A major objective of the Smart Villages Initiative is to raise public awareness of rural energy access issues, sustainable energy technologies, and entrepreneurial approaches to energy in
the developing world. In line with this objective, the Smart Villages Initiative, in partnership
with the Green Building Council of Paraguay, held an international media dialogue for media
professionals in Asuncion, Paraguay, on 9-11 July 2016 to promote objective, informed, and
balanced coverage of the issues, challenges, and opportunities in rural energy access.
The workshop featured a mixture of background briefings and case studies by local and international technical experts and media professionals, and discussions on issues arising and case studies of prototype smart villages and innovative renewable energy use in rural off-grid settings. Editors and print, broadcast, and new media journalists from countries in the region—Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador.
