Despite heated political rhetoric between Washington, D.C. and the United States’ neighbors, especially to the south, Denver this week is the center of a week-long event that its sponsors hope will bridge some of that growing divide.

This week marks the fourth Biennial of the Americas, started by Gov. John Hickenlooper in 2010 while he was Denver’s mayor, The event, which began Tuesday and continues through Saturday, brings together elected officials, business, non-governmental and cultural leaders from 20 countries in the Western hemisphere,  in a celebration of art and culture and innovation.

In an event kickoff on Tuesday, Hickenlooper noted the relationship between the United States and its neighbors, especially to the south, are constrained for “a variety of reasons.” But he highlighted the economic benefit for Colorado of making sure those relationships improve. Mexico and Canada respectively are the state’s No. 1 and No. 2 exporters of agricultural products, Hickenlooper noted, and that now includes a recently-inked deal with Mexico that will send 250,000 tons of Colorado corn to that country.

“What the Biennial does, is create and expand upon those relationships;” Hickenlooper said. It’s not just business relationships; it’s nonprofits, cultural communities and other relationships “that bind us all together as a hemisphere.”

Most of the events for the Biennial are free.

Following the kickoff, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Mayor Federico Gutiérrez of Medellín, Colombia, discussed urban policies and the challenges of the 21st century. Event organizers pointed out that Medellin has been transformed over the past 20 years, from the center of the Colombian drug cartel and a reputation as the most violent city in the world to a world-class tourism and business destination.

This year’s theme – “The Long View: Innovating for the Future,” touches on sustainability, innovation and civic engagement. The track on sustainability will include a session on water, especially important with a revised agreement being hammered out between the Upper Basin states of the Colorado River and Mexico. In addition to the seven states that rely on the Colorado for water, a small portion also goes to Mexico, and a long-standing arrangement between the United State and Mexico over Colorado River water is being revised and is expected to be signed later this month.

While the days are loaded with lectures and events around workforce development, entrepreneurship and discussions of innovation, the evenings celebrate culture. On Thursday, a symposium will bring together artists and innovators who make a different throughout the hemisphere and will feature Isaac Slade, lead singer of the Denver-based rock band The Fray; Reid Hoffman, the founder of the global networking site LinkedIn, author Dave Eggers and Enrique Acevedo, news anchor for Univision.

The headline event for Friday and Saturday evening is Havana Nights, led by internati onal hip-hop star X Alfonso of Cuba along with Acosta Danza of Cuba, the Cleo Parker Robinson dance troupe. The concerts, to be held at Denver Rock Drill at 1717 E. 39th Ave., are free but registration is required.DAM Mi Tierra

The Biennial also incorporates exhibits and other events from local museums that help explore the ties between Denver and countries in Central and South America, including the Denver Art Museum, the Center for Visual Art at Metropolitan State University of Denver, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Museo de las Americas.