating “The Acton Institute proudly recognizes your mitment to the principles of freedom and the vital importance of your mission as you educate a new generation of men and women striving to live a life marked by a dedication to liberty and graced by the dignity of responsibility.”

Giancarlo’s emotion came through in his remarks. “I am overwhelmed… I just want to repeat that I am overwhelmed and I am very, very thankful with Father Sirico and Kris Mauren who have organized this wonderful event. This recognition that I take not as a personal recognition but as a recognition to those who e before me at this wonderful institution.” He also thanked the team at UFM saying “I think the applause should be for them because it is really an extraordinary team.” Giancarlo concluded with some words of appreciation for his family, for Jeff Sandefer, and for the guests who came to the celebration.

The event’s program also included remarks from Edward Crane from Cato, Mary Anastasia O’Grady from The Wall Street Journal, Chris Talley and Allan Russell from Liberty Fund, Manuel Ayau from Universidad Francisco Marroquín and Jeff Sandefer from the Acton MBA Program in Entrepreneurship.

The Guardian of Freedom Award was created by Acton, memoration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, in order to recognize the ongoing contributions of leaders who have demonstrated an mitment to liberty.

Mary O’Grady, Edward Crane, Dr. Emilio Pacheco and Lawrence Reed during the Q&A session of the first panel

Acton also hosted “The Progress of Freedom” conference at the UFM campus on that same day. About 400 participants joined the conference as two panels of experts analyzed the last 50 years of freedom and the challenges ahead.

Participants included:

Alejandro A. Chafuen– Atlas Economic Research FoundationEdward H. Crane — Cato InstituteMary Anastasia O’Grady — Wall Street JournalEmilio J. Pacheco — Liberty Fund, Inc.Roger R. Ream — Fund for American StudiesLawrence W. Reed — Foundation for Economic EducationJeff Sandefer — Acton MBA Program in EntrepreneurshipRev. Robert A. Sirico — Acton Institute

About Giancarlo Ibárgüen

Giancarlo Ibárgüen has been President of Universidad Francisco Marroquín since 2003. A university trustee, he has been a member of its board of directors since 1992, serving as secretary general (provost) from 1995 to 2003. His memberships include the Centro de Estudios Económicos Sociales (CEES), the Association of Private Enterprise Education, the Mont Pelerin Society, and the Philadelphia Society. He is a board member at Liberty Fund and currently serves as financial advisor to various mercial and panies. He was a member of the board of the Asociación de Gerentes de Guatemala and the editorial board of Gerencia magazine from 1992 to 1994. He was founding president of the grass-roots Asociación por el Poder Local (APOLO) in 1991, and a founding collaborator of the philosophical magazine Intuición. His articles on economics and munications have appeared in Libertas (Argentina), munications Policy (Great Britain), the website of the International munication Union (ITU), and the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) eLibrary. His editorials have been published in Guatemala’s daily Siglo Veintiuno and in various international publications including The Wall Street Journal. Giancarlo holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University. He has been married to Isabel Dougherty since 1983 and has three children.