Press Release – AC4 and Colombia Somos Todos Partnership
AC4-COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND COLOMBIA SOMOS TODOS ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE TO AMPLIFY THE EFFORTS OF “WE ARE ALL COLOMBIA”
James Rodriguez’s Foundation, Colombia Somos Todos, and Columbia University’s Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict and Complexity partner to boost vital capital of children and youth in Colombia
NEW YORK/BOGOTA—James Rodriguez, a Colombian soccer star who plays for Real Madrid and the Colombian national team, announced today a strategic alliance between his foundation, Colombia Somos Todos, and Columbia University’s Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict and Complexity (AC4).
Colombia Somos Todos and AC4-Columbia University will work together to develop assessment and evaluation methodologies with the objective of maximizing individual and collective impact of the Foundation’s programs. In addition, the two organizations will be designing conflict resolution and leadership development training to strengthen the relational and social skills of children and youth.
“Our goal is to strengthen the skills needed to develop, from the early years of life, a society that is collaborative, creative, and powerful. By partnering with leading experts in conflict resolution from Columbia University, we will be able to strengthen the scientific approach of the Foundation,” said James Rodríguez from Madrid.
“This partnership is a natural fit for us, given our demonstrated work in Colombia for more than a decade,” said Professor Aldo Civico, founder of the Urban Violence Prevention program at AC4-Columbia University. “We have found great synergy in the values, the vision, and the methodology for fostering a culture of peace and belonging among Colombians. For us, this collaboration is a great honor because in addition to our contribution we know we can also enrich our learning and experience in the process.”
Colombia Somos Todos was founded in 2011 by James Rodríguez and his family. The Foundation focuses on enhancing the human capacity of children and adolescents to develop skills and talents in any area of knowledge or practice. To this end it uses a model of intervention that combines the practice of soccer with experiential learning, seeking to strengthen what is identified as “Life Capital,” which is comprised of one’s biological equipment and the support of cultural and ecological niches of children whose talents are at risk of being frustrated.
“We are fully committed to helping boys and girls who are at risk of losing their talents because of the socio-economic vulnerability in which they live. The way we do it is by taking into account the transformative effect of enriching surroundings, the importance of skills development, and the value of an appropriate support system,” said Pilar Rubio, mother of James and President of the Foundation.
Last November, the management team of Colombia Somos Todos met with Aldo Civico and Beth Fisher-Yoshida, co-executive director of AC4-Columbia University and who works with Civico in the Urban Violence Prevention program. The meeting facilitated the strategic alliance between the two organizations and defined the scope of work. The partnership will commence with the design of both baseline research to assess and to monitor the impact of the programs on the participants and of an action-oriented research project to identify interventions that can improve the living conditions of the community where Colombia Somos Todos is operating.
“At AC4-Columbia University, our commitment is to work with organizations dedicated to innovation and that take a systemic approach and Colombia Somos Todos is most definitely a prime example of such an organization,” said Beth Fisher-Yoshida. “We believe that not only Colombia, but also other societies that need to transcend violent conflict will benefit from the experience and the methodology of James Rodriguez’s Foundation.”
The collaboration of Colombia Somos Todos with AC4-Columbia University will be formally announced in Bogota on December 10, 2014. The Foundation will also present its goals and alliances for 2015, which seek to engage more sectors with efforts to strengthen the potential for children and youth as a strategy for Colombia to become more oriented towards innovation, creativity, and the quality of life.
“Colombia already has the talent. With a change in mentality and increase in support among Colombians, our country will be even better,” James added to highlight the importance of the Foundation’s message that “We Are All Colombia” and invite others to join the efforts to invest in vital capital of children and youth in the country.
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