The Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies celebrated its inauguration Thursday. Brazilian businessman Jorge Paulo Lemann donated $14 million to the University to establish the institute, the largest gift ever given to the University by a non-alumnus.

"This is a very gratifying day for me," Lemann said. "I know the excellence of Illinois. I know the goals of this institute will be accomplished by working together with Illinois."

The event began with a roundtable discussion of panelists, including Edmund Amann, visiting professor in economics; Alexandre Tombini, member of the Central Bank of Brazil; and Carlos Azzoni, dean of the school of economics at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Students, faculty and community members asked the panel questions about the institute and discussed what Brazil's role is as a leader in the global community.

At the event, Chancellor Richard Herman presented Lemann with a small statue of the Alma Mater on behalf of the University.

"Our mission at Illinois is to contribute to the greater public good; today our mission is to contribute to the greater global good," Herman said.

Other attendees included Joseph Love, director of the Lemann Institute, and Andrew Orta, director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean studies. The Lemann Institute was established within the Center for Latin American and Caribbean studies and in partnership with the College of LAS.

"It seems fitting that this exciting beginning comes as we are celebrating 100 years of Latin-American historical studies at the University of Illinois, and also as the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies looks forward to marking 50 years of national leadership," Orta said.

Lemann, the third wealthiest man in Brazil, is an entrepreneur and investment banker. According to a pamphlet distributed at the event, Lemann and his partners merged several beer and soft drink firms, donating the profits to the University. Lemann is donating an additional $2.5 million to establish an endowed chair of the Lemann Institute.

All of the remaining donation funds will be put toward lectures for Portuguese language programs, endowments to allow one or two Brazilian professors to visit the University annually, scholarships for students to study in Brazil and funds for Brazilian students to study at Illinois, according to the pamphlet.

This is not the first time Lemann donated money to the University, Herman said.

His past gifts include a $1.5 million donation to establish the Lemann Institute's Economics chairman, $500,000 for the Jorge Lemann Scholars Fund and $350,000 for the Lemann-Illinois Brazil Collaborative research program.