The Future of Information Infrastructures: Perspectives from Latin America

Since 2016, a group of primarily university-based institutions in Latin America has promoted efforts to articulate a regional network focused on the preservation of cultural and scientific heritage through shared information infrastructures. However, the Central American context—marked by complex political dynamics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recurrent impact of environmental disasters—has hindered the consolidation and sustainability of strategic alliances across the region. In 2025, these efforts are renewed through new proposals, actors, and collaborative approaches, opening opportunities to rethink the future of information infrastructures from a perspective grounded in Latin America.

In his conference, Christian Zamora (Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, Universidad de Costa Rica) presents a critical analysis, from the field of information sciences, of the technical, institutional, and human conditions shaping the development of these initiatives, as well as the main challenges for regional articulation. The conference aims to foster reflection and dialogue around cooperation models that promote greater equity, visibility, and acces in open access, strengthening inclusive and sustainable information infrastructures for the preservation and sharing knowledge in the region.

The event is part of the international Mecila Institutional Workshop “Mecila Information Infrastructure: Taking Stock and Looking Forward” which takes place in the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut (IAI) from February 18th to 20th and is financed by the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt BMFTR (enlace externo, abre una nueva ventana).