During its pilot site visits, the COMUNIDAD project team met at the Czech Embassies in Bogotá and Santiago. These meetings underscored the growing importance of technology transfer, research collaboration, and innovation-driven partnerships between the Czech Republic and Latin America. These discussions highlighted opportunities for joint initiatives in agriculture, environmental sustainability, and disaster resilience, paving the way for enhanced cooperation in key areas.

Meeting at the Czech Embassy in Bogotá

The Czech Embassy in Bogotá hosted a presentation on the COMUNIDAD project, addressing its key challenges and exploring potential follow-up collaboration. Ambassador HE, Mr. Vladimír Eisenbruck and Commercial and Economic Representative Mr. Adam Lorenc expressed strong interest in supporting the initiative, particularly in the framework of Small Local Projects, to further the COMUNIDAD project's reach and contribute to its longevity. A few examples are small-scale projects focusing on Women in coffee plantations & waste management or the B2B Project for Development Aid of the Czech Republic.

Meeting at the Czech Embassy in Santiago

During the meeting in Santiago, discussions centered on technology transfer and agricultural cooperation. The Czech Ambassador HE, Mr. Pavel Bechný, and Mrs. Petra Nostas Arias, First Secretary, Political and Commercial Affairs, emphasised the embassy’s commitment to fostering Czech-Chilean collaboration and offered full support to ensure the success of ongoing and future projects.

Key Outcomes:

  • Access to Embassy Facilities – The embassy will provide meeting spaces for hackathons and project workshops to support collaboration efforts.
  • Facilitating Institutional Connections – The Ambassador pledged to assist in networking with Chilean organisations, ensuring the project team has access to the necessary resources and information.
  • Researcher Mobility & Academic Exchange – Avenues for scientific cooperation were discussed, focusing on mobility programs that enable Czech and Chilean researchers to collaborate more effectively.

The meeting with the ambassadors at the Czech Embassy in Bogotá and Santiago reaffirmed the Czech Republic’s commitment to strengthening ties in Latin America through research, innovation, and sustainable development. With active support from both embassies, projects in agriculture, waste management, climate resilience, and emergency response are set to gain momentum.

The next strategic in-person meeting in March 2025 will be crucial in finalising project plans, securing funding, and expanding partnerships.