Global Voices » Catalina Restrepo

Colombia: Online Petition Calls for Resignation of Minister of Education

Catalina Restrepo — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:16:40 +0000

With widespread opposition to the Colombian government's reform to higher education, Pilar Sáenz (@Mapisaro) tweets a link [es] and shares that she signed an online petition [es] that calls for the resignation of the current Minister of Education, María Fernanda Campo [es]. A Senator [es] has been promoting this measure. #ChaoMinistra is currently a local Trending Topic on Twitter.

Colombia: Twitter Reactions After Special Session Between Venezuela and Colombia at OAS

Catalina Restrepo — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 04:52:00 +0000

During the past two weeks, Colombia and Venezuela have been going through diplomatic tensions due to accusations from the Colombian government about the presence of groups marginal to the law (FARC and ELN specifically) in the neighboring country. The issue was finally taken to a Special Session in the Organization of American States (OAS), where the ambassadors of both countries presented their points of view. During the session, Colombians using Twitter were actively expressing their opinions which ranged from comparing the Colombian ambassador to a salesman to criticizing his intervention, when he talked about Colombia showing progress because of decreasing figures on violence. Despite this, some users supported him.

Here is a summary of the opinions as seen on the Colombian twittersphere:

David (@pollohipnotico):

RT @LilyMalone Yo quiero vivir en el país del que habla Hoyos. ¿Alguien me dice dónde queda? #OEA // + 45′000.000

RT @LilyMalone I want to live in the country Hoyos [the Colombian ambassador] is talking about. Can someone tell me where that is? #OEA [OAS] // + 45′000.000

Javier A. Fernández (@javi270270):

Ese colombiano habla como loro y no presenta ni una prueba……

That Colombian talks like a parrot [meaning, he talks a lot] and doesn't present any evidence…..

Sisifo Roca: (@SisifoRoca):

Coloquialismo montañero y parroquial totalmente fuera de contexto en un foro internacional donde la dignidad del país debería enaltecerse.

Mountain and parochial colloquialisms are completely out of place in an international forum where the dignity of the country should be exalted

Juliana Salazar (@chefjulianin):

Esta presentación ante la OEA es como sacar la tarea de un postgrado de wikipedia.

This presentation in front of the OAS is like doing homework for a postgraduate using Wikipedia.

Johanna Colmenares H (@ColHe)

Excelente la presentación del Sr. Hoyos en la asamblea de la #OEA

Excellent presentation by Mr. Hoyos in the session of the #OEA

Farid Urrutia (@faridurrutia):

Excelente presentación del embajador Hoyos sobre la evidencia de los campamentos guerrilleros en Venezuela #OEA #asisehablanojoda

Excellent presentation from ambassador Hoyos about the evidence of the guerrilla camps in Venezuela #OEA #asisehablanojoda

Andrés david Aparicio (@adapar)

#OEA la presentación parece esas sesiones interminables de “miremos las fotos de mis vacaciones”

#OEA the presentation looks like those never-ending sessions of “let's look at my vacation pictures”

Victor Solano (@solano):

Lo de hoy en la #OEA debe hacer parte de celebraciones del #bicentenario porque nos recuerda la fragilidad de nuestros gobiernos

What happened today at the #OEA should be part of the celebrations for the #bicentenario [bicentennial] because it reminds us of how fragile our governments are.

CatalinaporDios (@catalinapordios)

dice Colombia en la #OEA sabemos que están en Venezuela, lo vimos en youtube JAJAJAJAJA

Colombia says in the #OEA we know they are in Venezuela, we saw it on youtube HAHAHAHA

After the session at the OAS, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez broke relations with Colombia.

Joaly Padilla (@joaly25)

#OEA Me averguenza la ligereza con q el gobierno venezolano ha tomado lo ocurrido hoy en OEA. Afectados: los pueblos hermanos de VZLA y COL

#OEA I'm embarrassed by how lightly the Venezuelan government has taken what happened today at the OAS. Affected: neighboring peoples of Venezuela and Colombia.

Julieth Beltrán (@JuliethBlues):

Y las relaciones rotas a quien más nos afecta es a nosotros los que vivimos en la frontera, el comercio acá está jodido.

Those that are most affected by the broken ties are those of us who live on the border, business here is screwed.

Orlando (@DanielitoBang) :

Más de 2000 muertos enterrados en una fosa común AL LADO DE UNA BASE DEL EJÉRCITO COLOMBIANO. Eso NO nos indigna.

More than 2000 buried in a mass grave NEXT TO A COLOMBIAN MILITARY BASE. That DOESN'T bother us.

Alejandra Ortega (@AlejitaO)

Para mi merece más atención la Fosa común que la #OEA, romper relaciones con Venezuela es cosa de cada semana.

In my opinion the mass grave deserves more attention that the #OEA, breaking ties with Venezuela is a weekly occurrence.

Andrés Zorro (@ZorroDG)

Ahora no falta todo ese montón de intolerantes colombianos y venezolanos atacándose entre ellos con la excusa de “patria”.

Now there are a bunch of intolerant Colombians and Venezuelans attacking each other under the excuse of “homeland” [or patriotism]

Cheshire Cat (@_Cheshire_Cat_):

Chávez está muy loco, pero también están muy locos los colombianos que quieren una guerra con Venezuela

Chávez is very crazy, but the Colombians that want a war with Venezuela are also very crazy

Sisifo Roca (@SisifoRoca):

Ahora: Chávez rompe con Uribe. Prox. Santos arregla con Chávez. Sig. Chávez rompe con Santos. Cont. USA invade VEN.

Now: Chávez breaks [ties] with Uribe. Next [:] Santos fixes things with Chávez. Then [:] Chávez breaks [ties] with Santos. And then [:] USA invades Venezuela

Labobadaliteraria (@bobadaliteraria)

Celebre el bicentenario, arme una guerra.

Celebrate the bicentennial, start a war.

This post was translated by Silvia Viñas. The thumbnail image comes from Flickr user Globovisión and is used under a Creative Commons license.

Latin America: Internet Day Festivities Across Region

Catalina Restrepo — Sat, 22 May 2010 22:44:14 +0000

Internet Day is an event that started in Spain in 2005 and has been spreading throughout the world thanks to the United Nations, which designated May 17 as the World Information Society Day. This year, in many countries across Latin American, there were events that were promoted and organized through blogs and Twitter.

In Mexico, there was event held at the National Palace Museum in Monterrey, whose central theme was how to boost the growth of the industry during this time of economic crisis, through workshops about new internet companies and digital marketing for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (MIPYMES for its initials in Spanish). In addition, the day of reflection also could be followed online through the live coverage at www.diadeinternet.org.mx.

Photo of Internet Day Festivities in Peru by Juan Arellano and used with permission.

Executive Vice-President of the Mexican Association of Internet, Fernando Solcá spoke about 2 large obstacles that the country must overcome in order to move forward, including the speed of the internet “here 512 KB is considered broadband,” as well as the lack of fibre optic connectivity, “the government will ‘concede' to us only 2 strands of fibre optic, this stinginess and it is not possible that many years pass by and there is so much bureaucracy in this area, the only thing that is letting the country stall even more.”

In Lima, Peru, the municipality of San Martín de Porres organized an exhibit that included a stand [es] where people could record a video responding to the question about their thoughts about the internet, which was an activity highlighted by Juan Arellano of the blog Globalizado [es]:

En otro stand, o kiosko, estaban motivando a los asistentes a dejar un mensaje respondiendo a la pregunta “¿Qué significa internet para tí?”. Vi varios niños y adolescentes pensando que decir y luego usando las dos lap tops acondicionadas para tal fin.

In another stand or booth, they were encouraging attendees to leave a message responding to the question, “what does the internet mean to you?” I saw many children and teenagers thinking about what to say and using 2 laptops supplied for this purpose.

In Venezuela, the initiative “Todos en Red [es]” (Everyone Online) provided reflections on the day's events, as well as cyberactivism in the country. Information could be found on Twitter under the hashtag #Todosenred.

Finally, the city of Cali, Colombia was one of the cities with showed its presence on the day. The digital magazine Equinoxio [es] wrote about the day's activities that surpassed expectations of all of the attendees and who followed along the official website [es] and Twitter account (@DiaInternetCali). In addition, there was also a YouTube channel [es] where highlights of the events can be seen.

Translated by Eduardo Ávila

Colombia: A Day Without Cars in Medellín

Catalina Restrepo — Thu, 06 May 2010 01:03:29 +0000

On April 22, the city of Medellín celebrated the Day Without Cars, which is an initiative approved by the Municipal Council Agreement 21 of 2008. This event demonstrates a reflection based on the idea of caring for the environment and coincided with the celebration of Earth Day.

As stated in the blog Movilidad al Día [es], the “Day Without Cars” was an initiative not only celebrated in Medellín, but many cities around the world. The blog also discussed the goals proposed by Medellín's Municipal Administration for taking part in the event:

Este acuerdo municipal (21 de 2008 del Concejo de Medellín) se propuso los siguientes objetivos: disminuir en los niveles de contaminación ambiental producida por ruido y gases contaminantes emitidos por vehículos automotores; reducir el índice de accidentalidad vial en la ciudad; contribuir con el mejoramiento de la movilidad del transporte público; sensibilizar a la ciudadanía sobre la problemática asociada con el reducido uso del transporte público; promover alternativas de desplazamiento particular y masivo menos traumáticas para el ambiente; generar pedagogía social en torno a la protección del medio ambiente, el uso adecuado de los recursos naturales, la seguridad vial y la salud, como obligaciones fundamentales de corresponsabilidad ciudadana.

This municipal agreement (21 of 2008 of the Medellín Council) proposed the following objectives: reduce the levels of environmental contamination produced by the noise and contaminating gases emitted by the motor vehicles; reduce the amount of accidents in the city; contribute towards the improvement of public transport mobility; raise awareness about the problems related to the reduction in the use of public transport; promote alternatives of less traumatic individual and massive displacement of natural resources, road safety and health, as fundamental obligations of the citizenry.

According to E-Verde [es] an environmental blog, this year's event expanded to other municipalities outside of the metropolitan area of Medellín, including Envigado, Bello, and Itagüí.

The blog En Journalism 999 [es], Heidi Yohana Tamayo Ortiz writes about the advantages and disadvantages of the Day Without Cars:

There was an impact on the parking lots or sites that watch over cars:

“En un día normal, aquí se hace aproximadamente un millón de pesos; hoy, se han hecho máximo 40 mil pesos”, dice Luis Alfonso Ríos Villa, empleado del Parqueadero Nuevo Centro La Alpujarra.

“On a normal day, here we make approximately 1,000,000 pesos ($US500), but today, we made at most 40,000 pesos ($US20),” said Luis Alfonso Ríos Villa, employee of the New Parking Center La Alpujarra.

Photo of empty street in Medellín by e-verde and used under a Creative Commons license.

What about the effect that it had on public transport drivers?

Pese a lo que se pensaba, para los conductores de buses y colectivos el trabajo no tuvo variaciones significativas; de hecho, algunos piensan que el día laboral estuvo más malo que en otras ocasiones.

Apart from what had been thought, for the bus driver and collective transport, there were no significant changes; in fact, some think that the work day was even worse on other occasions.

The impact on taxi drivers:

Los taxistas fueron, tal vez, unos de los más beneficiados durante el día. Según cifras proporcionadas por Marta Suárez, subsecretaria de Transportes y Tránsito, la empresa Tax Individual reportó que recibieron llamadas de 13.800 usuarios pidiendo un servicio, mientras que en un día normal, solo se reciben siete mil. Las otras empresas reportan datos similares.

The taxi drivers were, perhaps, the ones that benefitted the most during the day. According to statistics provided by Marta Suárez, sub-secretary of Transportation and Transit, the company Taxi Individual reported that it received 13,800 calls from users asking for service, while on a normal day, it only receives 7,000. Other companies reported similar numbers.

How did transport organizations view the event?

“En términos generales, la mayoría de la gente acató la medida. Sin embargo, faltaron unos cuantos. Las personas a las que se les aplicó comparendo pedagógico dicen que no tenían conocimiento de la medida, pero me parece raro, ya que esto fue muy difundido en los medios de comunicación,” dice Rosenberg Ríos Aguirre, supervisor del tránsito de Medellín.

“In general terms, the majority of the people took part in the measure. However there were some that didn't. There were those that said that they did not know about the event, but that seems odd, because it was spread through the media,” said Rosenberg Ríos Aguirre, transit supervisor in Medellín.

There were also those people who did not follow the day's regulations:

Aquellas personas que no se acogieron a la medida deben asistir a una capacitación pedagógica, cuyo tema será el medio ambiente. En unos quince días se habilitarán seis locaciones para que se dicten las charlas. Quienes no asistan serán sancionados con multas económicas.

Those people that did not follow the measure are required to attend a learning center, where the topic will be the environment. In 15 days, 6 locations will be set up to provide the talks. Those who do not attend will be fined.

Twitter user Tips El Colombiano (@tips9333) wrote about how the day was spent by one family (with picture):

Esta familia fue más allá en el día sin carro: papá y mamá llevaron a caballo a los hijos para el colegio.http://yfrog.com/11e23mmj

This family went above and beyond the day without cars: dad and mom took the children to school on horse. http://yfrog.com/11e23mmj

Finally, Juan David Escobar of the blog Reticente [es], shares his thoughts A “Medellín on the Day Without Cars”

Colombia: South American Games a Success

Catalina Restrepo — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 02:18:22 +0000

The South American Games are held every four years with the participation of the countries affiliated with the South American Sports Organization (Odesur for its initials in Spanish), as well as the participation of the residents of the host city that make it a significant sporting event. The city which hosted the 9th version of the Games was Medellín, Colombia, where between March 19-30 the residents of the city could watch the event, not only in the different competition stages, but around the city in general. Approximately 3,000 athletes traveled around the city during the duration of the Games on the Metro, which was declared the official transport for the athletes.

Gymnastics competition by Telemedellín and used under a CC license.

Generally, the opinions towards these types of events are very positive and the response by the citizenry exalts the work by the public administration. From the moment of the Games' inauguration, until the closing ceremonies, Twitter was one of the platforms where one can follow what was happening in Medellín with the hashtag #suramericanos. Without a doubt, there were a lot of excitement in the tweets after each medal was awarded, and through the Twitter account of the local television channel Telemedellín [es], the Twitter community could find out the results in the various sporting events in realtime. The joy from the “paisas” (name given to local residents of Medellín and surrounding areas) was reflected in these tweets. Mauricio Jaramillo (@mauriciojaramil) writes:

Presidente de Odesur declara los #Suramericanos de 2010 como los mejores de la historia. ¡Felicitaciones, Medellín!

Odesur's President states that the 2010 South American Games were the best in its history. Congratulations, Medellín!

Ana Vélez (@lananavelez) reports after the closing ceremonies:

Y se nos acabaron los #suramericanos Medellín 2010… anoche estuvo bonita la clausura. Sigamos organizando eventos así en Medellín.

The South American Games Medellín 2010 are over… the closing ceremonies last night were beautiful. Let's continue to organize events like this in Medellín.

In the digital magazine Equinoxio [es], one day before the end of the competition, a paragraph was published that summarized the general citizen perception:

Estas olimpiadas suramericanas han sido un verdadero éxito, tanto en lo deportivo —por la resonante victoria colombiana, que barrió en disciplinas como el patinaje, ciclismo y bolos, además de haber ganado el torneo de fútbol, al mando de Ramiro Viáfara— como en la organización. Medellín y las sedes alternas se lucieron con la puesta a punto de los escenarios dispuestos para cada una de las disciplinas. La gente asistió y apoyó masivamente a los deportistas nacionales y extranjeros. Las delegaciones fueron acogidas cálidamente en la Villa Olímpica. La ceremonia inaugural fue impresionante.

These South American Olympiads have been a true success, in the sporting area - for the resounding Colombian victory, which won in disciplines like skating, cycling, and bowling, as well as the football tournament under the command of Ramiro Viáfara - as well as the organization. Medellín and the alternate sites shone at each of the stages made available for each of the disciplines. The people attended and supported national and foreign athletes on a massive scale. The delegations were warmly welcomed at the Olympic Village. The opening ceremony was impressive.

However, despite the joy and general pride, Lully Posada, Global Voices author writes that one the same day as the Games' Opening Ceremony, workers protests around the Stadium [es].

Me pidieron que utilizara una vía alterna a la que estaba señalizada y rodeada por una cantidad exagerada de policías, que tenían un cerco en el sector debido a una manifestación de la clase obrera. Sí, era la otra cara de los juegos, la clase trabajadora que se había reunido desde sus diferentes grupos para dejar un precedente de queja por la carencia de un empleo digno, un empleo bien remunerado, las injusticias con el trabajador colombiano y la posible venta de empresas.

I was asked to use an alternate route than the one which was marked and surrounded by an exaggerated amount of police, who had a secured a perimeter around the sector due to a protest by the working class. Yes, it showed another other side of the games, the working class that had gathered from different groups to show their complaint about the lack of decent jobs, well-paying jobs, the worker injustice in Colombia, and the possible sale of businesses.

Some consider that in addition, the Games were strategic to hide the social problems of the city [es]. Tomáz García writes:

Llegan a la ciudad los “IX Juegos Suramericanos Medellín 2010″, obligando a los paisas a vestirse como gente decente y prepararse para simular ante los turistas que Medellín vale la pena.

The “IX South American Games Medellín 2010″ have arrived, forcing the paisas (residents of Medellín) to dress like decent people and prepare themselves to simulate to the tourists that Medellín is worth the trouble.

There were some bloggers who also attempted to add some humor to the context of the Games, such as the blogger from Globoterror [es] who wrote about the notoriety of Medellín and the drug trade by satirically saying that the Games had been thinking about eliminating drug testing as a way of “stimulating the local economy.”

Before, during, and after the conclusion of the Games, there was one question that many in Medellín had, as expressed by Jorge Luis Rocha of the blog Cuántas Palabras [es]:

JuanSe Molina, contacto en Facebook y blogger, en un comentario sarcástico y extremista, decía que en los Juegos Sudamericanos Medellín 2010 iba a estar gente de todo el mundo… menos de Medellín, cosa que me parece muy acertada. Hace un año la ciudad vivió la visita del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) y durante esa semana los gamines, habitantes de la calle o desechables -como los quieran llamar- desaparecieron. No se sabía adónde los habían mandado, el hecho es que no se veían por ahí.

JuanSe Molina, a Facebook contact and blogger, said in a sarcastic and extremist comment that in the South American Games Medellín 2010 there would be people from all around the world… except from Medellín, which is something that seems to be correct. One year ago, the Inter-American Bank visited the city and during that week the “gamines” (street dwellers) or disposables - or however you want to call them - disappeared. No one knows where they were sent to, but the point is that there were not seen around here.

Translated by Eduardo Ávila

Colombia: President Calls on Citizens to be Crime Informants

Catalina Restrepo — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:03:46 +0000

At the end of January, Colombian President Álvaro Uribe made some statements about the importance of reporting violent crime. Specifically, he called upon university students in the city of Medellín and taxi drivers in the city of Cali, as possible informants. This caused a national debate, which was also reflected on the internet. This specific idea comes at a time when violent crime around Colombia has been increasing. For example, the number of homicides in Medellín in 2009 more than doubled from the number of homicides in 2008. The difficulties to maintain public order is happening in various cities across Colombia.

Xady of the blog Expresáte [es] writes about a recent episode where he was unable to play a game of football outside with his friends in a neighborhood of Medellín because of this uncertain security situation:

Hace 8 días llamaron los muchachos:

Entonces, a las 4 de la tarde porque el resto de la gente no puede más temprano.

Listo, me arreglo y en un momentico subo para echarle aire a los balones.

Quince minutos más tarde me llama alguien y me dice, no salga de la casa porque esto se va a prender… y claro una fuente de confianza nunca falla. A los cinco minutos de haber recibido la llamada doy varios pasos para salir a la puerta y al frente de mi casa….

Plaplaplaplaplaplaplaplaplaplaplapla, se prendió esto y ahora si vamos a ver quién es quién. Dijo un duende.

Plazplazplazplazplaz. Respondieron desde el otro lado.

Eight days ago, my friends called:

OK, so at 4 p.m., because the others cannot play any earlier.
Fine, I'll get ready and shortly I will go up to put air in the footballs.

Fifteen minutes later, someone calls me to say, don't leave the house because it is going to get bad outside…and of course, a trusted source is never wrong. Five minutes after receiving the call, I take a few steps to leave my house and in front of my house…

Plaplaplaplaplaplaplaplaplaplaplapla, this became a bad situation and now we'll see who is who. Said an elf (armed person)
Plazplazplazplazplaz. Answered the other side.

Uribe's proposal appeals to “respect for the norms of co-existence” and that this information is necessary so that the Security Forces can help reduce the number of violent crimes, of which students have been the victims. However, Uribe's idea does not come without additional incentive. He proposed that those who acted as informants could receive 100,000 Colombian pesos (approximately US$50) per month.

Vladdo, of the blog Havladdorías [es], writes:

Muchos analistas y medios se han referido ya al espinoso asunto de los informantes que quiere reclutar el gobierno, y la verdad es que volver a hablar de las inconveniencias que conlleva transformar a la ciudadanía en un ejército de soplones es llover sobre mojado.

Many analysts and media outlets have already made reference to the thorny issue of the informants that the government wants to recruit, the truth is that we return to talking about the inconvenience that it means by turning citizens into an army of informants, it makes no sense.

Some are worried about whether or not the students place themselves at risk for providing information or the quality of information that might be provided. Paloma Valencia of El Diario del Huila who said:

Hay un temor ante lo que se ha denominado la satanización de profesores y compañeros, ahí hay que distinguir la acción de proveer la información y la manera como las autoridades públicas van a utilizarla. Será necesario tener procedimientos de verificación.

There is a fear of what has been called the satanization of professors and students, one must distinguish between providing information and the way the public authorities will use that information. There is a need to have a process of verification.

The statements from the President have been the object of numerous reactions that could be seen on Twitter, as from Mauricio Mosquera (@mauromosquera), who writes that there could be a better use of the money:

100 mil pesos mensuales para los estudiantes que no falten a clase!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

100 thousand pesos per month for the students that do not miss classes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

: ‘Something tells me that MaPis works for the government' Illustration by Xtian and used with permission.

In the same manner, Uribe also called upon the 31,000 taxi drivers in the city of Cali, another group that has been hit especially hard by violent crime. The website for W. Radio opened up a forum where citizens could respond to the question [es]: What do you think of the proposal by President Uribe to link the taxi drivers of Cali as government informants?”

152 Alexa | 02/03/10 06:37:03 writes:

Pues me parece bien . es un deber de todos los cidadanos informar a las autoridades los hechos delictivos lo que sucede es que a medida que los dias pasan en este pais la delicuencia va tomando mas fuerza. y aveces nos vemos obligados a callar muchas cosas que se ven y se saben . por las represarias hacia los nuestros.

I think it is fine, it is a duty of all the citizens to inform the authorities about crime that happens on a daily basis in this country. Crime is becoming stronger and at times we are forced to remain silent about the things that are seen and are known for the reprisals against us.

139 Castro | 02/02/10 17:57:39 writes:

Esta es la seguridad democratica? mas bien deberian pensar en seguridad educacional el pais necesita gente que piense en grande con educacion se termina el flagelo de la violencia aaahh y empleo empleo porque hay mucho desempleado sin saber que hacer.

This is democratic security? They should think about educational security instead. The country needs educated people that think big, because everything ends in violence. And jobs, because there is a lot of unemployment that no one knows what to do.

In addition, Vladdo expresses himself in this manner, by saying that it is a bad idea [es]:

Las propuestas del Presidente han llegado a tal extremo, que hasta los propios furibistas están aterrados, o por lo menos sorprendidos, con la sola idea de convertir en informantes a los universitarios de Medellín y a los taxistas de Cali. Después seguirán los loteros de Pasto, los artesanos de Leticia o los vendedores ambulantes de Bogotá. El argumento de que quien no es informante es cómplice de los crímenes que crecen sin cesar en las ciudades (cosa previsible, tras ese retorcido proceso de paz y la supuesta desmovilización de las AUC) se cae por su propio peso.

The President's proposals have reached the extreme, in that even the furibistas (his supporters) are terrified, or at least surprised, with the single of idea of turning university students in Medellín and taxi drivers in Cali into informants. Later, he will ask the LOTEROS in Pasto, the artisants in Leticia, or the street vendors in Bogotá. The argument that whoever is not an informant is an accomplice to growing problem of crime in the cities (which is to expected after this twisted peace process and the supposed demobilization of the AUC) falls under its own weight.

Colombia: Videobloggers Make 1 Video Per Day in 2010

Catalina Restrepo — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:55:58 +0000

In late 2009, an interesting initiative emerged in Colombia, when videoblogger Juan Falla proposed that members of the community create one video per day during 2010. The idea was communicated through a Google Group called Vlogolombia / Video Creators of Colombia [es], and the response was immediate. Now, there are many who have joined the project giving life to the process.

OccioTV [es], the digital magazine devoted to training through videoblogs, writes about the process during the first days of the year:

Algunos vloguers colombianos tomaron la iniciativa de realizar un videoblog todos los dias hasta que se termine el 2010, osea 365 post en el año, lo anterior nació de la iniciativa de @juanfallaesp a la que se unieron @alejandroangel, @albornoz, @fabricadecosas, @cafeycassette y por último la pareja femenina de @ErikaPao y @Luisasantiaga, hasta el cierre de la entrada no conocemos de ninguno más…

Some Colombian vloggers took part in the initiative to make a videoblog posting every day until the end of 2010, in other words, 365 posts throughout the year, and which was started by @juanfallaesp. He was joined by @alejandroangel, @albornoz, @fabricadecosas, @cafeycassette, as well as the two females @ErikaPao and @Luisasantiago, and at the time of publication we do not know of who else has joined…

The initiative had such an impact that Ana Valleja, who initially did not get involved in the project, now explains on Twitter that she wants to participate. She uploads her first video called Traveling in Fahrenheit 451 where she reads a short passage from the Ray Bradbury book.

She also adds a few words to her blog entry about the video:

A veces se puede viajar sentada en una silla. Con un libro en la mano. Y puedo que el cliche ya este muy usado, pero tener un libro en mi cabeza palabra tras palabra, es de los mejores viajes, películas, rumores en los que anda mi cabeza cuando tengo una historia en la punta de mi lengua, en las neuronas de mi cabeza. Fahrenheit 451, un viaje por un mundo no ya tan imaginario, donde los libros son tan peligrosos, que los bomberos en vez de apagar incendios, incendian libros, para proteger al hombre moderno de esas historias que los transportan a otros mundos posibles, a unas ideas peligrosas, llenas de bellezas o revoluciones.

Sometimes, one can travel when sitting in a chair. With a book in hand. And it may be an overused cliché, but to have a book in mind, word after work, is the best trips, movies, rumors that run through my mind when I have the story on the tip of my tongue, in my brain's neurons. Fahrenheit 451, a trip through a not-so-imaginary world, where the books are so dangerous that the firefighters, instead of putting out fires, burn books,to protect the modern man from these stories that transport them to other possible worlds, with dangerous, beautiful, or revolutionary ideas.

A video-blogger that publishes a video every day for a year is now being created in Colombia. The participants and followers are adding their ideas to help organize the process. Alejandro Angel writes that participants and followers should use the hashtag #vlog365:

So the question remains, will 2010 be the year of the videoblog in Colombia? Some twitter users like Mauricio Gonzalez (@mauricioweb) are already sending the first words of encouragement:

Ánimo @Luisasantiaga @ErikaPao @alejandroangel hay que ser un berraco y tener mucha pasión para sacar adelante 365 videos al año. #vlog365

Encouragement for @Luisasantiaga @ErikaPao @alejandroangel, one must be brave and have a lot of passion to be able to make 365 videos in a year.

For those that want to see another example of a video from Vlog 365, this recent video from Juan David Escobar, one of the videobloggers who is making one video per day, shows a recent trip through the streets of Ciudad Bolívar on a motorcycle in order to purchase some of his favorite empanadas.

Translation by Eduardo Ávila

Colombia: Twenty Years After Assassination of Luis Carlos Galán

Catalina Restrepo — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:31:51 +0000

Luis Carlos Galán (1943-1989) was a well-known presidential candidate who was assassinated, and which was ordered by narcotrafficking cartels in 1989. His death came at a time in Colombian politics when he was leading in the polls for the presidential elections for the term 1990-1994.

Ibsen Martínez of Tal Cual Digital [es] writes about the person responsible for the murder:

Galán cayó mortalmente herido por las balas de sicarios, en momentos en que cerraba campaña electoral en Soacha, empobrecida localidad vecina a Bogotá. Desde el primer momento estuvo claro que Pablo Escobar había ordenado matar a quien, sin duda alguna, habría sido presidente de Colombia.

Galán fell mortally wounded by hitmen bullets, when he was closing the electoral campaign in Soacha, an impoverished town near Bogotá. From the first moment, it was clear that Pablo Escobar had ordered the killing of the man, without a doubt, who would have been president of Colombia.

Thus, it is not surprising that 20 years later, that the Colombian media would continue to bring up the investigation regarding the motives for the crime. For example, the crime continues to be of an interest especially after the meeting between Sebastián Marroquín (Pablo Escobar's son) and the children of the assassinated candidate, which was facilitated by a documentary called “Sins of my Father” filmed by the Argentine Nicolás Entel, as mentioned by Verónica Calderón [es]:

Marroquín no puso un centavo, pero el coste emocional fue colosal. Debía volver la vista al pasado del que llevaba huyendo más de 16 años. Y no sólo eso. También sentarse al lado de los hijos del ex ministro de Justicia colombiano, Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, y del ex candidato presidencial Luis Carlos Galán.

Entel dio el primer paso. Se acercó a Rodrigo Lara Restrepo y a Carlos, Juan Manuel y Claudio Galán para explicarles que hacía un documental sobre los hijos de las víctimas de la narcoguerra en Colombia. (…) Compartir mesa con el hijo de Pablo Escobar, sin embargo, no fue fácil.

Para romper el hielo, el primer paso fue una carta. “Nunca tuve tanto miedo como hoy […] ¿Cómo le escribes a una familia a la que tu padre le causó tanto daño?”, escribe Marroquín. Pese a que los hijos de los asesinados recibieron con recelo el acercamiento, finalmente decidieron reunirse con el hijo del responsable de su tragedia. Pablo Escobar ordenó matar a Lara Bonilla en 1984 y a Luis Carlos Galán en 1989. Todos eran niños cuando los crímenes. Lara Restrepo y Marroquín sólo se llevan un año. “No fue fácil sentarse con una persona que, aunque es inocente, es el hijo del asesino de nuestros padres”, explica Rodrigo Lara Restrepo. “Vimos que era una víctima más de su padre, por cargar con la culpa y la estigmatización.”

Marroquín did not give one cent [for the making of the documentary], but the emotional cost was colossal. He had to take a look back at the past, from which he had been running for more than 16 years. And not only that, but he had to sit next to the children of the ex-Minister of Justice, Rodrigo Lara Bonilla and of the ex-presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán.

Entel took the first step. He contacted Rodrigo Lara Restrepo and Carlos, Juan Manuel, and Claudio Galán to explain that he was doing a documentary about the children of the victims of the Colombian narco-guerillas. (…) To share a table with the son of Pablo Escobar, however, was not easy.

To break the ice, the first step was a letter. “I never had as much fear as I have today (…) How do you write to a family in which your father caused so much pain?” writes Marroquín. Even though the children of the victims were suspicious of the approach, they finally decided to meet with the son of the one responsible for their tragedy. Pablo Escobar ordered the killing of Lara Bonilla in 1984 and of Luis Carlos Galán in 1989. [The ones who met] were all children during the crime. Lara Restrepo and Marroquín were only one year old. “It was not easy to sit with the person, even though he is innocent, who is the son of the killer of our fathers,” explains Rodrigo Lara Restepo. “We saw that he was one more victim of his father, for bearing the burden of guilt and stigma.”

However, in some sectors of society there is still some skeptical voices regarding Juan Pablo or Sebastían (as he has been known as later). María Jimena Duzán of the blog Round Talk [es] writes:

O el hijo de Pablo Escobar nos está mintiendo o no nos ha dicho toda la verdad. Esa es la sensación que nos deja a muchos colombianos el informe de la unidad de investigación de El Tiempo en el que ‘Popeye', el sicario de Pablo Escobar, acusa a Juan Pablo, el hijo del capo, de haber participado en un operativo en Medellín que terminó con el asesinato del capitán de la Policía Fernando Hoyos Posada, en 1992, es decir, cuando Juan Pablo tenía tan solo 14 años de edad.

Either the son of Pablo Escobar is lying to us or he has not told us the full truth. That is the sense that many Colombians have after seeing the report from the investigation of [the newspaper] El Tiempo, in which ‘Popeye,' Pablo Escobar's hitman, accuses Juan Pablo, his son, of participating in an operation in Medellín that resulted with the murder of police captain Fernando Hoyos Posada en 1992, in other words, when Juan Pablo was only 14 years-old.

The criticism of Marroquín also involves the media attention that he has been receiving as a result of the film. Marsares of the Colombian digital magazine Equinoxio [es] writes “A show or repentance?“

Escobar Jr. viajó a Colombia y concitó la atención sobre sí mismo y sobre los pecados paternales, coincidiendo su visita con el estreno de la cinta, bendecida por este caudal de publicidad gratuita que muy de seguro redundará en la taquilla y en la fama de Entel y Marroquín, a cuyos quince minutos de popularidad tienen derecho como todo el mundo, según Warhol.

Escobar Jr. traveled to Colombia and attracted the attention to himself and to his fatherly sins, his visit coincided with the film's premiere, blessed by this wealth of free publicity which will surely result in high box office sales and fame for Entel and Marroquín, who will have their 15 minutes of fame, according to [Andy] Warhol.

With the upcoming presidential elections, some feel that the attention should be given back to Galán and his ideas, and the current state of Colombian politics. The blog Colombia Invisible [es] quotes Galán's widow:

“que el mejor legado es que las nuevas generaciones lo conozcan”. Y agregan que: “Se pregunta uno, cual legado, si las ideas y proyectos políticos de Galán murieron en el momento de su asesinato. ¿O caso alguna de esas ideas, digamos sus mas controversiales, la lucha contra el narcotráfico y sus denuncias sobre la penetración en las esferas políticas y del propio estado, se retomaron y pusieron en practica; y como resultado de sus ideas, hoy el país esta libre de narcos y de violencia?”

“his best legacy is for new generations to know about him.” She adds, “One asks, what legacy? if Galán's ideas and political projects died at the moment of his murder. Of if any of these ideas, say his most controversial, the fight against drug trafficking and his denouncements against their penetration in the political sphere and the state itself, were taken up and put into practice; and as a result of his ideas, the country is free of narcotraffickers and violence?

A Flickr site called Galán Vive (Galán Lives) has been collecting historical photos of the slain presidential candidate.

Translation by Eduardo Ávila

Colombia: The Tradition of Arepas in the Afternoon

Catalina Restrepo — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:51:16 +0000

If one travels to Colombia, it is most likely that between 3 and 6 pm that one will be invited to eat “something.” Being served a combination of coffee or hot chocolate along with a wide variety of baked goods has become a ritual for many Colombian families during the time of the day when the sun sets.

Photo by Lozbot and used under a Creative Commons license

In Reticente [es], the blog of Juan David Escobar, he writes about that tradition that has been passed down by many generations:

Mis abuelas nos enseñaron que a eso de las 3pm, se debe parar la vida para comer algo caliente con parva, o lo que te encuentres, pero comer “algo”.

My grandmothers taught us that around 3 pm, that one must stop life in order to each something hot with baked goods or whatever one can find, but eat “something.”

More often that not, this “something” is an arepa. On a cold afternoon, Escobar participated in the preparation of arepas of chócolo (soft corn), and which is something also discussed in other Colombian blogs. The Blog de Colombia [es] provides an explanation about the process to prepare the arepa:

La arepa es una de las comidas más típicas en Colombia. Para hacerlas, los ingredientes son muy básicos: harina de diferentes tipos de maíz, agua, aceite y sal. Luego está el relleno, que cada uno puede hacer de lo que quiera, pero la arepa pura es lo importante. Aunque todavía no se pongan de acuerdo sobre qué país es el originario, la arepa colombiana tiene su propia tradición y forma de elaboración.

The arepa is one of the most typical foods in Colombia. To make them, the ingredients are very basic: flour from different types of corn, water, oil, and salt. Next is the filling, and one can choose with what to fill it, but the pure arepa is the most important part. Even though that they still do not agree about which country [the arepa] comes from, the Colombian arepa has its own tradition and way to make it.

The arepa of chócolo is made after threshing the corn, as indicated by the blog Recetas de Cocina, Colombia Turística [es]:

Se desgranan los chócolos, y se muelen. Debe quedar una masa suave. Se arman las arepas y se ponen a asar sobre una hoja de plátano, luego se voltean sobre una hoja nueva, hasta que queden bien asados por ambos lados.

The chócolo is threshed, and then grinded. It should result in a soft dough. The arepas are formed into shape and it is placed on a banana leaf to broil, then it is turned on a new leaf, until it becomes well cooked on both sides.

The arepa of chócolo is accompanied with cheese [es]:

Si quiere puede hacer dos cosas con el queso: cortarlo en lajitas, cortar la arepa por el borde e introducir el queso en la mitad y asarlas de nuevo por un minuto o rallar el queso y mezclarlo, con la masa, antes de armarlas.

If one wants, two things can be done with the cheese: cut it into pieces, cut the arepa around the edges, place the cheese inside, and broil them once again for a minute or grate the cheese, mix it into the dough before forming the arepas.

Blogger Carlos Múnera of the blog Somos Iguales [es] affirms:

Qué cosa más rica es ese binomio culinario de la arepa de chócolo* con quesito y mejor cuando se forma aquel triángulo amoroso a la llegada de un espumoso chocolate en leche. Sí señores, ah fríos que nos ha quitado ese trinomio de sabor. Ah tardes que nos han acompañado paralelo a una buena visita parviada*. Cuán sencillos y humanos nos sentimos cuando comemos del fruto de la tierra cocido al calor del fuego.

How delicious is that culinary pairing, the arepa of chócolo with cheese and even better when it forms that love triangle with the arrival of the foamy chocolate in milk. Yes sir, this trio of taste has taken away the cold many times in the afternoons in which it has been part of a visit with baked goods. How simple and human we feel when we eat the fruit of the earth baked in the heat of the fire.

Photo by Juan David Escobar and used with permission.

Finally, Escobar of the blog El Reticente [es] concludes his post:

Mientras los ordenes económicos y de seguridad se mueven y la ciudad crece y se moderniza, todavía por aquí tenemos las tradiciones más clásicas, a pesar de que de las abuelas ni los huesos quedan.

Meanwhile the economic and security forces move throughout and the city grows and modernizes, we still have the most classic of traditions, even though that not even the bones of the grandmothers remain.

Translation by Eduardo Ávila

Colombia: Preserving Afro-Colombian Culture in San Basilio de Palenque

Catalina Restrepo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:48:49 +0000

The village of San Basilio de Palenque, a small village in northern Colombia, was one of the first communities of escaped African slaves during the Spanish Colonization. The descendants of these African slaves are now working on preserving their cultural heritage, as well as the Palenquero language, a Spanish-based Creole language estimated to be spoken by 2,500 people. Through stories of the slavery passed along from generation to generation, as well as the musical traditions being kept alive, this village appears to bring the African continent to this corner of Colombia.

Photo of San Basilio de Palenque by Royale_With_Cheese and used under a Creative Commons license.

The blog Azadón de Palo [es] interviews M. Elena Salgado, a resident of the village and answers the question, “What is it like to live in San Basilio de Palenque?“

Es un lugar pequeño, donde todos nos conocemos. Somos generaciones de todas las familias, desde las primeras que se refugiaron en los Montes de María (así se llama la zona que rodea a San Basilio). Nuestras casas son humildes, hechas con material que nos da la naturaleza; tierra, bahareque, tapia y cemento a la vista. Nuestros techos son de palma y lata, que ayuda a refrescar y soportar el calor.

It is a small place, where we all know one another. We are generations from all of the families, from the first families that sought refuge in the María Mountains (that is what the area the surrounds San Basilio is called). Our houses are humble, made from materials provided by nature; dirt, adobe, and cement. Our roofs are made from palm leaves and tin, which helps it keep it cool and withstand the heat.

Musical group Las Alegres Ambulancias that hails from San Basilio de Palenque. Photo by Troskiller and used under a Creative Commons license.

In the homes, the sounds of Afro-Colombian resonate, and in which many sectors of society want to claim. The essence of that concept takes strength and it is in that way that the blog Colombian Passport [es] publishes the following paragraph about this history:

Lo que bien se sabe acerca de los colombianos negros es que son las personas descendientes de los que fueron traídos como mercancía, forzados por las compañías negreras europeas entre los siglos XV y XVIII a todo el territorio de las Américas.

What is known about Black Colombians is that they are descendants of those that were brought over as merchandise, forced by European slave companies between the 15th and 18th centuries, throughout the Americas.

Patricia Quintero Barrera of the blog Etnicográfica [es] writes:

La Afrocolombianidad o Identidad étnica Afrocolombiana es el conjunto de aportes y contribuciones, materiales y espirituales, desarrollados por los pueblos africanos y la población afrocolombiana en el proceso de construcción y desarrollo de nuestra Nación y las diversas esferas de la sociedad Colombiana. Son el conjunto de realidades, valores y sentimientos que están integrados en la cotidianidad individual y colectiva de todos nosotros y nosotras. La Afrocolombianidad es un patrimonio de cada colombiano(a), indistintamente del color de la piel o el lugar donde haya nacido.

The Afro-Colombian or Afro-Colombian ethnic identity is the sum of contributions, material and spiritual, developed by the African peoples and the Afro-Colombian population in the process of construction and development of our nation, and the diverse areas of Colombian society. These are the set of realities, values, and feelings that are integrated into our individual and daily life. The Afro-Colombians are the heritage of each Colombian, regardless of skin color or place of birth.

Finally, on Asabbagh's channel on YouTube, there is the trailer of a documentary that shows what San Basilio de Palenque is like now, a community that was not declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in vain.

Translation by Eduardo Ávila

Colombia: Solidarity With Hiperbarrio After Library Robbery

Catalina Restrepo — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:54:17 +0000

Historically, libraries have been characterized as spaces for the free access to knowledge in the fields of literature, art, and culture, as well as becoming gathering places for the community. In this spirit, two years ago the Public Pilot Library of Medellín, Colombia at the La Loma site welcomed the participants of Hiperbarrio [es], one of the initial Rising Voices projects, where citizen journalism workshops have been taking place.

Photo of La Loma Library by Convergentes and used with permission. Click on photo to see a larger version of photo.

It is noteworthy that this library was created more than 50 years ago, as an initiative of the residents of La Loma, and throughout its service to the community it has offered classes in literature, painting, and music. The importance of its social role was described by Rezwan at the Rising Voices blog, who notes that that librarian's responsibility goes beyond the simple lending of books.

It is with those reasons that there were united voices of indignation surrounding the events that took place on October 13, which is described by @blueandtanit:

Ladrones robaron el equipo administrativo con información de La Loma, caja menor y El nica de Hiperbarrio en un asalto a la bpp de La Loma.

Thieves stole the administrative equipment with information of the La Loma library, petty cash, and the Nica (prize) during a robbery of the bpp (public library) of La Loma.

The director of Hiperbarrio, Álvaro Ramírez described his reaction upon hearing the news. He writes about the consequences of the robbery in his blog Ojo al Texto [es]:

Estoy un poco aturdido. Me concentro y trato de visualizar la modesta y hermosa Biblioteca de La Loma, sus estantes, las mesas y las sillas donde niños y grandes se sientan a diario a leer, a consultar libros, y a conversar.

Alcanzo a imaginar los computadores apagados y en la noche. Un par de intrusos llegan y logran penetrar por el techo. Entran con linternas y comienzan a sacar cosas

(…)

A la mañana siguiente llegan Gabriel Jaime y los otros empleados y encuentran el desastre. Un robo consumado. Un asalto a la comunidad de La Loma y un golpe duro para la Biblioteca Pública Piloto que ha venido dotando, con gran voluntad y paciencia a la filial más antigua de su extendida red de bibliotecas públicas: es decir gratuitas y abiertas para que todos podamos acceder a sus servicios.

(…)

Pienso en el daño que eso representa. En las personas que se van a perjudicar por no poder acceder gratis a los computadores.

I am a bit stunned. I concentrate and try to visualize the modest and beautiful La Loma Library, its shelves, the tables and chairs where children and adults sit to read on a daily basis, to read books, and to talk.

I am able to imagine the computers turned off at night. A couple of intruders arrive and are able to enter through the roof. They enter with flashlights and start to take things.

(…)

The next morning, (the library's coordinator) Gabriel Jaime and other employees arrive and find the disaster. A completed robbery. An assault on the community of La Loma and a hard blow for the Public Pilot Library, which has been providing, with a strong will and patience to the oldest branch in the extended network of public libraries: free and open services so that everyone can access its services.

(…)

I think about the damage that this represents. In the people that will be hurt and will not be able to have free access to computers.

Photo of La Loma library by blueandtanit and used under a Creative Commons license. Click on photo to see a larger version of the photo.

News of the robbery soon spread throughout different online networks, and the community also received notes from those who expressed their solidarity during the incident, showing that there is a strong network across the internet. For example, from Chile, Enzo Abbagliati sent a message of support on his blog Cadaunadas [es] after reading the post written by Ramírez:

Cadaunadas varias veces ha sido espacio para la alegría que desde una barriada de Medellín hemos recibido cotidianamente quienes creemos en las bibliotecas públicas como espacio de equidad y construcción de sociedades más democráticas. Reproduzco ahora una triste nota publicada por Álvaro Ramírez en ConVerGentes, quien desde el aturdimiento inicial nos avisa que han robado en la Biblioteca de La Loma. En Chile, en nuestras bibliotecas públicas, a veces sufrimos la misma suerte, la misma frustrante suerte.

¡Animo, amigos de La Loma! Sé que la comunidad estará con ustedes.

On many occasions, (the blog) Cadaunadas has been a space for daily joy received from a neighborhood in Medellín for those of us who believe in public libraries as a place for equality and the building of more democratic societies. I am now republishing the sad news written by Álvaro Ramírez from ConVerGentes, who tells us of the stunning news about the robbery of the La Loma Library. In Chile, our public libraries sometimes suffers the same luck, the same frustrating luck.

Cheer up, friends from La Loma! Know that the community stands with you.

Locally, the Colombian digital magazine Equinoxio [es] became one of the first sites to publish news about the acts of vandalism and wrote about the efforts to investigate the crime:

El director de la biblioteca se reunió con las autoridades y con efectivos de la Policía Nacional a fin de coordinar esfuerzos para recuperar los bienes que se llevaron los asaltantes y capturar a los responsables.

The library's director met with authorities and officers from the National Police to coordinate efforts to recuperate the items taken by the burglars and to capture those responsible.

Fortunately, the Golden Nicca prize was recovered, as it was found nearby, but the other objects remain missing. A member of Hiperbarrio, Catalina Urquijo of the blog $ujetate (Unknown II) [es] thanked those who sent messages through the different social networking sites:

Ofrecemos nuestros más sinceros agradecimientos a todos aquellos que nos acompañaron por diversos sitios de la red dándonos su apoyo tanto cuando creímos que nos habían robado el nica como ahora.

We would like to offer our most sincere gratitude to all those who have accompanied us through various online sites giving us their support, especially when we thought that they had stolen the Nicca (prize).

Finally, Libary Coordinator Gabriel Vanegas of the blog Esas Voces que Nos Llegan [es] summarizes the shock in which, as a public employee, he had to find out about the incident:

Duele ver la ignorancia de quienes perpetúan este delito contra el patrimonio de la comunidad, pero preocupa pensar en quienes dieron la orden de hacerlo y quienes sabiendo y viendo que se hacia no procedieron de manera correcta y oportuna ante las autoridades.

It hurts to see the ignorance from those that committed this crime against the community's patrimony, and it also is worrisome to think about those who gave the order to do it and those who knew about it, who did not do the right thing and go to the authorities.

Translation by Eduardo Ávila

Colombia: “Ojo al Sancocho” Community Film Festival

Catalina Restrepo — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:21:17 +0000

The International Film and Alternative and Community Video Festival called “Ojo al Sancocho [es]” was recently organized by the company Sueños Film Colombia (Dream Films) and its second edition took place September 18-25, 2009 in Ciudad Bolívar in Southern Bogotá. During the week, Colombian audiovisual projects gathered to talk about topics, such as Latin American and local identity, and Web 2.0, as a way to create practical communities.

Sancocho is a traditional soup that can be found throughout Colombia and made with many ingredients. Festival organizers used the analogy of the soup to show how the week attracted many different individuals and organizations all contributing their own ideas to the event.

Photo of Festival workshop by Yuliana Paniagua of Convergentes and used with permission.

Cuba was the special invited guest, and representatives from the Festival of Cine Pobre [es] in Cuba spoke with admiration about the activities taking place in Colombia. There was also reflection on different topics, aesthetics, and creativity. Community and alternative groups also displayed their productions with the shared objective to create images that differ from those shown by traditional media. The festival's official blog [es] has additional information about the presenters, as well as the calendar of activities throughout the week.

The blog from Tal TV [es] writes that this community initiative was created from “the need to democratize the audiovisual culture in Colombia” and summarizes the philosophy behind the Festival that attracted participants from Colombia, as well as Spain, Cuba, and Argentina:

El festival Ojo al Sancocho, promueve nuevos realizadores y productores audiovisuales de Ciudad Bolívar, de Bogotá, de Colombia y de Latinoamérica, comprometidos con un audiovisual educativo-cultural, informativo y estimulante, que promuevan la identidad latinoamericana, pluriculturalidad y los valores de libertad, solidaridad, paz y justicia.

The Ojo al Sancocho Festival promotes new directors and audiovisual producers from Ciudad Bolívar, Bogotá, Colombia, and from Latin America, committed to an educational-cultural, informative, and stimulating audiovisual work, which promotes Latin American identity, pluriculturality, and the values of freedom, solidarity, peace, and justice.

The blog Idealistas [es] writes about the background of the company Sueños Films Colombia, the event organizer:

Sueños Films ha editado alrededor de 40 documentales y 4 largometrajes, entre los que se encuentran “Corazón de Ciudad Bolívar” de Felipe Ávila, ganador del premio al Mejor Argumental Local 2008, emitido por Caracol Televisión, y “El Alma de los Sueños”, producido por los niños que integran los talleres de EKO, la escuela audiovisual de la fundación.

Sueños Films has edited around 40 documentaries and 4 feature-length films, among them “Corazón de Ciudad Bolívar” (Heart of Ciudad Bolívar) by Felipe Ávila, winner of the prize for the Best Local Short Film 2008, awarded by Caracol Television and “El Alma de los Sueños” (The Heart of Dreams) produced by the children who take part in the EKO workshops, the foundation's audio-visual school.

Participants in the Ojo al Sancocho festival took part in a wide variety of programming and were well-received by the residents of Ciudad Bolívar. After the final activity, the basic conclusion revolved around the need to construct a solid network in which all of the local initiatives that are being created converge in order to strengthen the audiovisual processes that are taking place around the country.

Translation by Eduardo Ávila

Colombia: Medellín Celebrates its Festival of Flowers

Catalina Restrepo — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:58:32 +0000

Each year when August arrives, the city of Medellín, Colombia turns into a Festival of Flowers in every sense of the word. Cultural activities take place in the city's museums and parks, and numerous musical orchestras play concerts around the city. There is also a parade of antique cars that make up part of the schedule of events enjoyed by residents and visitors. However, one of the main attractions is the parade of “silleteros” (flower carriers), who are peasants that move throughout the city to showcase the large variety of Colombian flowers.

Photo of Silleta Flower Display by Jota Estrada and used under a Creative Commons license.

The “silletas” are works of art created by the silleteros, and have become the defining symbol for the Festival of the Flowers [es]. During the last days of this event, close to 500 flower displays parade through the city on the shoulders of the silleteros, showing the color and size of these flowers cultivated by the peasants of Santa Elena, a municipality located one hour of travel time from the city of Medellín.

During the 2009 version of the Festival of the Flowers that took place from July 31 to August 9, people around the world followed along with the events through the official blog. On the blog, the festival administrators give the overall festival organization, events, attendance, security, and hotel occupancy high marks [es].

Photo of Silletero with flower display on his back by Felimartinez

However, festival organizers also recognized some things that can be improved upon [es], including some complaints about the high prices of admission for some tours, which were not well attended. There was also some disorder with the organization of some events:

Aunque las cifras entregadas hablan del éxito de la fiesta, este año la ‘mala nota’ la sacaron la noche de silleteros en Santa Elena y el desorden en el Desfile de Carros Antiguos.

Even though the submitted figures speak about the festival's success, this year the “black mark” was noticed on the night of the “silleteros” in Santa Elena and the disorder in the Antique Car Parade.

Blogger Xady of Expresate [es] writes about the city traffic that was affected by the closing of the principal avenues in order to accommodate the thousands of residents of Medellín, other Colombians and foreign visitors who enjoyed the multitude of events:

Para realizar algunos eventos o en su defecto muchos eventos la alcaldía y la secretaría de tránsito optan por cerrar vías que son muy utilizadas por otras personas que no están en los eventos agendados, generando así una congestión vehicular o una aglomeración en el transporte público tal como el metro que es la vía más rápida cuando hay este tipo de problemas en las calles.

Aparte de todo esto, en el evento de arrieros, mulas y fondas suele suceder que hay demasiadas riñas y peleas y adivinen el motivo, las mujeres o simplemente el trago. Generando así una cara negativa de la feria de las flores.

In order to put on some events or many events, the Mayor's office and the Transit Secretary chose to close some roads that are used heavily by other people who are not attending the planned events, which creates a vehicular congestion or an agglomeration in some forms public transportation, such as the metro which is the fastest way to move when there are these types of problems in the streets.

In addition, in the event of the carriers, mules, and fondas (bars), there are often many conflicts and fights and guess why, women or simply alcohol. This creates a negative side of the Festival of the Flowers.

Even with the things that went right and went wrong, the Festival of Flowers sought to unite the city through a tradition that started in 1957, after the peasants had been coming down to the city of Medellín with flowers on their back in order to sell them. Here are some highlights of the 2009 version of the Festival of Flowers produced by the festival organizers: