British Venezuelan Society
& Chamber of Commerce
The British Venezuelan Society & Chamber of Commerce is the new
name for the merged Anglo-Venezuelan and Scottish-Venezuelan Societies,
an initiative focused on promoting British-Venezuelan interests and
celebrating Venezuelan culture in Britain. For over 35 years the Society
has been the leading forum in the United Kingdom for unbiased and
informed discussion on Venezuelan issues, particularly those relating
to British investment and trade.
Dialogue between business, individuals and official bodies of the
two countries is a regular occurrence at corporate events and receptions
organised by the Society on its own or in conjunction with its corporate
members, the Venezuelan Embassy, UKTI and other organisations.
Alongside its UK-based Corporate membership, the Society also has
approximately 100 individual members, largely Venezuelan professionals
working in Britain, many of whom keep business links with Venezuela
or have had personal associations with the country, often over many
years. The Society's members actively support its business, cultural
and charitable activities, which include an Annual Independence Day
Dinner at which members and guests celebrate Venezuela's National
Day, a Simon Bolivar Lecture, and concerts featuring Venezuelan and
Latin American musicians and a Christmas Reception.
In pursuit of its charitable aims, the Society has raised monies
at a variety of events, including the ALAF Fiesta, to support the
Escuela Jenaro Aguirre (a primary school in Petare, a suburb of Caracas)
and UK registered charities. More recently, money is regularly raised
for Chamos (www.chamos.org.uk), a UK-registered charity set up to
improve the living standards of the most deprived children in Venezuela
across urban, rural or indigenous communities.
History:
In 1976 the Anglo-Venezuelan Society (AVS) was established with the
aim of promoting business and cultural links between the UK and Venezuela.
The AVS became the UK's specialist forum of informed discussion on
Venezuelan issues.
The Scottish Venezuelan Society was formed in 2007, from the evident
need to highlight the importance of the wide cultural and business
exchange between Scotland and Venezuela. More specifically, to support
Dr Richard Holloway in the formation of Sistema Scotland (Big Noise),
the Scottish version of the "El Sistema" youth orchestra
movement.
The AVS and SVS forged close links over recent years, and in 2010
the decision was made to merge the two societies and form the British
Venezuelan Society & Chamber of Commerce. The Society is an apolitical,
non-profit, non-governmental, bilateral organisation with an emphasis
on UK-Venezuela bilateral trade, investment and business, as well
as social activities.
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