The Summit of the Americas brings together the Heads of State and Government of the 34 democratic countries in the Hemisphere to discuss common concerns, seek solutions and build a shared vision for the future development of the region, be it social, economic, environmental or political in nature. This shared vision is shaped into what will become a Declaration of the Summit of the Americas.

The Organization of American States (OAS) serves as technical secretariat and institutional memory of the Summits of the Americas. To ensure a participatory process in both the identification of challenges and the formulation of regional strategies to overcome them, the Summits Secretariat invites the participation of a variety of actors, including governments, international organizations and civil society.