July 15

Award for Licorera de Caldas: the Industria Licorera de Caldas was awarded the Superior Taste Award 2005 from the International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) in Brussels.The International Taste and Quality Institute is a recognized independent organization of Chefs and Sommeliers, dedicated to identifying and rewarding superior tasting food and beverages across the world.The judging committee is made up of European experts who are members of the most prestigious culinary institutions on that continent.The award will be presented to the representatives from the Licorera de Caldas on September 9, in the Ste-Anne Castle in Brussels.
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Investors’ law now in force: the President of the Republic, Álvaro Uribe Vélez, approved the Judicial Stability Law for investors in Colombia, by means of which national and foreign investors will be provided with clear and dependable rules of the game, substantially diminishing possible risks from changes in the norms for contracts with the government.Investors eligible to sign these contracts are natural persons or legally established entities, and domestic or foreign associations who make new investments or expand current investments in national territory of a minimum of one million dollars, in other words, equivalent to 7,500 of the legal monthly minimum salaries currently in force.-->> see more

A Colombian on the trail of comet Tempel 1: NASA has asked Colombian astronomer Alberto Quijano Vodniza, together with half a dozen scientists around the world, to observe, and take photographs and photometric images in order to define the matter found in the dust raised by the impact with the comet Tempel 1.The collision produced a change in the comet’s structure, and for one month scientists will be able to observe and analyze its behavior.-->>see more

Bird discovered in Colombia: three Colombians and a Danish christened their finding as Scytalopus Stilesi, in honor of Gary Stiles, a North American ornithologist who lives in Bogotá and has contributed to the conservation of many species. Luis Miguel Renjifo, Andrés Cuervo, Daniel Cadena, and Niels Krabbe are responsible for the finding of a bird that has a small body and beak, brown stripes on the back and dark gray plumage, which lives in the low areas of humid forests, at a height between 1,400 and 2,100 meters, in places where light is scarce. The species has been separated as a genetic unit for more than two million years. In March 2001, the diversity of birds in Colombia recorded 685 species in the Caribbean, 637 in the Pacific, 772 in the Andean region, and 894 in the Eastern region.-->> see more

NATIONAL 2005 PEACE PRIZE: a new summon to the National Peace Prize will be opened on 7 June in Toribío, Cauca, by the United Nations Development Program, El Tiempo, El Colombiano, Caracol Radio, and Caracol Televisión, Semana magazine, and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Colombia -Fescol-. The successful initiatives are: 1999 Sovereign Town of Mogotes, Santander; 2000 NASA Project of Northern Cauca Indigenous Councils; 2001 Middle Magdalena Development and Peace Program; 2002 Association of Upper Ariary Municipalities, in Meta; 2003 Bolívar Department Montes de María Communications Group; 2004 Remolinos de Caguán and Suncillas-Chocaguán Cocoa Growers Committee and northern Cauca Indigenous Guard.-->> see more

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION HAS DOUBLED: during this Administration, the international cooperation received for development by Colombia went up from US$150 to US$300 million a year. This figure does not include the aid received for its anti-drug fight, where the United States contributes US$600 million a year. The Executive Branch optimized its coordination with national and regional agencies and cooperating countries, to invest resources with efficiency and transparency in the strengthening of social strategies. -->> see more

May 20

Colombia’s governability improved: the government’s effectiveness went from 41.3% in 2002, to 51% in 2004, and control of corruption went from 37.8% in 2002 to 52.2% in 2004. It improved in five of the six governability indicators according the World Bank. In Participation and Accountability it went from 30.8% in 2002 to 34.5% in 2004. These results stopped the trend since 1996 toward decreasing figures, and the country is now above the average for Latin America for these two indicators. Political Stability went from 3.8% to 5.8%. -->> see more

May 13

Kidnapping reduced by 60%: over the last 30 months kidnapping for extortion went from 1,883 cases in 2002 to 746 for 2005 year-to-date, revealed the government. The figures show the progress made by Democratic Security, since, instead of four kidnappings for extortion per day as in 2002, there are now only two per day in 2005. The reduction is due to the military pressure by the Police and Armed Forces on groups that kidnap and on terrorism, to greater control of the highways, to training and equipping the Guala groups, and to the information provided by the Citizens’ Cooperation Network. -->> see more

May 06

Santiago Botero champion of the Tour de Romandie: during the fifth and last stage of the Tour de Romandie the cyclist from the Phonak team recorded a time of 26 minutes and 29 seconds in 20.4 kilometers, to win the laurels of that cycling tour in Switzerland. Among Botero’s great ambitions for 2006 are winning the Tour de France, and planning the Vuelta a España and the World Cup. To fulfill his objectives, the cyclist trains daily with more kilometers covered. -->> see more

April 29

Glyphosate does not damage the environment: Cicad: the herbicide Glyphosate, used in Colombia for aerial fumigation of illegal crops such as coca and opium poppies, does not affect human health nor does it cause any kind of damage to the environment. Thus confirmed the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission in response to a petition formulated by the governments of Colombia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The study shows that there are no risks for human health or for the environment, and on the contrary, it indicates that 97% of the current deterioration is caused by trees being cut down, indiscriminate burning, and the pesticides and herbicides used by the coca and poppy farmers. -->> see more

MOBILITY INCREASED DURING EASTER WEEK: more than 12 million people took a trip during Easter Week, representing an increase of 23% over the same season last year when 10 million people traveled. -->> see more

CHILDREN’S RECREATION MONTH IN APRIL: during this month the Presidential Council for Special Programs, with support from the Children’s Day Corporation, 40 private companies, 22 representatives from the media, five State entities, and the 17 national organizations that make up the National Intersectorial Committee, will celebrate the Day of Childhood and Recreation. A-->> see more

March 28

PYMES GREW 4% IN 2004: last year the small and medium-sized businesses of the country grew by 4%, which allowed 400 thousand unemployed people to enter the labor market in the second semester. -->> see more

March 18

DURING EASTER WEEK, EXPERIENCE COLOMBIA: during the San Jose three-day weekend and the Easter week celebration, the national government will make safe routes available from three locations in Colombia, to guarantee the security and peace of mind of those traveling by road. -->> see more

March 11

LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR WOMEN INCREASED TO 75.1 YEARS: progress made in favor of Colombian women also includes greater possibilities for access to education, the labor market, and decision-making, according to a report by the Presidential Council for Women’s Equality. -->> see more

March 4

EXPERIENCE COLOMBIA, TRAVEL IT”: the third phase of this campaign offers more than 70 tourism packages in 25 Departments, with discounts between 20% and 30%.-->>see more

25 February

COMMITMENT OF THE FTA NEGOTIATORS: The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism during the last round of FTA negotiations insisted on the commitment the country has to have a national vision, to protect national interests, and to maintain a transparent process that is open to the country. -->>see more

18 february

MORE COLOMBIANS ACCESS THE INTERNET by means of the Compartel program, which opens the doors to new information technologies and improves income and quality of life. -->>

11 February

PLEASE HOLD THE FIRST IMMIGRANT FAIR IN MADRID AGAIN, stated the President of the Real Estate Association of Medellín and Antioquia, Jorge Mario Ángel Arbeláez, who called the fair a “great discovery”. -->>see more

04 February

PROMOTION OF COLOMBIA IN GERMANY: On its website, the Association of Fairs and Exhibitions of Germany acknowledges Colombia and describes it as the most important center for fairs and exhibitions of the Andean Community, pointing out the positive development of the domestic market. -->>see more

28 January

COLOMBIAN FILM SUCCESS: Colombian Sandino Moreno was nominated for an Oscar as female actor in a leading role for her role in the Colombian-American co-production “Maria Full of Grace”. -->>see more

21 January

NEW TECHNOLOGY WELL IMPLEMENTED: according to the United Nations Organization, Colombia is the second country in Latin America, after Venezuela, registering the greatest advances in 2004 in taking advantage of the new information and communication Technologies, ICTs. -->>see more

14 January

ADVANCES IN METHODOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY: Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, the countries of the Andean Community of Nations (ACN), created the Andean Center for Training in Statistics to train professionals in statistic-gathering activities and to analyze the economic and social conjuncture. -->>see more

07 January

MILLIONS IN CONTRIBUTIONS FOR COLOMBIAN FILM MAKING: in 2004 the Colombian film making industry received an additional $7,300 million pesos for its development and strengthening, from contributions to the Cinematography Fund. -->>see more