Bogota/Panama, July 16, 2024. – The Gabriel García Márquez Foundation (Gabo) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a cooperation agreement to promote dialogue and capacity-building spaces that promote sustainable development, democratic innovation, and solution-oriented journalism, building upon Latin American identity.

This partnership will enable both institutions to leverage their experience, supporting initiatives that address development challenges and opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean in joint priority areas such as fostering and creating spaces for dialogue on topics such as democracy, peace, and development, as well as promoting the culture and creative capacity of the region.

The agreement seeks to promote improvements in solution-oriented journalism, advocating for quality and ethics; foster citizen dialogues on the role of journalism in democratic and communicative innovation in the digital age; disseminate the legacy of the Colombian writer and journalist Gabriel García Márquez for cultural and social development; and contribute to social inclusion and peacebuilding.

"We are very pleased to announce this collaboration with the UNDP, which aligns with our mission to promote active citizenship, strengthening democracy and development in Latin America and the Caribbean. This initiative aims to promote public interest journalism and create dialogue spaces on crucial topics such as democracy, peace, and development. Together, we will develop training programs for journalists and promote the cultural richness of our region, showcasing our local and regional identities through high-quality stories. Additionally, we will encourage the ethical and creative use of the transformative power of investigating and storytelling, thereby contributing to a better informed and more committed society," said Jaime Abello Banfi, general director of the Gabo Foundation.

Both institutions will focus on developing and implementing training and incentive programs for journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing public interest, entrepreneurial, investigative, and solution-oriented journalism. This includes generating content that highlights challenges and advances in regional development, as well as promoting stories and reports that showcase local and regional identities.

"We are proud and excited to announce this collaboration and join the efforts of our organizations - with shared visions - to promote and accompany initiatives that address challenges and development opportunities in the region, as well as fostering and creating spaces for dialogue in Latin America and the Caribbean on issues of democracy, peace, development, and others. Together we will strive to generate content that makes local and regional identities visible, as well as the solutions being implemented to address the main development challenges in the region", said Michelle Muschett, assistant administrator and regional director of UNDP for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The partnership aims to promote the identity of Latin America and the Caribbean through culture and its creative capacity by co-organizing activities that highlight and connect the cultural heritage of the region.

Both institutions will develop initiatives to promote joint celebrations commemorating the 20 years of the UNDP Report on Democracy in Latin America and the legacy of the Colombian Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez, marking the 10th Anniversary of his passing in 2024 and the centenary of his birth in 2027.

As part of the alliance, UNDP was present at the Gabo Festival through the events “Democratic Innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean” and Listening to Peace: Perceptions and Attitudes for New Narratives. 

About the Gabo Foundation

International, non-profit institution, created by Gabriel García Márquez in 1994, whose mission is to promote an active and better-informed citizenry, through training, encouraging and promoting the ethical and creative use of the power of researching, telling and sharing stories, inspired by the legacy of its founder and his workshop method.

More information at https://fundaciongabo.org 

About UNDP

UNDP is the lead United Nations agency fighting the injustice of poverty, inequalities and climate change. Working with a broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, UNDP helps nations develop integrated and sustainable solutions for people and planet.

More information at https://www.undp.org/ 

Media Contacts:

 
Gabo Foundation

Carolina Gómez Piñol, Director of Communications, Gabo Foundation

cgomez@fundaciongabo.org / Tel and WhatsApp: (+57) 315 835 6178

Julia Londoño Bozzi , press management and public relations, Gabo Foundation

jlondono@fundaciongabo.org / Tel and WhatsApp: (+57) 317 6387650

UNDP

In Panama: Vanessa Hidalgo, vanessa.hidalgo@undp.org (+1 646 338 9462)

In New York: Marcela Barrientos, marcela.barrientos@undp.org (+1 347 923 1572)