Estefanía Bolívar to Represent Venezuela in the #IdeasForTheFuture Essay Competition

Estefanía Bolívar from Universidad Metropolitana was selected as the winner of the second edition of the #IdeasForTheFuture University Essay Competition in Venezuela organized by CAF—development bank of Latin America—and the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV). Luisa Elena García Prieto from the Central University of Venezuela received a special mention.

In the essay entitled “Establishing a Digital Resilience Plan for Latin America: A Regulatory Perspective,” Estefanía Bolívar stresses the importance of governments and Latin American civil society entering into a collaboration and joint work agreement that seeks to implement favorable conditions to promote digitalization in our region through regulatory improvements and the assessment of other important issues, such as data security and privacy.

In addition, Luisa Elena García Prieto noted in her essay “Productivity Gap during the Pandemic: Driver of the Digital Economy in Latin America,” that the growth problem in Latin America is related to the productivity gap of the sectors and the composition of human capital.

In addition, the cessation of economic activity due to confinement and the lack of digitalization of production processes widen the gap. To achieve higher growth, we must incorporate digital technologies into production processes, and structure a digital economy in the region.

During the online awards ceremony, Francisco Javier Prieto, acting director of CAF Country Programs, said: “Together with the BCV we seek to promote the exchange and discussion of ideas by leveraging the great talent of young people in the region, to contribute to sustainable development, integration and to build a future.”

BCV president Calixto Ortega stressed that perhaps given the relevance of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on humanity and the economy, many essays focused on proposals to tackle economic and educational tasks at a post-pandemic stage. In this regard, he recalled that “focusing on identifying opportunities and the necessary actions for a better reintegration of Latin American and Caribbean countries into the global economy, once we overcome COVID-19 pandemic, is a task for all people and institutions, either as public officials or from the private sector.”

Estefanía Bolívar was selected by a jury made up of CAF and BCV representatives, will receive a certificate and will move on to the Ibero-American phase, an online ceremony to be held during the CAF Conference on November 6, 2020, where she will be competing with selected peers from the 19 shareholder countries.

#IdeasForTheFuture is an activity that promotes the exchange and discussion of ideas that help foster sustainable development and regional integration by encouraging the best university talents in Ibero-America.

In the case of the BCV, this competition is part of its academically focused corporate responsibility actions, and as a happy coincidence, it falls right into the special activities around the 80th anniversary of the central bank, which started operations on October 15, 1940.