General data

Fundación Vía Libre of Córdoba, Argentina, is an NGO working on the social implications of information and communication technologies throughout Latin America, with very strong ties to the region's software libre community, to Academia, to other civil society organizations, and to the global Software Libre movement.

Main areas of activity

Via Libre's work on the role of software libre for the public administration has led to numerous legislative projects demanding the use of free software for all public administration work. The template "free software bill" Vía Libre together with lawmakers and a large international group of software supporters helped create, introduce and promote in several latin american countries was mentioned in the FLOSS report as recommended legislation for all European Union member countries.

Vía Libre is currently part of the international consortium executing the FLOSSWorld program within the European Union's 6th Framework Program, led by the University of Maastricht. Vía Libre's Support Program for Small and Medium Organizations, co-funded by Fundación Avina of Switzerland and Argentina's National Agency for Science and Technology, aims at helping small bussinesses and NGOsintroduce software libre in their operations through training, preconfigured software packages and the development of a free ERP tailored to their needs. Vía Libre has cooperated heavily with Heinrich Böll Stiftung over the last two years, working on publications, events and conferences on issuess related to copyrights and patents all over Latin America.

Vía Libre routinely collaborates with the organization of national and international software libre conferences together with organizations such as UNESCO, SADIO (Argentine Society of Informatics), USUARIA (Argentine Association of ICT Users) and others, and its members are sought-after speakers at universities and events all over Latin America on a variety of issues related to software libre, from philosophical to practical to policy.

Vía Libre participates in UNESCO's Free Telecenter Network, cooperates with GLEducar's efforts to integrate information technology in schools using software libre, and is in constant touch and collaboration with universities, public offices, NGOs and groups of software libre users.

International Networks and Collaborations

Fundación Vía Libre has strong ties to the Free Software communities all over Latin America, from informal Free Software user groups to established projects and organizations. It works very closely with the Free Software Foundation, as well as with its sisters FSFE and FSFLA. It also works with academic communities such as Copy/South and takes part in international cooperation projects like the EU's own FLOSSWORLD. Vía Libre cooperates routinely with NGOs and international bodies in the organization of events and publication of works.

Indicators of Quality and Reputation

Vía Libre is one of the best-known and respected Latin American organizations working on issues related to Free Software. Its publications are often cited in research papers and international projects, and its speakers are a frequent feature at Free Software events in Latin America and Europe.