Between October 16 and November 29, 2024, the International Course “Open State in Latin America and the Caribbean” was held in hybrid mode, organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) -a through the Latin American and Caribbean Institute for Economic and Social Planning (ILPES) and the Division of Sustainable Development and Human Settlements, and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
34 of the 50 participants participated in the face-to-face phase, coming from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic. The course included 15 full scholarships awarded by ECLAC and CABEI.
The objective of the training program was to deliver the conceptual and practical foundations of the open State paradigm. The students had the opportunity to learn about the notions that support public policies, programs and projects that seek to promote the construction of open and participatory societies.
Likewise, participants applied tools that allowed them to formulate proposals for government transparency initiatives, with access to information and high accountability, promoting instances of citizen participation and collaboration between government and citizens, which are appropriate to their territorial context and work environment. ; and contribute to sustainable development in their cities, regions and/or countries.
The course had two phases, one virtual and one in-person, distributed as follows:
- Virtual phase (October 16 to November 13, 2024): It lasted 20 teaching hours spread over four weeks through the Moodle distance education platform. In this phase, participants became familiar with the basic concepts of the course through observing interactive presentations, participating in exchange forums and carrying out individual practical work in which they applied the concepts learned.
- In-person phase (November 25 to 29, 2024): It lasted one week, totaling 40 academic hours, and was carried out at the ECLAC Subregional Headquarters in Mexico City. During this phase, master classes were given that contributed to the workshop work that was done in groups. The objective of this phase was for the participants to develop a concrete commitment/project, incorporating the principles and axes of an open government. At the end, the participants had to present the result of their project to the rest of the participants.
At the inauguration of the course, the Officer in charge of the ECLAC Subregional Headquarters in Mexico, Mr. Jorge Mario Martínez Piva, highlighted the importance of this activity in a context in which the Latin American and Caribbean region faces three major traps or structural challenges that hinder its development: low capacity for growth, high inequality and limited social mobility, and institutional weakness accompanied by ineffective governance. These challenges, which are interconnected and feed off each other, generate a vicious circle of productive stagnation, social exclusion and institutional fragility. The principles of an open State, through its principles of transparency, accountability, citizen participation and technological innovation, are essential to overcome these traps and restore citizen trust in institutions.
For his part, the closing was attended by Mr. Héctor Javier Guzmán, Secretary of CABEI, who expressed his satisfaction with the collaborative alliance with ECLAC and spoke about the initiatives that the Bank is carrying out to promote transparency and openness. , within the application of its Access to Information Policy.
Add Comment