The high-level seminar on “Communication, pluralism and the role of new technologies; The Latin American scenario: a view to the future” in Montevideo, this past 24 June, was an important opportunity to debate on the many questions that have emerged about media, pluralism and democracy, the role of media in society, their relations with political power, among others, in recent years.

About 150 journalists and editors of public and private media outlets, representatives of civil society and governments, and experts on communication from Latin America took part in the one day seminar, organized by IPS with the support of the World Bank and the Presidency of the Republic of Uruguay.

Participants included key-note speaker Jose Mujica, Uruguayan president, the World Bank’s external affairs manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, Sergio Jellinek, IPS director general, Mario Lubetkin as well government representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Paraguay and Uruguay, as well as journalists from Folha de Sao Paulo and Carta Capital (Brazil), El Clarin and AMARC (Chile), Cadena Caracol TV (Colombia), Portal Animal Político (Mexico), La República and Noticias de Canal 12 TV (Uruguay), Telesur (Venezuela), and experts from Google Latin America and the UNDP.

Uruguayan President José Mujica addressing the seminar.

Live streaming was followed by hundreds of participants from around the world, with picks that reached 1,300 virtual participants, who had the opportunity to participate with commentaries and questions to speakers.

The seminar had wide impact in local and regional media, underlining that communication, pluralism and political power are highly topical themes in Latin America. At the same time, it was possible to make use of new technologies to extend participation to many journalists, communication experts, individuals, etc., around the world.

News on the seminar: The Seduction of Power

For more information, the complete programme and video presentations of the Seminar visit the Seminar’s webpage (in Spanish).