First Meeting with the Youth of Quibdó, Cartagena, and Manizales: Progress of the NextGenC Project

In August, the NextGenC: Connected Urban Generation team met virtually with representatives from youth organizations in Quibdó, Cartagena, and Manizales to kick off a collaborative process that will strengthen the project’s development in these cities.

Among the participants were members of youth collectives such as Latidos del Corazón, Red de Jóvenes de Ambiente Nodo Quibdó, and Plataforma Juvenil de Manizales. These groups work on a wide range of topics, including:

• Environment.
• Participation and advocacy with at-risk youth.
• Rights of Afro, Black, Raizal, and Palenquero youth.
• Empowerment actions.

During the meeting, led by the team from Universidad de los Andes, it was explained that NextGenC is a research project focused on youth participation in Colombia, with a particular emphasis on politics. The project aims to understand how young people participate politically in intermediary cities, how they organize, and how they use technology in their activism activities. Additionally, it will explore how technology either facilitates or hinders their participation.

NextGenC is designed to actively engage young people from Quibdó, Cartagena, and Manizales, with the goal of developing tools and platforms that enhance their practices and support their activism. To achieve this, the project team will conduct visits to these cities over the course of a year, fostering direct collaboration with the youth.

Among the topics that motivated young people to participate in the meeting, the following stand out:

• Breaking paradigms.
• Social change.
• Political participation and exploration.
• Youth advocacy.
• Networking and alliances.

Regarding project expectations, the young participants expressed interest in:

• Public policies.
• Concrete results for Quibdó.
• Collaborative work and local support.
• Establishing contacts and networking.

Some important findings from the meeting include:

• In Quibdó, young people have begun to place greater value on participating in projects, although doubts about tangible benefits persist. Distrust remains a challenge due to past experiences with projects that lacked lasting impact.
• In Manizales, where over 70% of the population is young, there is strong receptiveness to projects like NextGenC.

During the meeting, key questions emerged, such as:

• Requirements to be a territorial liaison: We are looking for proactive individuals with strong organizational skills and local networks in their cities.
• Number of participants needed: There is no limit, and as more people join, additional support will be needed for community research.
• Work plan: It will be developed in collaboration with participants and adapted to the group’s needs.

This first meeting between young people from Quibdó, Cartagena, and Manizales marks the beginning of a promising collaboration with NextGenC. The project aims to strengthen youth political participation in Colombia, using research and technology to empower young people and help them make an impact in their communities. The willingness and enthusiasm shown by participants promise a fruitful path for the development of this innovative project.

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