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Short story contest for girls and boys aged 10-13

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Find out more about the contest!

In the “Macondo does have someone to write about it” short story contest, you will have the opportunity to bring to life everything you cherish most about your city, region, country, and culture. It’s time to showcase your talent and put it on paper!

This contest seeks to promote your reading and writing skills, so that you can unleash your imagination and creativity and enjoy what Gabriel García Márquez—winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature—considered to be his passion from when he was a child, just like you!

Join the 20 talented boys and girls representing Ibero-America and the Caribbean in our second edition!

Prize
Terms and conditions
Who can participate?
Steps

Be inspired by what’s going on around you! It’s time to captivate the whole world with your talent.

Become part of the next generation of writers participating in the “Macondo does have someone to write about it” short story contest.

Get involved now!

Who's writing about Macondo?

Take a look at the winning stories from our first edition.

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The Gabo Foundation is an Ibero-American non-profit organization created by Gabriel García Márquez in 1995. Inspired by the founder’s legacy and workshop method, the Gabo Foundation’s current mission is to inspire active citizens to ethically and creatively harness the transformative power of research and storytelling.

CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean is a development bank committed to improving the quality of life among all Latin American and Caribbean people. Its actions promote sustainable development and regional integration. They aim to become a green and blue bonds bank, while focusing on the region’s economic and social recovery.

Under the motto “We make cooperation happen”, the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI) is, since 1949, the first intergovernmental organization for South-South cooperation in Ibero-America. It currently has 23 member states and 19 national offices, in addition to the General Secretariat in Madrid. In 2024, it received the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation “for its fruitful work in promoting multilateralism and for representing an important bridge in relations between Europe and Ibero-America”.

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Get ready for a magical adventure!

If your story is chosen as one of the contest’s 20 winning stories, you can win a trip to the Colombian Caribbean with all travel expenses covered—including lodging, meals, and transport—for you and a parent or legal guardian.

You will have an unforgettable experience discovering the places that inspired the life and stories of Gabriel García Márquez, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. These places include: Cartagena de Indias, Barranquilla, and Aracataca—the very town where Gabo was born. The trip is tentatively scheduled for late April 2025, so get ready to travel to Colombia on that date!

In addition, the winning stories will be published in an anthology (both digital and hardcopy). Best of all, this book will be distributed free of charge by the Gabo Foundation and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America. That way, we can all enjoy the wonderful story you are about to create!

Don’t waste another minute. Start writing your story!
We hope you’ll join us on this unforgettable adventure!

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Now, pay close attention to this information!

Short story submissions will only be received through the platform. We want to make sure everyone has equal opportunities and that your stories are submitted correctly.

As for the judging criteria, we will reward the creativity and narrative structure of your short stories. Additionally, we will place great value on the research you have done. Remember what Gabriel García Márquez said: in order to tell something, you have to research and thoroughly know the facts, the characters, and the situations. So, do your research and surprise us with your knowledge and creativity.

Don’t be afraid to let your voice shine when writing your story. Remember to avoid using artificial intelligence (AI) and direct involvement from an adult when writing your story.

Download the complete terms
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Who can participate?

This is a special invitation for all girls and boys between 10 and 13 years old living in any of the following countries: Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela.

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Follow these steps!

  1. Carefully read the terms and conditions of the contest, which you can find on this website.

  2. Register your personal information on the platform. Don’t forget to choose a pseudonym that makes you unique!

  3. Next, it’s time for your story! Submit your short story as a single document in Word, PDF, JPG, or PNG format. Make sure your story has an eye-catching title and that your pseudonym is on the first page. Remember, don’t use your real name because we want to keep it a mystery!

  4. Before submitting your story, please read and accept the contest’s privacy and data processing policies. We want you to be safe and secure at all times.