25.000€TITLE: Voices from Exile: Consequences of the Conflict in Colombia for Human Rights Activists

Funder: Valencia City Council
Total budget: €31,287
Grant amount: €25,000
Start date: 04/02/2026
End date: 31/12/2026

This project stems from a clear diagnosis: in the city of Valencia, there is a profound lack of awareness regarding the serious threat to and violation of the right to freedom of expression and information in Central America, especially in countries like El Salvador and Nicaragua. This disconnect, coupled with limited social mobilization and weak coordination among local actors, hinders the active involvement of Valencian citizens in denouncing this reality. In turn, this perpetuates the violation of this fundamental right, not only regionally but also globally, with consequences as serious as democratic backsliding and the polarization of our societies.

In this context, the intervention seeks to strengthen the commitment of a critical and globally aware Valencian citizenry to the defense of press freedom. To this end, a series of training, communication, awareness-raising, and advocacy activities have been designed. These combine testimonies from Central American journalists with spaces for collective reflection, knowledge exchange, and formal and informal training on the structural causes of North-South inequalities and interdependencies. These activities promote participatory and interactive processes that bring to light realities that are usually silenced, generate empathy and critical awareness, and contribute to activating social mobilization in defense of press freedom as a means to advance toward more just, equitable, and democratic societies.

The direct target population comprises approximately 351 people in the city of Valencia, including 240 secondary school students, 60 university students, 30 teachers, at least 15 journalism and communication professionals, and representatives from at least 6 social organizations. An indirect impact is expected on more than 8,500 people through social media, educational outreach activities, the use of training materials, and institutional dissemination.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to building a critical and globally aware Valencian citizenry, committed to defending human rights and, specifically, freedom of expression and information as pillars for sustainable human development, connecting local realities with those of the Global South. A specific objective is to strengthen the commitment of Valencian citizens to defending press freedom as a fundamental right, highlighting the threats faced by journalists and human rights defenders in Central America, and how these violations contribute to democratic backsliding and the exacerbation of social injustices.

To achieve these goals, the project will include workshops for secondary and university students, training sessions for secondary school teachers, and virtual meetings with Central American journalists. These activities will be accompanied by a robust social media campaign, which will include the dissemination of short news segments produced in Central America, paying particular attention to the situation in El Salvador as an example of a country where violations of the right to information and expression are constant. An institutional advocacy campaign will also be launched to encourage Valencian organizations committed to defending human rights to sign a public declaration. The testimonies of individuals defending the right to expression and information in Nicaragua and El Salvador, integrated into participatory and interactive processes, will facilitate an understanding of the global causes of inequality and its impact on our local societies.

In addition to working with young people, the project places special emphasis on multipliers such as teachers, journalists, and social organizations. The aim is to consolidate a network of support and solidarity between regions, strengthen local networks committed to human rights, and highlight the interdependencies between what is happening in Central America and the democratic challenges we also face in our own immediate surroundings.

A human rights and gender perspective permeates the entire intervention, ensuring that actions promote active, inclusive, and informed citizenship. Furthermore, a critical perspective on communication is incorporated, understanding access to truthful information and freedom of expression as essential elements for social justice and peacebuilding.

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