Buenos Aires – Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez of Colombia —known affectionately as “Gabo”— created the Gabo Foundation as an international journalism institution to promote better journalism and the stimulation of creativity. The foundation has committed, among other things, to promote links between migration and sustainable development, and curb xenophobia, racism and discrimination against migrants.  

Mr. Garcia Marquez was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. 

Because IOM shares his goals, too, this week the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Gabo Foundation signed an agreement that will allow for close global cooperation to implement initiatives aimed at journalists.  

 “Journalists’ contributions are crucial in combating misinformation on migration,” said Head of Media and Communications and IOM Spokesperson, Leonard Doyle. “The cooperation with the Gabo Foundation will contribute to IOM’s ongoing efforts to enhance media knowledge on migration in order to achieve better reporting practices. This in turn will help debunk myths, stereotypes and xenophobic attitudes.” 

Media, Mr. Doyle explained, can be key to communicating the complex phenomena within migration. At the same time, what appears in and on the media shapes society’s perception of migrants. While media can help reduce prejudices, social media, in particular, has become a powerful amplifier of negative stereotypes. What matters most is having quality journalism based on a plurality of sources which, through compelling storytelling, raises awareness about migrants and their contribution to society.  

At the same time, media make migration visible as a crucial factor in the sustainable development for both migrants and communities.  

This global agreement, promoted by the IOM Regional Office for South America, also incorporates the implementation of several projects and initiatives related to media and migration, including training workshops for journalists, conferences, forums and exhibitions. 

“The phenomenon of migration has been present all through mankind’s history,” emphasized Gabo Foundation Director General, Jaime Abello Banfi, who added: “In recent years, our region has witnessed how migration gained a social and political compelling importance that made it a big theme for journalism and the media. Initiatives like the ones that we will implement in partnership with IOM are needed to promote a journalism of public service, with innovative narratives and rigorous research, which in turn will help to understand social and structural changes while helping in the citizenship-building.” 

This close cooperation between the organizations will support new and existing media projects at global, regional and national levels, starting in South America.  

“In cooperation with the Gabo Foundation, we will launch training on migration and sustainable development for journalists, as well as webinars for reporters and the general public. This will enable exchanges on the important role that the media has in combatting hate speech against migrants and demonstrate, with factual information, media’s important contribution to development,” explained IOM Regional Director for South America, Marcelo Pisani.  

The activities jointly developed with the Gabo Foundation in South America will be funded by the Migration Resource Allocation Committee (MIRAC). 

For further information, please contact: 

IOM: Juliana Quintero, Regional Media and Communications Officer for South America, Tel. + 54 11 5219 2033, Email: juquintero@iom.int 

Gabo Foundation: Silvia Navarro, Project Coordinator, Email: snavarro@fundaciongabo.org