Social Innovation Fair Will Showcase 16 Innovative Projects from Seven Countries in Final Stage of Contest

Oct 16, 2006

Sixteen projects from seven Latin American countries have been selected as finalists in the 2005-2006 cycle of the Experiences in Social Innovation Contest, organized by ECLAC with support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

The finalists come from Argentina (2), Bolivia (1), Brazil (3), Colombia (4), Paraguay (1), Peru (4) and Uruguay (1). Projects were chosen for their contributions to combating poverty through the creation of innovative approaches to community health care, education, nutrition, environmental protection and income-generation using activities that promote gender equity and programs for youth.

The 16 finalists in this second round of the Experiences in Social Innovation contest, plus the five winning projects of the first round (the 2004-2005 cycle), will be showcased at the Innovation Fair to be held at the Xochimilco campus of Mexico City’s Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana from 8 to 10 November. Project participants will share their first-hand experiences at the event, which will be open to the general publica. Prize winners will be announced in the Awards Ceremony, to be held Friday, November 10.

The first place winner will receive US$ 30,000, with second place receiving US$ 20,000. Awards for third, fourth and fifth place winners are US$ 15,000, US$ 10,000 and US$ 5,000, respectively. The remaining 11 finalists will receive certificates of Honorable Mention.

During the third phase of the selection process, conducted last July and August, international experts and ECLAC staff made on-site visits to 26 projects from nine countries. Last week, the Selection Committee meeting in Washington D.C. named the 16 finalists who will be presenting their projects at the Mexico City fair.

The Experiences in Social Innovation project aims to identify, analyze and promote the creative replication of new social initiatives for community participation as a means of building citizenship and democracy. The third cycle (2006-2007) of the Experiences in Social Innovation contest will open in November 2006.

See list with the 16 innovative projects.