World Vision promotes children’s participation in decision-making spaces during the Gabo Festival 2026

Within the framework of the Gabo Festival 2026, the discussion “Childhood has the floor: For a country within the reach of children and adolescents” was held, a space that brought together representatives of Colombia’s high courts, the Office of the Attorney General, journalists, and social organizations to listen to the proposals of children and adolescents regarding the country they wish to build.

During the meeting, Daniela Esguerra, World Vision’s child participation leader, highlighted that one of the organization’s main commitments is to ensure that the voices of children and adolescents are heard by those who make decisions.

“World Vision has a fundamental task, which is to be a bridge so that girls and boys can express their voices in these settings, where decision-makers, in this case the magistrates and the prosecutor, can hear what they dream of for a country,” he/she expressed.

Esguerra pointed out that the organization works to strengthen the training processes for Colombian children, so that they can actively participate in advocacy scenarios and engage in direct dialogue with the authorities.

“We are committed to ensuring they can participate in these spaces, supporting their training processes so they can be here, engage in dialogue with decision-makers, and do everything in our power to build that country of their dreams,” he/she stated.

The discussion, inspired by the legacy of the Colombian journalist and writer Gabriel García Márquez and his speech “For a country within the reach of children,” promoted a dialogue on the importance of guaranteeing children’s rights, strengthening citizen participation from an early age, and building safer, fairer, and more inclusive environments for new generations.

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The activity featured the participation of the President of the Supreme Court of Justice, Iván Mauricio Lenis Gómez; the President of the Constitutional Court, Paola Andrea Meneses Mosquera; the Attorney General of the Nation, Luz Adriana Camargo Garzón; and the journalist and editor of Alharaca Story Lab, Ginna Morelo, who engaged in a dialogue with young people from different regions of the country.