Luis Ovsejevich

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Dr. Luis Ovsejevich
Founder and President of the Konex Foundation
Founder of the Konex Awards

He was born in Buenos Aires in 1941. Lawyer. Businessman. He graduated in 1960. He exerted teaching from 1962 to 1974 in the Faculty of Law at the University of Buenos Aires in the chair of Civil Law III Contracts, and from 1966 to 1970 in the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires in the chair of Institutions of Private Law. In both like Ordinary Adjunct Professor, by contest. Professor in charge of the chair of Family and Successions at the University of Morón (1964-1967). Diploma of Comparative Law  I, II and III cycles, granted by Faculté Internationale pour l `Enseignement du Droit Comparé, seat in Strasbourg (France) (1965-1967-1970). Piano teacher. He has published several works, out of which Legitimate (1963), Common Market (1964), Private Law Institutions (1969), Consent (1971), Invalidity and Inefficiency as a result of Will Anomalies (1973), stand out among others. Founder and President of the Konex-Canon Company, created in 1969; in 1998 he transferred the total of the shareholding package to Canon USA. He was General Director, ad honorem, of the Colón Theater in 1998 and 1999. He is the Founder and President of  Fundación Konex (Konex Foundation), from its creation in 1980. Through it the Premios Konex (Konex Prizes) have been granted annually since 1980. "Vamos a la Música" ("Let´s go for Music"), aimed at children, has been carried out annually since 1991. He has formed a collection of Argentine Painting which is exhibited in different opportunities. He decided to open Ciudad Cultural Konex (Konex Cultural City) in 2005. It is a space where all type of cultural expressions coexist with the objective to contribute to the cultural and artistic enrichment of the community. President of the Rotary Club Buenos Aires (2017-2018 period). He has been member of the Board of Directors of several institutions. He has been awarded in several opportunities; the most outstanding prize was in 1997, in acknowledgment of his long career and effort as creator of the Konex Awards (18 years). All the Konex awarded (1800) and the members of the different juries (360) till 1997 paid a tribute to him at the Cervantes National Theater which got the adhesion of the National Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires, and 9 National Academies. Some other significant prizes to mention are Mecenas (1987 and 2004); National Culture Benefactor (1997); ADE (2003); Sun of Silver from Rotary Club Buenos Aires (2004); Security (2008); Scopus Prize from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2011); Gratia Artis from the National Academy of Fine Arts (2016) and Distinction of “Cultural Interest” of the Konex Awards and Konex Cultural City from Buenos Aires City Legislature (2019). In 2014 he published his autobiography "Álbum de mi vida" ("Album of my life"). 

Extended Biography

Personal information

I. Professional and academic activities

Academic degrees and post academic degrees
* Lawyer (1960). Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires.
* Notary public (1960). Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires.
* Doctorate (1963). Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the University of La Plata.
* Business lawyer (1966). Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires.
* Diploma in Comparative Law courses I, II and III, granted by the Faculté Internationale pour l’ Enseignement du Droit Comparé, Strasbourg (Francia) (1965-1967-1970). 

Other degrees
* Piano professor.

Scholarships
* For the courses I, II and III of Comparative Law organized by the Faculté Internationale pour l’ Enseignement du Droit Comparé, Strasbourg (Francia).

Academic teaching positions
* Ordinary Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires in the course Civil Right III, “Contracts” (1962-1974).
* Adjunct Professor at the Faculty de Economic Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires, in charge of “Institutions of Private Law” (1966-1970).
* Professor in charge of the course “Family and Succession” at the University of Morón (1964-1967).

Publications 
*  “Legitimate” (1963) - download PDF(spanish)
*  “Common Market” (1964) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Universal Heirs and Successors” (1964) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Retrosale Agreement” (1965) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Resale Agreement” (1965) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Succession Petition” (1966) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Inheritance Possession” (1966) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Donations Revocations” (1968) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Analytic Development of Private Law Institutions” (1968)
*  “Private Law Institutions” (1969)
*  “Consent” (1971) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Invalidity and Inefficiency as a result of Will Anomalies” (1973) - download PDF (spanish)
*  “Album of my life” (2014) - autobiography published by EUDEBA download PDF (spanish) - online version (spanish)

II. Institutional activities

A) Konex Foundation 
Founder and President of the Konex Foundation, since its creation in 1980.

The activities developed by the Foundation are:

* Konex Awards: The most important activity is the annual granting of the Konex Awards to honour personalities and institutions in every national aspects. Each year they are conferred to different activities, repeating the same activity every ten years.

* Mercosur Konex: Since 2002 the Grand Jury has the authority to grant Mercosur Konex Awards for the most relevant living personalities of the countries related to Mercosur.

* Konex Decoration: Konex Fundation has the authority to grant Konex Decoration to honor personalities who hold brillant careers around the world, for their contribution to universal culture. Yehudi Menuhin in 1994 and Mstislav Rostropovich in 2002 have received this Decorations.

* Let’s Go For Music: Since 1991 it has been developed the series “Let’s go for the music” in which operas, ballets, concerts, tangos and musical comedies are presented in adapted versions for children with the purpose of promoting in children the knowledge and adhesion to these relevant genres of the artistic expression. Thus the series: “Let’s go for Opera”, “Let’s go for Ballet”, “Let’s go for Concert”, “Let’s go for Tango”, “Let’s go for Musical Comedy” and when these series are represented at the Colón Theatre they are called “Let’s go to the Colón”.

* Konex Festivals of Classical Music: Since 2015 Konex Festivals of Classical Music are held in Konex Cultural City. The 1st one was dedicated to Great Composers of the history; The 2nd one in 2016, to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; the 3rd one in 2017, to Ludwig van Beethoven; the 4th one in 2018, to Bach, Vivaldi and Baroque; the 5th one in 2019, to Chopin and Romanticism; the 6th one in 2021, to Tchaikovsky and Russian School; and the 7th one in 2022, to Verdi, Wagner and Lyric.

* Piazzolla Experience: In 2016, 2018, 2020 "Way to Centenary" and 2021 "Centenary Edition" festivals were held to honor the music of Astor Piazzolla.

* Konex Cultural City: In 2005 the Konex Cultural City was opened. A space where all cultural expressions take place together with the aim to enrich the artistic and cultural aspects of the community. (www.ciudadculturalkonex.org)

* Konex Cultural Festivals: Yearly, since 2003, the Cultural Festivals are organized. In January-March 2003 the first one took place in Mar del Plata. In January-March 2004 the second one called “Porteño Summer Festival” took place in Buenos Aires, at the Konex Cultural City. In February-April 2005 the third one called “25 years Konex Culture – 25 centuries Greek Culture” took place. Also in February 2005 was organized the “Country Konex Festival” in the village Carlos Keen (Lujan- Buenos Aires Province).

* Konex Prizes Books: In 2008 it was published The Book of Konex Prizes 1980-2007. History-Awardees-Juries, with the general history of Konex Prizes. Online Version
In 2010 it was published The Book of Konex Prizes. Who is who. 30 years: 1980-2009, with te biographies of all Konex awardess and juries. Online Version
Both books got the adhesion of 18 National Academies and the National Secretary of Cultura and the Ministry of Cultura of the City of Buenos Aires.

* Argentinean Painting Collection: Since 1994 it has been shaped a collection of argentine paintings composed of its highest exponents. The collection is composed of more than 100 paintings. One of its characteristics is being itinerant. In September 2001 it was exhibited in the Museum of Art of Shanghai (China) with the support of the Foreign Cultural Affairs Department of the Ministry External Affairs and Cult. In January – April 2003 it was exhibited in Mar del Plata (Argentina) within the frame of the 1st Konex Cultural Festival.

* Other activities: 
He organizes Master Chess Competitions periodically.
He grants Novel, Tale, Painting and Ecological Research Prizes.
He also established the Annual Scholarship Teodoro Ovsejevich to stimulate Scientific Research.
Likewise, he instituted the Aida Ovsejevich Scholarship to stimulate the Arts.
Besides he grants scholarships and subsidies to one person or institutions of public good. 

B) Colon Theatre 
General Director of the Colón Theatre from May 5, 1998 to December 10, 1999, ad honorem.

C) Other institutions 
He integrates or has integrated the Directive Boards of different institutions: Cámara Argentina de Anunciantes, Asociación Ort Argentina, Asociación Argentina de Franchising, Fundación Tzedaká, Asociación Wagneriana de Buenos Aires, Instituto Científico Weizmann, Asociación Amigos de la Universidad de Tel Aviv, President of the Rotary Club Buenos Aires (2017-2018 period).

D) Rotary Club of Buenos Aires
President of the Rotary Club Buenos Aires for the period july 1st, 2017 till jun 30th, 2018.
He achieved an increase of 92 new members, taking it to 282, the highest figure since 1991/1992.
He incorporated 18 Ambassadors as honorary members.
He organized 2 cycles of conferences with relevant personalities and great media impact.
He propelled a significant economic improvement in the club, attracting 22 sponsors and achieving a large surplus.
For his management he received several awards.

E) The Faculty of Law at the University of Buenos Aires. Assembly Hall Restoration.
He undertook the restoration of the Assembly Hall, which was in severely deteriorated conditions. The works began on January 4, 2019.
He led a team that successfully completed the restoration on April 1, less than 90 days before work began.
The seats were repaired and reupholstered with fireproof fabric, two LED screens were installed, the carpeting was changed, the capitoné and the access door handles were renewed, improvements were made to the stage and sidewalks were added, among other works. Improvements were made in security for evacuation and spaces were provided for people with reduced mobility.
Technological equipment for live video and streaming was acquired and a Special Book on the History of the Assembly Hall and the Restoration Project was published.
He carried out the project with the support of companies, law firms, lawyers and individuals who acted as Benefactors.
On April 9, 2019, a concert by the Camerata Bariloche was held to celebrate the reopening of the Assembly Hall.

III. Distinctions

A) Received for personal work and / or as President of the Konex Foundation

Among all the received awards is worth highlighting:
* Mecenas Prize 1987
* Musical Critics Association 1991: The most transcendental cultural event . (“Let’s go to the Opera”)
* Romulo Raggio Foundation 1993 (first time): a Medal for Promoting The Argentinean Culture.
* Argentinean Culture Benefactor 1997: given by The National Department of Culture.
* ADE Award 2003: Enterprise and Community by Konex Foundation.
* Mecenas Prize 2004.
* Rotary Club Silver Sun 2004. 
* Security Award 2008 “Career in Culture”.
* Premio Scopus 2011: awarded by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. (See video of the ceremony)
* Distinction of the Embassy of Austria in Argentina 2011 for their continued commitment and dedication to human rights and non discrimination.
* Gratia Artis Award 2016 by the Fine Arts National Academy from Argentina.
* Distinction from the Legislature of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires 2019 for the Cultural Interest of the Konex Awards and Konex Cultural City.

B) Konex Awarded persons and jurours tribute 
In 1997 in acknowledgment of his long career and effort as creator of the Konex Awards (18 years), all the Konex awarded (1800) and the members of the different juries (360) till 1997  paid a tribute to him at the Cervantes National Theater. This event was coordinated by the University of Management and Social Science (UCES) and supported by the followings institutions:

* National Secretary of Culture
* Secretary of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires

And:
* National Academy of Agriculture and Veterinary
* National Academy of Fine Arts
* National Academy of Sciences of Buenos Aires
* National Academy of Economy
* National Academy of  Hard Science, Physics and Natural Science
* National Academy of Law and Social Sciences of Córdoba
* National Academy of Geography
* National Academy of Medicine
* National Academy of Journalism 

IV. Management activities

He was founder and president of Konex S.A., created in 1969, exclusive distributor in Argentina for Canon Japan’s line of colour and black and white photocopier machines, faxes, bubble jet printers and microfilms. In 1998, he transferred the total of the stocks to Canon U.S.A.