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UNI Americas and the wider UNI family gave a heartfelt thank you to Adriana Rosenzvaig for her fantastic years of service with UNI. Adriana stands down today as UNI Americas Regional Secretary but will stay close to the union movement in Argentina because, as everyone knows who has been in contact with her, unionism is in her blood, and she has risked her life for working people.

Cortina said that Adriana had helped internationalize UNI Americas and make it the powerhouse it is today, and that he looked forward to continuing to work with her in Argentina.

UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings said that like Estela de Carlotto, Adriana had a “lion in her heart”.  He reminded the participants that Adriana had been imprisoned while pregnant and targeted by the Argentina dictatorship in 1976.

“She narrowly escaped being kidnapped and was in exile in Mexico and came back in 1982 to help rebuild the country. I met Adriana in 1987 and we worked together to fulfil the dream of UNI, of which her sector, graphical, was an important pillar.

“Together we later changed the culture of UNI through Breaking Through and the organising campaign (UNI Score) which she headed. In 2012 we decided we needed a new push in the Americas and with Adriana and Ruben Cortina we succeded. They set up the office in Montevideo, they created the new culture which is present at UNI Americas today.

“I’m so proud what she has done and what we have achieved together.

“To quote Gabriel Garcia Marquez, ‘It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old be because they stop pursing dreams’. We promise as a tribute to you, Adriana we will not stop pursuing our dreams and continue your work.”

Jennings then presented Adriana with the Freedom from Fear Award – a surprise, to thank her amazing contribution.

Adriana replied, saying, “I feel happy and fulfilled today, how can I not? I have tried to do my best for working people and I will try to continue. I was a militant at 16 and I will re one. I feel that I have had a guardian angel who has kept me safe, especially through the dictatorship. I believe that my daughter could easily have been one of the disappeared. To our Colombian brothers and sisters I say that there is nothing more worthwhile than a fight for justice, thank you.”

Everyone at the UNI Americas conference agreed that Adriana has transformed the organisation under her energetic, dynamic, passionate leadership. UNI Americas has never been more powerful thanks to Adriana, and the new leadership inherits a strong organisation ready to continue the democratic fight for working people by growing unions.

From everyone at UNI, thank you Adriana!