Knowledge FairsMechanism for horizontal transfer and knowledge exchange

Knowledge Management Methodological Series, Sharing Knowledge for Development ProjectKnowledge Management UnitUNDP Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean

Table of contents

1 Overview 2 Introduction

3 What are knowledge fairs?

4 What is the purpose of knowledge fairs?

5 Who participates?

6 How do you start a knowledge fair?

7 How do you monitor its results?

8 Annexes

9 The Knowledge Management Unit

Author: Jairo Matallana Collaborators: Lina Salazar, Octavio Aguirre, Olga Robles, Johanna Granados, Guillermina Martín. Graphic Design: Diana Ordóñez - José Luis Quintero Translator: Melanie Taylor

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Overview

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The United Nations Development Programme aspires to be

consolidated as a knowledge based organization and a relevant

actor in political debates, projects and effective solutions, as

well as having an impact in different contexts1. Los socios

en los países demandan cada vez más asistencia técnica

y de políPartners in each country increasingly demand

more technical assistance and high quality policy

advice, access to good practices, regional experts and

experts from other regions, institutional strengthening,

and field tested and effective programs. Due to

these demands, it is a UNDP priority to strengthen

its management capacities and the effective use of

knowledge through the strengthening of its knowledge

networks, the articulation and coordination of other networks

and members in the United Nations System under the One

UN model and, at the same time, a broad collaboration with

strategic external partners, civil society and institutions 2,

EThe Regional Service Centre for Latin America and the

Caribbean (RSC-LAC) considers knowledge management as

the integrating axis of service provision to the Country Offices

1 UNDP, “An Agenda for Organizational Change”, April 2011.2 UNDP, “Strategic Plan 2008-2013”.

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and programmes in the region. This role as an integrating axis manifests itself in

the methodological and technical support to the development of conceptual

frameworks in strategic thematic areas, systematization and diffusion of good

practices, the development of tools for assistance in policies, programme execution

and capacity development. The Knowledge Management Unit (KMU) at the

RSC-LAC gives technical and methodological assistance to Country Offices, UNS

agencies and other partners, to achieve these objectives. The midterm evaluation

of the Regional Programme in Latin America and the Caribbean emphasized the

knowledge management work developed by the RSC-LAC with the support of KMU,

considering it an asset for the Regional Programme and for UNDP 3.

The Sharing Knowledge for Development Project implemented by the KMU

started in 2009 with two objectives: to systematize lessons learned and knowledge

generated in development projects supported by UNDP in the region, and to

establish links and agreements for horizontal cooperation among countries

to exchange and transfer this recorded knowledge4.  After completing the

systematization of more than twelve (12) projects, ready for knowledge transfer, the

Sharing Knowledge for Development Project proposes a new objective: to share with

the region a set of guides that describe knowledge management methods, in order

for teams to embed knowledge management in the development of their initiatives.

3 UNDP, “Mid-Term Evaluation of Regional Program in Latin America and The Caribbean”, March 2011.4 UNDP, “Evaluation of UNDP Contribution at the Regional Level to Development and Corporate Results”. November 2010.

The Sharing Knowledge for Development Project proposes a new objective: to share with the region a set of guides that describe knowledge management methods, in order for teams to embed knowledge management in the development of their initiatives.

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These guides are, in principle, a result of the shared experience between the

KMU, UNDP Country Offices and thematic areas, through the development of

knowledge management activities and are being promoted by new corporate tools

and contributions on these subjects. The first methodological guides encompass

the following topics: (i) Knowledge Management Strategies (ii) Communities of Practice

(iii) Knowledge Fairs, and (iv) Systematizations for transfer. We hope these guides are

helpful.

Knowledge Management Unit

Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean

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Introduction

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One of the constant challenges in development project management is to

identify and administrate useful knowledge to achieve established objectives.

Knowledge Management is not an additional activity parallel to the management

of a project but an activity inherent to it, contributing to a project in many

ways: creating an institutional memory, promotes learning and its continued

improvement, generating evidence that can promote either the project’s scaling-up

or its transfer to other contexts, elaborating products that support visibility, capacity

development and political incidence strategies, among others. In order to design

and implement development projects it is necessary to reflect on issues such as How

do we capture the knowledge the project generates? Where is the knowledge the project

implementation requires? How do we build and transfer knowledge?

This series “Methodological Guides on Knowledge Management” seeks to

contribute to the strengthening of teams´ capacities in a number knowledge

management methods.

This guide collects the main lessons that UNDP in Latin America and the

Caribbean together with its partners have learned by planning, organizing and

monitoring knowledge fairs. This guide targets organizations or project teams

interested in promoting experiences as well as transferring knowledge and giving

feedback to peers.

This guide is aimed at UNDP Country Offices and UNS counterparts, national partners, project coordinators and officers, and all those that wish to implement a knowledge fair as a catalyst mechanism for knowledge exchange and transfer in support of development processes.

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Knowledge fairs are knowledge sharing mechanisms whose structure and

format can be adapted according to any subject and any set of goals. For that reason,

this guide is not a prescriptive manual but a recollection of recommendations and

suggestions based on accumulated experience by UNDP and its partners through

more than 15 knowledge fairs carried out since 2002. Its emphasis lays on identifying

critical points to be considered before implementing an initiative of that sort and to

propose tips based on past successes and mistakes.

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What are Knowledge Fairs?

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Fairs1 can be considered events and processes - and

somehow they are both. Fairs are events to assemble, where

actors and experiences congregate in a defined space and

moment to exchange knowledge. Some characteristics are

common to all fairs:

• They are open, dynamic and non-rigid spaces.

• They revolve around a topic and

summon an audience interested in it.

• They imply a multiplicity of dynamics

and exchange methods.

• They aim at promoting products and

services, and to reach agreements between parties.

• They make use of traits and traditions typical from the location where they take

place.

Knowledge fairs have an additional characteristic: they focus on non-tangible

products and services, such as experiences and lessons from policies, projects and

initiatives that for practical purposes are physically presented in stands, banners,

1 To find information on the Knowledge Fairs accompanied by the KMU, go to https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/153267

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catalogues, and/or through the voices of the main actors. In the case of UNDP

knowledge fairs the focus is on human development; their added value resides

in their catalyst character, becoming a platform to channel human development

projects and initiatives based on the exchange of experiences and lessons.

Knowledge fairs also contribute to prompt comprehensive knowledge

management strategies2. This comprehensive focus encompasses knowledge

identification, capture, analysis or encoding, transfer, adaptation and reutilization

while implementing a project or development initiative. Fairs include the

documentation and systematization of experiences in the preparatory phase,

a subsequent onsite or online exchange during the event, and a closure with

different modalities of transfer and adaptation for the promoted knowledge. Fairs

are then, much more than an event, allowing different processes and knowledge

management activities to congregate in a single initiative that revolves around a

common subject.

Compared to traditional dissemination mechanisms such as seminars,

conferences and forums, knowledge fairs have demonstrated to be an innovative,

dynamic and effective scenario to identify and promote experiences and to

facilitate the transfer and reutilization of the knowledge derived from the variety of

encounters that take place.

2 See the Knowledge Management Strategies Guide from this same series.

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Fairs break with exclusive hierarchies, rigid formats and traditional notions of.

On the contrary they are flexible, open, horizontal and entertaining. Each knowledge

fair has its own focus and methodology, which depends greatly on the objectives,

scope and context where it occurs and the available resources for its execution.

However, some common characteristics of UNDP sponsored knowledge fairs are:

a. Participants have a firsthand contact with successful experiences and

can interact directly with their main actors. The way the communication

happens can vary, but in many cases fairs may include explanatory

spaces; these could take the form of results samples, life stories, guided

tours of city sites or interactions with participants and communities.

b. Participants´ role is active; they are not a passive audience that

listens to an expert, but an active group that plays a leading role

in knowledge exchange. Fairs offer a variety of spaces in which

this interaction is encouraged, allowing participants to meet with

their peers, exchange information, ask, listen, and debate.

c. There are ways to “put into practice” knowledge exchange through

letters of intent for horizontal cooperation or collective statements.

Fairs have mechanisms to monitor results from these transactions.

Fairs break with exclusive hierarchies, rigid formats and traditional notions of. On the contrary they are flexible, open, horizontal and entertaining.

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What is the purpose of knowledge fairs?

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Knowledge fairs can have different goals and those goals are what define its

format and dynamics. Previous experience analyses show that fairs have contributed

to achieve the following objectives:

a. Publicly celebrate successful experiences

that contribute to human development. Fairs help to spot,

map, learn, disseminate and systematize unidentified

experiences around a specific subject. On the other hand,

fairs can contribute to consolidate and provide continuity

to successful experiences through the recognition of its

projects, programs or policies. This strengthens its social

appropriation and its sustainability throughout time.

For example, the local governance fairs in Bogota-

Colombia (2002), Guayaquil-Ecuador (2004) and Rosario-

Argentina (2005) served to promote model cities with

positive results on human development.

b. Promote knowledge transfer between people and organizations

making emphasis in “the how”, or the processes that made it possible to achieve

sustainable goals. In other words, transfer successful social technologies.

This transfer occurs as part of a horizontal cooperation (for example, between a

project or successful experience with another organization in the same country or

another one). It can also consist on facilitating the access of different participants to

Agenda Building tableo n judicial cooperation in the Central America Commitment Fair Ciudad de Panamá (2010)

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technical assistance services from governmental and cooperation agencies.

For example, in the Migration for Development Knowledge Fair in Brussels (2008),

alliances between small actors were facilitated on the basis of

successful experiences and spaces were created to promote service

organizations that give technical assistance on this matter.

c. Influence the public agenda and the formulation of

public policies. Due to their visibility, their capacity to mobilize

important development actors, and their ability to attract the media

and public attention, fairs can become spaces to position key human

development topics on the public agenda.

Thanks to dynamics such as agenda-building tables, fairs offer

scenarios that make possible the generation of policy statements and

recommendations based upon debates and collective multi-actor

constructions.

For example, in the Citizen Security Fair in Ciudad de Panamá (2011),

the Central American Commitment Agenda was incorporated to the

Regional Commission for Security made up by all SICA countries (Central American

Integration System) in order to funnel coordinated policies related to violence

prevention and institutional strengthening.

Representative of experience belonging to the Nicaraguan Police in the closure of the Central American Commitment Fair .

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Even though up to now, most events supported by the Knowledge

Management Unit of the RSC-LAC have had a regional or national focus, the fair

format – with some adjustments, could have a more local or micro-thematic

application. UNDP national offices can be the facilitators

of fairs between projects, among diverse experiences

from different national institutions or UN system

agencies, between diverse themes, and/or focused

in geographical areas. Thanks to this methodology,

UNDP Country Offices can carry out their knowledge

management missions with innovative mechanisms

within their line of work.

Tables for Exchange in the Parliamentary Women Conference from Latin America and the Caribbean, Madrid (2009).

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Who participates?

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Five types of actors can be identified in knowledge fairs:

Suppliers of knowledge: representatives of successful experiences being

exhibited as well as organizations that provide technical assistance or consultancy

on these subjects.

Demanders of knowledge: participants interested in the fair´s content. These

include governmental actors, civil society organizations, and donors, among others.

Organizers and facilitators: promote knowledge exchange and organize the

fair space to bring together knowledge suppliers and demanders. UNDP and other

partners could fulfill the role of co-organizing the fair.

Sponsors: support the fair with financial resources and may or may not be

related with the fair central theme

Visitors or general audience: participates in some of the fair activities and is

generally made up by the local population of the area where the fair takes place.

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The following table shows the incentives or benefits that those actors can

obtain by participating in knowledge fairs:

 Actors Benefits of Knowledge Fairs

1. Suppliers International, regional and national recognition for the results obtained on develop-ment sectors through effective, transparent and responsible management.

Visibility before other national or international actors.

Establishing agendas: the possibility of promoting debate and reflection about top-ics of great interest for the country, region or the group of participating actors.

Contributing to social appropriation of a development model.

Capacities strengthening by pushing for introspection on their own experience and promote knowledge exchange with other experiences.

2. Demanders Learning: opportunity to get closer to good practices, learn the “what” and the “how”, and to interact with the protagonists in such experiences.

Awareness: becoming witnesses of real events and internalizing that change is pos-sible.

South-South cooperation: signing horizontal cooperation agreements to receive technical support from experts (peers) at a low cost.

3. Organizers or facili-tators (brokers)

Positioning and giving visibility to a given subject.

Enjoy a space to exercise advocacy with a key audience of guest actors.

Participate in a scenario to open debates about a topics.

Have the possibility to promote horizontal cooperation and mobilize resources for it.

4. Sponsors Make use of a scenario to publicize their products and services.

Exploring possible actions towards social corporate responsibility.

5. Visitors or general public

Possibility of learning more about a development topic and real successful experi-ences in a friendly and entertaining way.

Awareness about subjects of public interest.

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How do you start a knowledge fair?

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A. Phases Setting up a knowledge fair can take up a minimum of 6 months. According to

the previous experience of the Knowledge Management Unit of RC-LAC, the average

preparation time is of 9 months.

The event execution can take between 2 days and half and 4 days. Generally

they start with an opening that takes 2 or 3 hours, usually at night, then 2 or 3

days of fair development; finally a closing event, also of 2 or 3 hours. However, it is

possible to carry out shorter fairs, for example when they happen within another

event framework, in which the fair has a specific designated timeframe. Follow up or

post-fair activities, which have not been implemented systematically in many fairs,

can take between 6 months and 2 years (see graphic 1).

Execution

Follow-upactivities

Preparatoryphase

Graph 1: Phases of a knowledge fair

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Algunas actividades centrales de cada fase están resumidas en el siguiente diagrama:

Graphic 2: Main activities and phases of a knowledge fair

Basic aspects

Note - Budget

Marketingplan

Partners

Working teams

Dynamics and formats

Experiences Agenda

Promotion LogisticsInvitations

ConfirmationsSetup

Spaces for exchange

EXEC

UTION

FOLLOW

UPPR

EPAR

ATION

Results evaluation from the exchange event.

Definition and Execution of a strategy to facilitate knowledge transfer (guided visits, advisories, capacitations)

Followup to recommendations and proposals to the public agenda, declarations and other instruments for public incidence.

Creation of a network, a Community of Practice, or CoP strengthening (in case it had been previously created).

1

2

3

4

Some of the main activities in each phase are summarized in the following flowchart:

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B. Fair Formats New technologies allow structuring fairs not only on site and with participants

in the same physical space, but also through virtual spaces. Onsite and online formats

should not be understood as mutually exclusive, since they

can happen simultaneously and complement each other..

1. Virtual Fairs

Most fairs supported by the Knowledge Management

Unit of the RSC-LAC have happened on site but in some

cases, they have been developed through websites. Online

knowledge fairs have the advantage of representing a

significant saving in logistics and resource mobilization,

but unsurprisingly they have limitations such as the

absence of physical contact among participants and

difficulties to keep the audience focused on the event.

However, this format has yielded positive results in previous experiences.

Examples of this are the Gender Equity Fair carried out by the America Latina Genera

Project in 2007 (see box) and the Virtual Space for Parliamentary Women from Latin

Introductory page for the Virtual Fair on Gender Equality conducted by the Latin American Project GENERA in 2007.

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America and the Caribbean in 2009 as well as its network that continues operating;

these illustrate the use of the new information technologies to the service of

knowledge exchange for development.

A virtual fair can get lots of diffusion and an important set of participants

that have no time or geographical constraints, facilitating their participations from

various places in the world. A virtual fair is susceptible of having a flexible time

duration that optimizes knowledge exchange, transfer and feedback. The fair space

can also function as a repository of substantive information promoting knowledge

access and exchange after the event.

On the other hand, if a virtual knowledge fair accompanies an onsite one, it

could nurture and sustain it during and after the physical event. For example, a

live virtual coverage of the event via webcam makes possible the interactions of

many non-present actors and generates more and better knowledge exchange and

learning. Once the onsite event is over, the virtual fair can also be a reference space

for the continuity and follow up with the use of forums, chats, documents, etc. That

way, a permanent useful space of reflection and knowledge exchange is created, in

some cases, giving origin to a Community of Practice.

From another viewpoint, a virtual fair is just like the onsite one, a complex

environment that must be organized around diverse functional settings.

A virtual fair can get lots of diffusion and an important set of participants that have no time or geographical constraints, facilitating their participations from various places in the world.

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For example, the Virtual Space for Parliamentary Women from Latin America and the

Caribbean that accompanied the onsite meeting included the following sections:

Welcome Hall: it was where the presentation of basic information about the onsite

fair, the data about their participants, and the logistics info, etc, was exhibited.

Hemicycle: during the onsite fair development, this space held via

webcam presentations and main activities in real time. At the end of

the event, ad hoc documents were included in this section to enrich

the debate (papers, technical documents, panels, videos, etc).

Reading room: it worked as a library that gathered the substantive

documentation of the onsite fair. After the event, it gathered the

systematization and discussion of the conclusions derived from the meetings.

Press office: it had all the material offered by the media,

photos of the event, summaries of debates, etc.

Skylight: it was where the experiences presented got organized by

thematic areas. After the onsite Fair, this space was modified to have

forums and virtual exchanges around the presented experiences.

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2. On-site Fairs

A knowledge on-site fair normally requires more

than one physical space or of a multipurpose space. Some

fairs have been developed in one modular venue while

others have had symbolic sites in different areas of a city

to which participants go according to the subject to be

examined.

Generally the spaces a fair requires are:

• A congregation space. Normally an auditorium

of great capacity for lectures, conferences, and

personal stories.

• An open space for exhibition, marketplace style where informal interaction

takes place. There is where stands of all experiences, artistic and cultural

exhibitions, representations, and/or live simulations, among others, are

located.

Plenary at the Costa Rica Fair on Environmental Solutions (2003).

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• Meeting spaces that allow for horizontal accommodation (work groups,

round tables). In several occasions these spaces are used simultaneously for

meetings according to the different subjects address throughout the fair.

• Spaces for Visits and Reviews, are where participants can get closer to

the experiences. For example, these spaces are used for guided tours,

where participants can go to an experience

location, check its results and interact with the

beneficiaries.

The selection of the place should take into

consideration a series of logistic and strategic aspects.

The place should have an appropriate infrastructure in

terms of telecommunications, public services, access

routes, and security conditions.

In addition, the spatial distribution of the place

can promote or impede the interaction between participants. Generally it´s

recommended having sites not too far apart from each other, that do not imply

hierarchies, and where the transit through the exhibition space is mandatory

(because is a central point of transit) or because it is an inevitable stop (because

coffee breaks are served there).

Guayaquil´s Fair site Ecuador (2004).

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Finally, the symbolic sites or those spaces that harbor a meaning related to the

thematic areas of the fair are usually more effective attracting participants´ attention.

Instead of hotels or convention centers, public spaces, parks, theaters, and/

or schools are usually better venues for participants to become immersed in the

experience of sharing knowledge.

For example, the Costa Rica Knowledge Fair on Environmental Solutions (2003)

was carried out in several sites that included natural parks and biodiversity research

institutes. The opening of the Guayaquil Fair on Local Governance (2004) had as one

of its locations a public space, an auditorium in the boardwalk Malecón of Guayas

River, a renewed urban area.

C. Internal organization

Due to its magnitude, methodological complexity, and variety of actors

involved, knowledge fairs require considerable dedication and resources. It is

essential not to underestimate the required effort for a fair, in order to avoid

bottlenecks and crises, particularly as the date of the main event approaches.

The place should have an appropriate infrastructure in terms of telecommunications, public services, access routes, and security conditions.

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The main items to consider before taking on a knowledge fair are:

1. Budget: not only for implementing the event (logistics, travel, support

personnel, among others) but also for the preparation phase (experience

documentation, promotion, and marketing) as well as for the monitoring phase

(knowledge transfer, follow up on agreements or statements, mobilization of

communities of practice, etc).

It is necessary to conduct a cost-benefit analysis in order to ensure that the

results of the fair are worth the planned investment, or in the contrary, redefine the

methodology according to the expected results. In this Budget Sheet you will find

the basic structure to implement the costing exercise.

2. Team: the fair´s team is usually one of the most critical elements for the

event´s success. However, it has been one of the weakest points in previous

experiences because not enough people were assigned to it, because their

designated time was too limited to complete the tasks the fair required, and/or

because roles were not clearly defined from the beginning of the planning.

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The size and dedication of the team varies according to the scope and resources

of the fair. The following diagram suggests a basic core team for an adequate

preparation, execution and follow up of the fair:

Besides appointing specific people to each of the aforementioned roles, it is

important to clearly define the chain of command and degrees of autonomy for

decision making at each level. If this is not straighten, the entire process, particularly

of an on-site event, can suffer major problems such as: lack of communication,

duplicity of tasks, contradictory commands, unfinished activities, and others, that

most likely won’t be solved during the short days the event lasts.

A more thorough description of the roles within the organizing team under the

general coordination can be found in the “d) work areas” section.

Graphic 3: Team and work areas

Partners´ Committee (UNDP, government, and others)

General coordinator

Responsible for contents

Responsible for resource

mobilization

Responsible for communications

Responsible for logistics

Board Level

Executive Level

Technical Level

Documentation support Team

Event support team

Operative Level Support designer and liaison person

with the media

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3. Time framework: as previously mentioned, a fair requires a certain amount

of time for preparation - an average of 6 to 9 months. Additionally, the notion of

timeliness is key to implement a fair. A fair may be timely or not depending on

several factors, such as:

• Political-electoral cycle: especially when the governmental

connection with the fair is relevant.

• Programming cycle of the fair´s partners: especially when the fair is promoted

by a program or project restricted by their own deadlines and closing dates.

• Concurrence with other major events: it is necessary to verify how

easily it would be to capture audience for the fair if right before or

after (or simultaneously) there are other events that summon it

• Meteorological aspects: verify adverse weather conditions (e.g. hurricane

season), vacations or important holidays for the public sector, among other

lesser strategic aspects but equally important.

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4.Capacity for alliances and participants mobilization: an analysis that

should be carried out during the fair conceptualization and planning is the capacity

to summon the fair partners and establish alliances for its implementation.

Some fairs, for example, are less suitable for alliances than others due to the

thematic area they cover. In other cases the strategy around alliance building should

include an analysis about the risks of losing objectivity in politically sensitive topics;

this type of exercise was required for the 2010 ExpoPaz Knowledge Fair, about the

construction of peace in the regions of Colombia.

Also, the mobilization capacity of participants should be taken into account;

depending on the target audience there could be cases where the fair must

guarantee a minimum participation - this was the case of the 2008 Migration for

Development Knowledge Fair in Brussels. In that fair, the target audience was actors

from migratory countries, - of origin, transit, and destination - with very limited

resources to cover travel and lodging expenses; this forced the organizing team to

invest a considerable amount of funds to guarantee their participation in the event.

Organizing knowledge fairs taking advantage of a parallel event of great scales represents an option to lower the costs. However, the distribution of time in

the agenda should be clearly defined; otherwise, the spaces in the fair could be subutilized or wasted.

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5. Management and logistic coordination capacity: The logistic and

administrative infrastructure necessary for the on-site event is an essential aspect of

a fair´s execution that is often underestimated by organizers. .

In one hand, it is necessary to assess the management capacity that the

organizing team has to carry out the variety of contracts, payments, and other

administrative transactions that a fair entails. In the other hand, it is key to evaluate

the speed of the processes´ system in the executing organization.

Any logistics coordination strategy must be planned with enough anticipation. Generally, this has been a weakness in most knowledge fairs previously implemented. Recurrent problems have been the lack of planning in large scale recruiting processes that require more complex handlings, the lack of capacity to monitor providers of goods or services to the event, and the additional costs generated by last-minute changes.

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Additionally one of the main items for the on-site event of the fair is the

capacity for logistics coordination. Logistics can be coordinated in at least three

ways:

• Internally:UNDPteamsandotherorganizingpartnerstakeuponthelogistic

tasks directly. This implies a wide management infrastructure that has the

capacity of absorbing the responsibility that knowledge fairs represent.

• Individuallyrecruited:UNDPandorganizingpartnerscontract

separately a responsible for each of the logistic pieces (see the

following section), which implies that there is a wide coordination

capacity for assembling and articulating all providers.

• Subcontractathirdparty:theorganizingteamsubcontractsthe

logistical organization with one company that has to respond for this

component in its entirety. Even so, there should be a minimum capacity

within UNDP and other organizers to have permanent communication

with the company and to follow up on its products and results.

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D. Work areas

Each of the elements previously mentioned as part of the internal organization,

entails a series of activities that can be seen with more detail in this Work Plan

template developed by UNDP to facilitate fair planning. In

this section we only mention a few important aspects to

consider when defining activities in each area.

1. Content

The bases of a knowledge fair are the experiences

that have achieved results and their derived lessons..

The documentation of such experiences that are to be

presented is gathered according to the thematic areas of

the fair.

The starting point is to define the central axis and the thematic areas of the fair

that not only define the documentation structure but also serve as an organizing

pillar of the fair´s sessions. It is common that the fair´s central topics are presented

during the event´s plenary; notwithstanding, there are simultaneous sessions that

Analysis and Lessons Learned book about the Local Governance experience in Rosario, Argentina, that served as base material for the 2005 fair.

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examine more specific topics. This setup should be coherent with the strategic

objectives of the fair, which makes it possible to concentrate later on searching for

experiences.

The work of searching and collecting experiences is

of vital importance for a successful implementation of a

fair; they constitute the basis of the knowledge exchange

and transfer. Therefore, enough time for their search and

analysis must be allocated to ensure their relevance to

the fair´s objectives.

Nothing should be assumed at this point of the

process. Thedesired experiences are not always found or

exist. Knowledge discoveries or loopholes are themselves

an essential part of the fair´s development.

Moreover, it is important for the detected experiences to reflect a wide palette

of possible hues related to the central thematic axes. These hues may include a

geographical variety, their life period, their results, the materials, and working

methods they use, their sustainability in time, etc. The diversity of the experiences

enriches the knowledge panorama that will be offered at the fair.

Catalogue for one of UNDP´s internal fairs in the Democratic Governance Practice Area, organized in Bratislava (2007)

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Not less important is the selection of the individuals that will exhibit the

experiences in the on-site fair. These representatives must master the experiences

from the inside and know the complete process they went through. Supporting

these “experts” in the systematization of the knowledge they posses, could be highly

convenient for an efficient contribution of information.

In previous knowledge fairs, the depth of the experiences´ documentation has

varied according to the capacity for collecting and analyzing the information and

the ease to find consolidated information. While some fairs count with in depth

documentation about experiences - made up by multiple projects and initiatives-,

others offer mappings that collects basic information about a variety of experiences

but with lower levels of detail and analysis.

For example, at the Local Governance Knowledge Fairs in Bogota (2002),

Guayaquil (2004), and Rosario (2005) there was in depth documentations about each

one of the experiences, policies, and plans part of such experiences. This material

usually required the work of experts on the subject and with familiarity with each

case, and was also examined through methodologies like conversatorios (talks), in

which the findings were validated and challenges elucidated with public entities,

civil society organizations , private sector associations.

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In fairs where the amount of experiences presented was very high, like in the

cases of the Migration for Development Knowledge Fair in Brussels (2008), the

National Public Security and Citizenship Fair in Brasilia (2009), the Central American

Commitment Fair (2010) or ExpoPaz (2010) (usually 30 and 50, but sometimes more

than a 100), the documentations went as far as mapping the experiences, providing

basic information that served as “a navigation chart” during the fair. This mapping

tool is usually given in a catalogue format to participants in the event and is also

disseminated through the fair webpage.

There are at least three strategies for information documentation that have

been used:

a. Centralized: the organizing team takes care of gathering the information

and developing the documents about the previously identified experiences.

This strategy usually implies a bigger use of resources and time and it

may be less participative, but it guarantees quality and uniformity in the

documentation. This strategy was used in the Local Governance Fairs

(2002-2005) and the Environmental Solutions fair in Costa Rica (2003).

b. Decentralized: the protagonists of the experiences themselves document

them, following specific criteria, formats, and pre-established procedures

by the organizing teams through an open call. In this case, efforts and

resources invested in the documentation are lower, but the dedication

40

to organize the call as well as to evaluate the applications and select

the experiences to be presented at the fair must be harder. This type of

documentation is not only useful to raise content but also to promote

the fair. This strategy was used in the Citizens Security Fair in Brazil

(2009) and the Central American Commitment Fair, Panama (2010).

c. Delegated: the organizing partners are the ones who do the documentation

of experiences following a set of criteria, formats and procedures pre-

established by the team. The documentation efforts as well as the resource

investments are shared. The challenge of this strategy is to define a

selection mechanism to choose the experiences that guarantee quality and

a degree of uniformity. The Migration for Development Fair (2009) used

this strategy, joining efforts with several agencies of the UNS to collect

experiences from several countries; in parallel, the ExpoPaz Fair (2010)

combined an open call with this strategy to be able to gather more local

experiences promoted by different cooperation agencies in Colombia.

Besides documenting, the task related to the fair´s content includes defining

the event´s agenda and the content for each one its sessions. This can be seen with

more detail in the following section about exchange dynamics, but in general terms

it is sought to combine the practice (the heart of the fair), with both political and

academic elements.

41

2. Communication

The promotion of knowledge fairs has two main objectives: to summon

participants and to have a wide and positive dissemination of the event throughout

the media.

A knowledge fair is not a very familiar concept for a lot of people because it

combines elements of a traditional fair with exhibition mechanisms and knowledge

transfer. For that reason, the image of a fair must clearly project the fair´s subject

and objectives, sending a message of celebration and possibilities for horizontal

exchange.

Normally, the image of a fair contains an attractive name of easy retention, an

inspiring logo systematically used in all communication pieces, and a slogan that

symbolically or explicitly explains the thematic area and the nature of the fair.

42

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43

The communication strategy can be seen in two levels:

a. Relation with participants: This component is usually underestimated in the

preparation and follow-up of this kind of events, even though it is one of the

most important aspects of the fair. A systematic and structured organization

of invitations during planning phase secures a wide participation and helps

reducing costs, because it gives more certainty to logistics arrangement before

the event (for example, travel costs, lodging, food and transportation).

Monitoring participants is equally important to get feedback about the

event, to ensure that the interaction continues through a professional

virtual network, and to follow-up on the recommendations that

arise from the event. A complete database of everyone involved is

therefore a product from the fair that must be put together.

b. Relation with the media: it is important not only to inform the media of

the fair processes, but also to form alliances with it, in order to enhance the

diffusion of the experiences and the event´s accomplishments. Usually a liaison

person is part of the organizing team, to make sure that the relationship starts

at the preparation phase of the fair.

One way to position fairs in the media is through activities previous to the

event that call the attention of a wide audience.

44

For example, for the Local Governance Fairs, UNDP

granted “awards” to cities that had been chosen

as fair sites, with the purpose of celebrating

the achievements of each city throughout their

governmental administrations. In Guayaquil,

for instance, a visit from the then Secretary-

General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, was

used to give recognition to the Major Office.

Instruments such as brochures, websites, webmails,

urban billboards, and press clippings have been used for the fairs´ promotion.

Websites in general have been useful not only for diffusion but also to keep record

of participants, to continue collecting information about experiences, and to

disseminate the results.

Either way, more than focusing on particular instruments, the relation with the

media should reach an appropriate balance between a widespread promotion and a

focalized advertising directed to strategic actors involved in the fair´s subject matter.

Website for the Costa Rica Fair on Environmental Solutions (2004)

45

3. Mobilizing resources

As mentioned before, the amount of necessary resources for implementing the

knowledge fair varies according to different characteristics. These could be:

• The geographical dimension (national, regional, global)

• Number of participants and event duration

• Participants´ travel arrangements

• Location and complexity of planned activities

• Expenses that can be assumed by the organizers

of the event (such as travel and venues )

• Amount of work of the organizers in monitoring the

fair, especially in knowledge transfer processes.

UNDP´s representative grants acknowledgement to Antanas Mockus, Bogota´s Mayor at the time, before the 2002 Knowledge Fair.

46

The financing strategy can point to the following financial sources:

a. Partners: Even though not all partners may assign resources, they should,

in principle, contribute with money or in kind

to the fair, particularly with its execution. The

mobilization of partners is a task that is carried

out from the beginning of the preparation.

b. Sponsors: Sponsors are those companies that

give money for the event execution in exchange

for publicity. Some sponsors can provide goods or

services (like technological equipment, food, travel

and others) in exchange of publicity or simply as

part of their social responsibility policy.

For example, Dell provided computers and

projectors to the Migration for Development Fair in Brussels and in Bogota´s

Fair for Local Governance. Means of communication like the Revista Semana

(magazine) and the newspaper El Tiempo provided spaces in their issues to

promote the fair at no charge.

Organizers must make sure that there is no conflict of interest in the

sponsors´ contributions. Besides, it is necessary to avoid confusions

Banner dedicated to the sponsors of the Local Governance Fair in Bogotá (2002).

47

between sponsors and actors from the private sector. Even though the

private sector can sponsor the fair, its role is not confined to that but it can

be part of the exhibited experiences or be active participants of the fair.

However, sponsoring and participation must be handled independently.

c. Organizations offering knowledge: suppliers can have an interest in paying

for their exhibition space. That way, partners can offer stands and rent their use

to the supplying organizations. It is necessary to differentiate between these

organizations (usually governmental agencies and international cooperation

agencies) and the institutions to which the selected experiences belong,

because their exhibition space is frequently covered by the fair´s organization.

d. Participants: participants can be a small but important source of resources if

they pay a symbolic registration fee. Even though this practice is not common,

in some cases it helps generate a sense of commitment among participants

and interest in taking advantage of the fair since they are paying for it.

48

4. Logistics

The fair is a massive event that gathers hundreds of participants (generally

national and international) and engages in multiple activities in different locations,

involving a great amount of details that have to be taken care of in order for the fair

to achieve its objectives. Preparation and implementation of all aspects require close

attention and great organizational and planning efforts.

Some logistical aspects that must be considered are:

• Contact public agencies of the place where the event will be taking place.

• Decide and study the physical location of the fair.

• Bids and contracts with providers.

• Travel arrangements for lecturers, participants, and organizers.

• Accommodations (hotel reservations for participants and lecturers).

• Transportation to the fair location.

• Food and snacks.

• Audiovisual equipment.

• Stands infrastructure.

49

• Fair decoration.

• Design and printing of logos and promotional material.

• Support to special guests (VIP).Logistic and

conceptual information to participants

• Generate documents (agendas, programmes, work documents, evaluation

sheets, etc). Registration stands, general information and support personnel.

• Registry and delivery of promotional and work material.

• Availability of halls for simultaneous bilateral meetings.

• Plan inaugural and closing events.

• “Recreational” events during spare time or complementary cultural activities.

• Event recording (memoirs) to give participants.

• “Happenings” or simultaneous events during the fair.

As mentioned in the workteam section, logistics should be directly coordinated or

outsourced, but it is absolutely necessary to have the capacity to follow-up on all the

aspects previously listed. Logistics are not noticeable when everything goes well,

but it could be very troublesome when something goes wrong due to participants´

discontent.

50

Panel of experience on youth violence prevention during the Central America Commitment Fair (2010).

E. Exchange dynamics

Fairs have different exchange dynamics that are employed

according to desired results. Some dynamics are oriented to carefully

analyze the exhibited experiences, other are directed towards

knowledge exchange, and another ones to develop alliances or write

recommendations collectively. Every exchange dynamic has a particular

design that corresponds to specific objectives, and the set of interaction

dynamics should be always checked against the fair´s objectives to

guarantee a defined space, time and method for each purpose.

The dynamics presented in this guide can serve only as reference to what

can happen in a fair since each has its own structure and nature according to its

expected results. We usually call this structure “the animal” or map, which is designed

jointly with the partners and becomes a guide about what is expected to happen

at the fair. The “animal” is sculpted at an early preparation stage, but it acquires a

more definite shape when the location is determined, participants confirm their

participation, and the methodology is decided.

The following illustration illustrates the idea of an “animal” and its

corresponding agenda:

Map of the Central American Commitment Fair, Panama (2010)

HOTEL EL PANAMÁ

CHANCELLERY

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Room (26 y 27)

Simultaneous Meetings

Government and Agencies Stands

Experiencies exhibition

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ow

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Governments Partners Coop Agencies Civil society

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Situationroom

Info booth

Rubi Room(27 y 28)

Meeting CICIG

Mayor’s workshop

Esmeralda Room(27 y 28)

Meeting RC/RRs

Parlamentariesworkshop

Cristal Room(27 y 28)

Media conference

Lobby(26 y 27)

Registeringbooth

Manuel Amador GuerreroRoom (26- 27)

Meeting AECID

Meeting CICIG

Centenario Room(26 y 27)

Lunch and culturalevents

Quarter (25)

Opening andclosing

ESCLUSAS M.Salones (28)

Sec Commission andCommission PVJ

OTROS SPACESGuided visit (28) Urban spaces

La Chorrera, San Miguelito

y ArraijánDiablo Rosso, etc

Agenda of the Central American Commitment Fair, Panama (2010)

Day 1. Tuesday 26

Plenary

Plenary

Walk through experiences and Isles

Walk through experiences and Isles

Experiences talk show

Learning communities

Parliament & Security Workshop

Axi

s 1.

Axi

s 2.

Axi

s 3.

Axi

s 4.

Axi

s 5.

Axi

s 6.

Axi

s 7.

Axi

s 8.

Day 2. Wednesday 27

Press round: the cooperationresponds

Agenda - building Tables

Tables for exchange(Cooperation business rounds)

Media & Security Workshop

Local security workshop

Security Observatories Workshop

Day 3. Thursday 28

Security Commission(Restricted meeting)

Youth Violence PreventionCommission

(Restricted meeting)A

xis

1.

Axi

s 2.

Axi

s 3.

Axi

s 4.

Axi

s 5.

Axi

s 6.

Axi

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Axi

s 8.

Axi

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Axi

s 2.

Axi

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Axi

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Axi

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Axi

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Axi

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Axi

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Axi

s 6.

Axi

s 7.

Axi

s 8.

Walk through experiences and Isles

Experiences talk show

53

Tables for the elaboration of Project profiles in the Fair on Migration for Development, Brussels (2008).

Some of the dynamics more frequently used in knowledge fairs are:

a. Lectures: in these spaces, the main guidelines are presented as

well as the general topics that delineate the structure of the knowledge

fair. Generally, these lectures are carried out by experts or renowned

protagonists of successful experiences who make an emphasis on the

“what”.

Their objective is to put the main subjects of the fair in perspective

and provide a general overview of it. These addresses can also be life stories (lectures

based on personal experience) that better illustrate the thematic areas.

b. Panels of experiences: they approach sub-topics of the fair and

are generally classified in two types: those that debate the experiences´

accomplishments and those that analyze the challenges that

experiences still face. Usually they have 3 to 5 panelists a rapporteur,

and a facilitator who conducts the debate to make emphasis in the

“how” of the experience.

Panels are ideal scenarios for the audience to ask questions

and make comments about specific practices. Panels can happen

simultaneously so that the audience can choose from wide array of options

Plenary at the Governance Fair in Guayaquil, Ecuador (2004).

54

according to interests and needs. Panels can have methodological

variations such as round tables (where all participants are active in

the debate, there is no audience) or talk-shows about the experiences

where an interviewer asks questions and fosters debate (there are no

pre-established presentations).

c. Tables for Collective-building: these spaces are generally

thematic, but in contrast with the panels of experiences, they are

less about debate and more about building and creating products

together. These interactions happen simultaneously and serve to

create a common working agenda, a list of recommendations, and profiles of joint

projects, among other collective products. For example, the Central

American Commitment Fair (2010) contained work spaces for eight

(8) thematic areas that were opened to participants, distributing them

according to their interests. The idea was to turn the experiences

they learned from into recommendations for the Regional Security

Commission agenda made up by countries in the region.

d. Marketplace: is particularly suited for connecting knowledge

supply and demand. These are spaces permanently installed during

the fair, exhibiting products and services by successful experiences or

by other organizations that provide technical assistance.

Participants negotiating at the spaces opened in front of the stands in the Local Governance Fair in Rosario (2005).

Marketplace at the Citizen´s Security Fair in Brasilia (2009).

55

The exhibition plaza is the heart of the fair and is almost always

enlivened by cultural and artistic events that attract participants´

attention.

The exhibition houses stands backed by qualified personnel that

knows the experience achievements and has the capacity to initiate

negotiations to sign agreements of knowledge transfer.

There could also be other exhibition instruments such as banners and totems

that present basic information of the experiences and that are useful when it is

difficult to have representatives on-site.

e. Guided Visits: they are part of the fair´s agenda and consist

of a tour around the stands that illustrate the achievements of the

celebrated experiences. During the visits, participants receive detailed

information from qualified personnel and, when possible, relevant

documentation.

Visits are also an activity that facilitates the interaction of

participants with the community and corroborates the experience by other voices.

Due to the time needed for this dynamics, there can be several simultaneous visits so

that participants can choose the ones they prefer.

Guided Visit through the Santa Ana hill in Guayaquil, a successful renovated urban space visited within the occasion of the Local Governance Fair (2004).

56

f. Interactive activities: fairs have the premise that participants

should not only learn about the experiences or watch them closely,

but to “feel” them. Interactive activities allow participants to be

temporary protagonists of the experiences.

Examples of these activities are the Nocturne Ciclovía (biking

route) during Bogota Fair for Local Governance (2002) that involved

touring the city by bike, as part the celebration of the advances in

civic culture. In that occasion, more than a million people participated

and along with the fair’s 300 participants.

Another activity that heightened the emotions fair´s participants

was the destruction of more than 2000 weapons, organized by the

Panamanian Government during the Central American Commitment

for Security Fair, in which representatives were invited to engage in

the destruction themselves.

g. Cultural and artistic spaces: fairs rely on the arts and on

cultural activities to broadcast the main messages they want to

position. Besides being an entertainment instrument that keeps the

attention of participants, these spaces are perhaps the most powerful instrument for

awareness.

Banner inviting the citizenship to participate in the nocturnal biking route in Bogotá (2002).

Signature of intention letters at the Citizens Security Fair in Brasilia (2009).

57

Break dancing during ExpoPaz Fair (2010) served to show the

youth´s interest for peace-building from their own perspective. The

photo exhibition during the Brazil Fair for National Security and

Citizenship (2009) carried out by prison inmates, served to portray

their desire of rehabilitation and social reintegration.

h. Business rounds: these are where the negotiation place

between knowledge supply and demand takes place; in other words,

they are spaces to reach agreements of knowledge transfer. Usually

they are facilitated by qualified personnel assigned by the organizers, who help

guide the discussion to work towards the signature of letters of intent or horizontal

cooperation agreements.

Given that the business rounds may produce intention letters

or horizontal cooperation agreements, pre-arranged transfer formats

(agreements, letters, letters of intent, pre-agreements) and a series

of guides are prepared to help participants submit applications,

complete viability analysis, and define the scope of their cooperation.

In the Brasilia Fair on National Security and Citizenship, 707 letters of

intent were signed between 4 participating experiences and about

3800 participants. In the aftermath of the fair, it was the Brazilian

National Council for Public Security (CONASP) the one in charge of the follow-up of

these exchanges, during the monitoring phase.

Space for business rounds at the Local Governance Fair in Rosario (2005).

Young aficionados of break dancing at the ExpoPaz Fair (2011). Photo by Aline Rutschmann.

7

How do you measure results?

59

The results indicators of any

knowledge fair are directly related to

the strategic objectives of the initiative

in which it participates. In other words,

this methodology can speed up the

achievement of umbrella objectives,

being a means as opposed to end itself.

This first level of results, as well as its

success indicators, must be defined from

the beginning of the fair so that the goal

is clear.

In relation to process indicators, the reference must go back to the specific

objectives of each knowledge fair (see section What is the purpose of a knowledge

fair?). As mentioned before, each fair can have an objective or a particular

combination of objectives, so there is no standard to measure success.

Based on previous experiences, the following indicators can be established to

help define the expected results:

60

Phase Recurrent indicators

Preparatory (pre-fair) Number and representativeness of mapped experiences

Quality of the information on experiences´ documentation

Number of partners and amount, and quality of their contributions to implement the fair

Event implementation (fair)

Number of horizontal cooperation agreements signed between participating knowledge suppliers and demanders.

Number of participants/attendants and representativity of the actors that were invited to the fair theme.

Signed declaration or local agenda established to overcome development challenges that the country, region, or set of participant actors face.

Record of the fair´s media coverage, considering the size of its audience.

Level of participants´ satisfaction about the fair usefulness, methodology and logistics (closing survey).

Monitoring (post-fair) Incorporation of fair recommendations on policies, laws, and political commitments.

Knowledge transfer implemented, based on letters of intent signed during the fair.

Conformation of a network or community of people and organizations that continue information sharing in the medium term (more than a year after the fair).

8

Annexes

Annex 1: Budget of a knowledge fair

The following matrix calculates the estimated costs of preparing and implementing a knowledge fair as well as the expected income generated from it. The numbers can vary according to the amount of participants, the country living expenses, the profiles of the hired personnel and the selection of the scenarios where the fair takes place. Also, organizers must take in consideration that sometimes it is necessary to partially or totally fund the assistance of certain key individuals—not only those

that will give presentations, but also some participants, which increases the size of the investment. Some of the estimated costs - food, rental of locations, or transportation - can be obtained for free, in exchange for publicity for the providers.

ESTIMATED COSTS

Individual value Number Total Value

1) General Fair Manager or general coordinator 0 Support consultant 0 Subtotal 0

2) Documentation of the experience General coordinator: in charge of documentation. 0 Document keeper by area. 0 Contest promotion or call 0 Workshops to validate information (talks) 0 Validation missions (if there is a contest) Revision of text style. 0 Text design, layout and printing. 0 Design and recording of a CD ROM (optional). 0 Subtotal 0

3) Mechanisms for supply and demand interaction and logistics Logistics coordinator 0 Master of ceremony Location and basic elements 0 Fair location (big or small hall, stands space) 0 Stands 0 Panels 0 Chairs 0

Highlighters, paper, work tools 0 Tables, auditorium for conferences, business rounds and panels 0 Rosettes Negotiation tables 0 Protocol events 0 Opening/inauguration 0 Closing 0 Additional events 0 Audiovisual Material 0 Projector/Big screen (auditorium) 0 Microphone auditorium 0

Total estimated costs 0

ESTIMATED INCOME

Registrations x ### 0 Stands x ### 0 Private and Media Sponsorship 0

Total expected incomes 0

ESTIMATED REQUIRED INVESTMENT

Wee

k 1

Wee

k 2

Wee

k 3

Wee

k 4

Wee

k 1

Wee

k 2

Wee

k 3

Wee

k 4

Wee

k 1

Wee

k 2

Wee

k 3

Wee

k 4

Wee

k 1

Wee

k 2

Wee

k 3

Wee

k 4

Wee

k 1

Wee

k 2

Wee

k 3

Wee

k 4

Hotel reservations for panelists, lecturers and moderatorsLetters of invitation for visasMonitoring visasTickets reservations and purchase for participantsCoordination of allowances for participantsTransportation reservations and coordination (airport-hotel-event).Food and snacks coordination during the fair Completion of terms of reference/contracts for required services Location final arrangements (agreement)Definition of adaptations necessary for the fair Initial list of participants Final list of participants Delivery of invitations Follow up and confirmation of participants Coordination of participants registration, database Delivery of materials to participantsCoordination of internal objects: tables, chairs, flip charts, lights, etc. Coordination of materials production: booklets, pens, agendas, etc.Contract for the provision of stands or panelsContract of necessary audiovisual aids (projectors, microphones)Terms of reference for services and products (IT and int. objects)Terms of reference for production of materials Design of rosettes or badges Printing rosettes or badges Design of certificates of participation Printing certificates of participation Printing the agenda/program

Resp

onsi

ble Month 2 Month 6Month 1 Month 4 Month 5

Work Plan

1. General

Logistics

2. Technical

production and

materials

Annex 2: Knowledge Fair Work Plan

Definition of criteria for selecting experiences Definition of formats to collect information Starting the process of selection and promotion Visits and attention to collectors of informationReview and evaluation of proposals Definition and preparation of presentation formats Compilation, edition and style correction Layout and printing of booklets/texts Development of the required terms of reference Identification and hiring of the master of ceremonies Definition of the themes of lectures, panels, and workshops/rounds Identification of lecturers, moderators and panelists Establishment of methodologies for panels, lectures, stands presentations and business rounds.

Coordination of lectures, moderators and panelists Payment of fees (if applicable) to lecturers, moderators and panelists Final list of experiences to be exhibited in the stands Final arrangements with institutions that exhibit experiences in stands Definition of the content of letters of intent/cooperation agreements Printing of letters of intent/cooperation agreement Definition of incentives to sign cooperation agreements Definition of the necessary support personnel (information, facilitation of business rounds)Procurement of support personnelDevelopment of the necessary terms of reference Design and approval of the image, logo, slogan Development of promotional materials (posters, billboards) Terms of reference of the coordinator of public relations, promotion and media

Design and printing of invitations To have a work breakfast with the media Coordinate the photographic registry of the fair Coordinate video recording Development of fair memoirs To send fair memoirs to participants and strategic actors Definition of the speakers for the opening and closing events Contact and coordination of the events participants Definition of participants in the opening and closing events Invitation of participants for the opening and closing event Development of the statement to be sign during the closing

5. Opening and

closing event

2. Documentation

of experiences

3. Conferences,

panels, stands

and business

rounds

4.Visibility and

promotion

66

Feria de ConocimientoSeguridad Compromiso Centroamérica Panamá Octubre 2010La UGC brindó apoyo para la realización de la feria Compromiso CentroaméricaCatalógo de experienciasSistematización de la feriahttp://www.compromisocentroamerica.org/

Knowledge FairSecurity Central America CommitmentColombia October, 2010The KMU provided support for the realization of the Central America Commitment fair Experience catalogueSystematization of the fairhttp://www.compromisocentroamerica.org/

Feria de ConocimientoEXPOPAZ Feria de construcción de paz desde las regiones.Bogotá, Colombia Octubre de 2010.La Unidad de Gestión de Conocimiento colaboró en la realización de la feria de conocimiento Expopaz y se elaboró un catalogo de experiencias.https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125840http://www.expopaz.org.co/

Knowledge FairEXPOPAZ Constructing peace from the regions knowledge fair.Bogota, Colombia October 2010.The Knowledge Management Unit collaborated in the realization of the Expopaz knowledge fair and developed an experience catalogue:https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125840http://www.expopaz.org.co/

Feria de ConocimientoSomos Afro: Inclusión social de la población afrodescendiente de Colombia, Ecuador y PanamáCalí, Colombia del 11 al 14 de agosto de 2010

La Unidad de Gestión de Conocimiento brindó apoyo para la realización de esta feria y como producto de conocimiento derivado ayudó en el desarrollo de un catálogo de experiencias.   Catálogo de experienciashttp://www.afrodescendientes-undp.org/page.php?page=3#memoriaferia

Knowledge FairWe are Afro: Inclusion of the Afrodescendant populations of Colombia, Ecuador and Panama Calí, Colombia from august 11 to 14, 2010

The Knowledge Management Unit provided methodological support for the realization of this fair and after helped develop an experience catalogue as a knowledge product.Experience Cataloguehttp://www.afrodescendientes-undp.org/page.php?page=3#memoriaferia

Annex 3: Links to Knowledge Fairs supported by the Knowledge Management Unit during (2009 and 2010)

67

Feria de Conocimiento sobre Seguridad Pública con Ciudadanía, Brasil, agosto 2009.Catálogo de experienciashttps://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125829http://www.conseg.gov.br/portal/conseg

Knowledge Fair on Public Security and Citizenship, Brasil, August 2009.Experience cataloguehttps://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125829http://www.conseg.gov.br/portal/conseg

Feria Global de Migración para el DesarrolloNoviembre 2009Espacio en Teamworks: https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125662Catálogo de ExperienciasPlataforma Virtual

Global Migration for Development Knowledge FairNovember 2009Space in Teamworks: https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125662Experience CatalgoueVirtual Platform

Iberoamerican Fair of Women in Parliament: Policies that transformMadrid, Junio 200955 experiencias sistematizadas, agenda política para la incidencia, metodologías de intercambio

https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125674http://www.americalatinagenera.org/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=388&Itemid=487

Feria Iberoamericana de Mujeres Parlamentarias: Políticas que transformanMadrid July 201055 experiences were systematized, political agenda for incidence, and exchange methodologies

https://undp.unteamworks.org/node/125674http://www.americalatinagenera.org/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=388&Itemid=487

9

The Knowledge Management Unit

69

UNDP is a global knowledge network on development themes. In the region of

Latin America and the Caribbean, the Knowledge Management Unit of the Regional

Centre in Panama, supports the implementation of the knowledge management

strategy, jointly with Country Offices, United Nations Agencies, Governments and

other partners. Within this framework, the KMU provides technical assistance and

counsel for the design and implementation of knowledge management strategies

and activities, including knowledge fairs, mappings and systematizations of

experiences, development of methodological guides, onsite and virtual knowledge

exchanges and transfer of lessons transfer inside a country and between countries.

With these strategies and activities it seeks to promote project effectiveness,

strengthen South-South cooperation and promote development in the region.

Up to date, UNDP has organized and advised the implementation of multiple

knowledge fairs. Knowledge derived from the fairs implemented by governments,

donors and other partners (Bogota 2002, Costa Rica 2003, Guayaquil 2004, Rosario

2005, El Salvador 2006, Brussels 2008, Colombia 2010 and Panama 2010) as well as

other knowledge exchange initiatives within UNDP (Bangkok 2005, Cartagena 2007,

Bratislava 2006), have made it possible to build a set of tools and methodologies for

the organization, development and monitoring of knowledge fairs.

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Knowledge Management Unit UNDP Regionl Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean

Knowledge Management Unit

http://www.regionalcentrelac-undp.org/es/gestion-de-conocimientos