From December 2 to 4, 2024, Colombia will consolidate its position as a regional leader in science, technology, and innovation by hosting the Latin American and Caribbean Open Science Forum (CILAC 2024). This high-level event will take place in the idyllic setting of San Andrés Island, highlighting the country as the science capital of Latin America.
Under the leadership of Colombia's Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Yesenia Olaya Requene, and the CILAC Forum Regional Committee (UNESCO, OEI, SEGIB, IDB, ECLAC, RICYT, CUIB, AUGM), the CILAC 2024 event will address strategic thematic axes such as artificial intelligence for sustainability, open science, biodiversity, the spatial economy, and the Decade of Ocean Science.
"This is a space to discuss solutions to climate change, the ocean economy, and open science because everyone has the right to access knowledge.", the minister noted. She also emphasized the democratization of science as an essential pillar for building an inclusive and sustainable knowledge society.
The forum will bring together more than 500 participants from 46 countries, including world and government leaders, academics, and representatives of civil society and the private sector. The main objective will be to foster sustainable policies and promote international cooperation on key issues aligned with the 2030 Agenda.
The selection of San Andrés Island as the epicenter of science and sustainability symbolizes the importance of the oceans in protecting biodiversity and mitigating climate change. This forum reaffirms the Colombian government's commitment to ocean governance, one of the key agreements reached during the recent COP16.
CILAC 2024 not only reaffirms Colombia's role as a regional leader in science, but also invites all stakeholders in the STEM ecosystem to join the change, in addition to promoting its role as a transformative space toward a true knowledge society.
From CILAC and the Colombian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, we invite everyone to join this unique experience in northern Colombia, where science and innovation will be the driving force of the change Latin America needs.