Washington, D.C., May 15, 2025 – For more than fifteen years, Stanley Motta has played a key role in one of the most active cooperation platforms in the inter-American system: the Board of Directors of The Trust for the Americas, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS).
This month, in recognition of his commitment to social development in Latin America, the OAS and The Trust awarded him the 2024 Humanitarian Award, a distinction that highlights the importance of business leadership that goes beyond economic success to engage in long-term solutions.
Motta, president of Copa Holdings and a prominent regional business leader, has consistently promoted a vision of shared development based on collaboration among businesses, governments, and communities. His involvement has been key to sustaining and advancing initiatives aimed at closing structural gaps in access to technology, education, and employment.
“True leadership is demonstrated by the way we impact the lives of others. I believe in a Latin America where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, and I am honored to be able to contribute to that cause alongside The Trust,” said Motta.
In his role as a Board member, Motta has supported the expansion of The Trust into 29 countries, reaching more than 5.5 million people through programs focused on digital skills, entrepreneurship, and social innovation. It is worth noting that more than 80 % of the organization’s funding comes from the private sector, and more than 60 % of that is reinvested in social programs in the countries where it operates.
OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro praised Motta’s commitment as an example of the kind of leadership the region needs: “Stanley Motta’s work with The Trust for the Americas demonstrates how the private sector can make a concrete and sustained contribution to the OAS’s mandate to promote comprehensive development in the region. His contribution to The Trust has strengthened our capacity as an inter-American system to make a real impact in vulnerable communities, using technology and innovation as drivers of change. Stanley has been a strategic ally in the vision of a more just, better-prepared, and more integrated region, and his leadership has left a lasting mark on the OAS and our entire hemispheric community.”
The Humanitarian Award does not celebrate circumstantial philanthropy, but rather consistent trajectories that combine personal conviction, strategic vision, and a real commitment to collective well-being. In the case of Stanley Motta, his business influence has been at the service of a greater cause: demonstrating that Latin America's development will only be possible if it is built by everyone.
With this recognition, The Trust for the Americas and the OAS reaffirm their conviction that the region’s development will only be possible if it is built through partnerships among the public, private, and community sectors, with a focus on inclusion and sustainability.
About The Trust for the Americas:
The Trust for the Americas is a nonprofit organization that promotes social and economic inclusion by equipping people with the key skills they need to thrive in the new world of work. As an affiliate of the Organization of American States (OAS), The Trust forges strategic partnerships with the public, private, academic, and civil society sectors to expand opportunities throughout the region. With 28 years of experience, it has impacted more than 5.5 million people in 29 countries, driving the development of economic opportunities and fostering innovation as a driver of progress in the Americas through strategic partnerships that promote cooperation for sustainable results.
United States – Panama