The Gabo Foundation and CAF -development bank of Latin America- come together to launch the story contest 'Someone writes to Macondo', aimed at girls and boys between the ages of 10 and 13. This exciting initiative seeks to encourage creative writing, research, regional integration and interest in our identities through captivating stories.

The contest will reward 20 talented young people from Latin America and the Caribbean, who will have an unbeatable opportunity to bring their unpublished stories or chronicles to life until October 21.

The contest pays tribute to the legacy and love for letters of the Colombian writer and journalist Gabriel García Márquez, who in 1995 created the Foundation that currently bears his name. In addition, it seeks to promote reading through the power of imagination and the writing of good stories that, like Gabo, ethically and creatively portray the realities of our region.

CAF is a development bank committed to improving the quality of life of Latin American and Caribbean people, promoting sustainable development and regional integration. For this reason, it has created this contest in alliance with the Gabo Foundation, to strengthen the sense of belonging in the region, recognizing the importance of our roots and traditions.

In this sense, through the theme of the contest: 'Our heroes and heroines', it is intended to highlight the courage and contribution of those people who have left a significant mark on their communities, through stories that, when recognized and shared, strengthen our identity and autonomy as a region.

This contest represents a unique opportunity to discover the emerging talent and imagination of our young writers.

“At CAF we are committed to improving conditions and providing more opportunities to girls and boys in the region, which is why we have created this contest under the inspiration of the great Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez, to promote creativity, identity and writing as ways of expression that allow us to exalt those anonymous heroes that we have in our communities and who are the example we need to make the leap to development”, affirmed Sergio Díaz-Granados, CAF's executive president.

"At the heart of this contest is the commitment to promote reading, writing, critical thinking and the awakening of the literary vocations of our young people from an early age. It is part of our mission as a Foundation: to promote active and better informed citizens through the transformative power of researching, telling and sharing stories. And always with the inspiration of Gabriel García Márquez, whose legacy we want to bring boys and girls closer to nurture their imagination and creativity", said Jaime Abello Banfi, director General of the Gabo Foundation.

Young writers will be able to compete for an unforgettable experience

Girls and boys between the ages of 10 and 13, residents of CAF member countries, will have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to create fascinating stories. From Mexico to Argentina, passing through Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and many more countries, everyone is invited to show their talent.

The young writers must present an unpublished story or chronicle written in Spanish, Portuguese or English. During the competition, a total of 20 winners will be selected, distributed in 6 regions of Latin America and the Caribbean. Those entrants who demonstrate exceptional creativity and perform outstanding research work will be the lucky winners.

The prizes that will be delivered will take the winners to live an unforgettable experience. They will have the opportunity to take an exciting journey through Colombia, following in the footsteps of acclaimed author Gabriel García Márquez. They will explore the most significant places in his life and work in the Colombian Caribbean, visiting Cartagena de Indias, Barranquilla and Aracataca, his hometown. In addition, the prize will cover all accommodation, food and transportation expenses for the winner and a companion of legal age.

The dream of seeing their work printed and shared with the world will come true as the winning stories and chronicles will be published in a special book. This literary anthology will be available both in digital format and in print, and will be freely distributed by Fundación Gabo and CAF.

We invite all boys and girls who wish to participate to enterhttps://centrogabo.org/concurso-de-cuentos-ninos-jovenes-2023 and consult the bases and conditions of the contest and register to be part of the new generation of writers that will transform culture and literature in Latin America and the Caribbean.

CAF and the Gabo Foundation strengthen their relationship

CAF and the Gabo Foundation have had a close relationship for 18 years, in which, through various activities such as workshops, seminars, forums, virtual meetings, and publications, more than 500 journalists from Latin America and the Caribbean have trained and participated. To strengthen this relationship and expand its scope, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the parties, within the framework of the 11th Gabo Festival, held in Bogotá, Colombia.

The event included the participation of Jaime Abello, general director and co-founder of the Gabo Foundation; Sergio Díaz-Granados, executive president of CAF; Rodrigo Peñailillo, CAF representative in Colombia; Alejandra Claros Borda, CAF Secretary General and Rodrigo García Barcha, member of the Board of Directors of the Gabo Foundation.

The Memorandum signed by Sergio Díaz-Granados, and Jaime Abello, broadens the spectrum of action with initiatives such as the Story Contest 'Someone writes to Macondo', the promotion of culture, tourism and Latin American and Caribbean identity, activities that promote sustainable development, mainly those that promote inclusion and non-discrimination in the literary and journalistic field, among others.

Among the initiatives planned in this new stage of the relationship between CAF and the Gabo Foundation, the development of creative economies stands out, with the objective of social inclusion promoting content that is correlated with sustainability, gender equality, equality and racial ethnic diversity, expanding the ranges of action and access to new technologies.

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