Millennials Fostering Peace in Bogotá, Colombia Awarded Grant from The Coca-Cola Company

“Bakongo Paz” Named Grand Prize Winner of Annual “Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge”

DAVOS, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A summer camp created by millennials to foster peace and reconciliation in conflict-torn areas of Colombia was awarded the Grand Prize of the 2016 “Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge.” The camp project, known as “Bakongo Paz”, was developed by the members of the Global Shapers Community, a network of young people around the world organized by the World Economic Forum. It was one of five social programs receiving $10,000 each in acceleration funding from The Coca-Cola Company.

A counselor hugging a camper at the end of their immersive peace and reconciliation experience at Camp Bakongo in Colombia. (Photo: Business Wire)

The facility, known as Camp Bakongo, serves at-risk and underprivileged children who have been impacted by conflict in Colombia. Young Colombians and demobilized people cooperatively staff and manage the camp. Camp Bakongo creates an environment of peacebuilding, sharing and teamwork that gives the next generation of Colombians a foundation for continued cooperation.

The Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge provides acceleration funding to initiatives led by the Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum. The grant awards five $10,000 grants to accelerate the most promising and impactful projects.

Daniel Buriticá Córdoba, Global Shaper of the Bogotá Hub and Project Lead for “Bakongo Paz,” said, “One of the main challenges for our country is to restore the social fabric that has been broken after more than five decades of conflict. We are aware that we, the youth, have to take a step forward and send a clear message to our society that, despite all the wounds and pain, it is possible to reconcile and peacefully coexist. Being selected as a Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge Grand Prize Winner is deeply inspiring for the Bogotá Hub. This recognition opens the door to fulfilling our short-term dream: offering an improved and strengthened version of ‘Bakongo Paz’ in 2017.”

Alfredo Rivera, President of Coca-Cola Latin America, said, “The Coca-Cola system is committed to being a strong supporter of Colombian communities. The Global Shapers of Bogotá, Colombia remind us all of the importance of engaging young generations when seeking to create sustainable solutions to the world’s most challenging issues.”

The Bogotá Hub’s “Bakongo Paz” project won the popular vote of members of the Global Shapers Community as a Shaping a Better Future finalist, and as Grand Prize Winner by a high-level panel of judges comprised of leaders from the public and private sector.

The Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge received over 100 project submissions this year from Global Shapers Hubs around the world. In addition to Grand Prize Winner Bogotá, four other Hubs were selected as 2016 Winners:

• Ahmedabad, India, “Shaping Education” – Providing alternative education options for marginalized youth in India.
• Ho, Ghana, “The Water Purification Project (WPP)” – Improving access to sustainable, clear drinking water in Ghana.
• Joinville, Brazil, “Politize!” – Improving political and civic education through fun, interactive online games for schoolchildren in Brazil.
• Uyo, Nigeria, “Education for Sustainable Development” – Building libraries and increasing access to reading materials and education for youth in Nigeria.

About the Global Shapers Community

The Global Shapers Community is a network of Hubs developed and led by young people who are exceptional in their potential, their achievements and their drive to make a contribution to their communities. It is an Initiative of the World Economic Forum.

About the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org).

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

The Coca-Cola Company
Katherine Cherry
International Public Affairs Manager
+1-404-823-3242
kacherry@coca-cola.com
or
Coca-Cola Colombia
Juan Sebastian Estrada
Public Affairs & Communications Manager
+573134490638
jestrada@coca-cola.com
or
World Economic Forum
Isabelle Lecouls Carbonnier
Community Lead, Foundations Partnership Activation
+ 41 (0) 228693569
Isabelle.LecoulsCarbonnier@weforum.org
or
Bogotá Hub of the Global Shapers Community
Daniel Buriticá Córdoba
Bakongo Paz Project Lead
+57 31 74040992
daniel@realhero.co

Source: The Coca-Cola Company

Released January 19, 2017