Colaboraciones en CELE

Although I spent only three months at CELE, my time there greatly contributed to my knowledge of internet policy and human rights issues in Latin America and beyond. I was assigned independent research topics from the very beginning, and the level of responsibility and confidence afforded to me by Dr. Bertoni and his research team was both encouraging and inspiring. Overall, this internship has not only cemented my decision to pursue a career in public policy, but allowed me to further narrow my focus to ICT policy and digital rights advocacy. I look forward to moving forward with my career using the knowledge I have gained from working with the CELE team.

I thoroughly enjoyed the year that I spent as a Princeton in Latin America (PiLA) fellow with CELE. The research CELE conducts on the state of freedom of expression and access to information serves as an invaluable reference for advocates in the region and globally, and I was thrilled to have an opportunity to participate in this work. During my time at CELE, I collaborated on a range of projects, including a joint publication with CELE Director Eduardo Bertoni on the relationship between the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and free expression. This experience enriched my understanding of the importance of transparency in issues of governance for the advancement of human rights. The CELE team is an enormously engaged, vibrant, and supportive group, and I feel very fortunate for the year spent working alongside them.

Working at CELE was one of the most meaningful moments of my postgraduate career. I arrived knowing little else than the fact that I was endowed the right to express myself and was grateful for my freedom to do so. While working with CELE for six months, I was invited to collaborate on projects that gave me a new perspective on what defending human rights in the 21st century looks like in a more intangible sector, the Internet. It was extremely eye opening to realize the variety of obstacles to access to information and Internet that still exist in Latin American countries. I was constantly edified by conversations in workshops, seminars and even casual talks over lunch. It was a privilege to work alongside professionals who were well versed in their field and willing to invest in others who took the time to learn. Only after working with the lawyers from CELE did I finally make the decision to pursue law. It was seeing their genuine passion for innovative solutions and the practical application of law, which cemented my decision. I am forever grateful to all of the employees of this office for challenging my perceptions on what human rights actually are, assigning me interesting projects and for valuing my input no matter how small.

During my time at CELE, I learned about freedom of expression on the internet, access to information, and media laws in Latin America. Simply by translating important documents and sitting in on conferences organized by CELE, I came to understand the necessity of CELE's work in a quickly changing technological landscape, one that is ever more relevant in Latin America. I also learned about specific issues related to freedom of expression and press regulation in several Latin American countries while collaborating on a project on self-regulation of the press and media laws. I enjoyed meeting CELE's staff who provided an excellent environment for collaboration and research in areas relevant to their work and of interest to interns.

A lo largo de los ocho meses que colaboré en el CELE, exploré diversos temas relacionados con la libertad de expresión y el derecho al acceso a la información en el continente americano. Tuve la oportunidad de colaborar en proyectos de investigación que se enfocaban en analizar discursos de odio, así como proyectos sobre mecanismos de protección para periodistas. Sin lugar a dudas, el trabajo en el CELE no sólo fue una gran aventura y un extraordinario reto, sino que además resultó ser una increíble experiencia intelectual que me permitió participar en las discusiones de política y legislación más importantes de nuestro continente.

The experience I gained at CELE is invaluable. CELE allowed me to become familiar with legal issues related to freedom of expression and access to information in Latin America. Furthermore, as a first year law student, I learned extremely valuable skills in regards to research, spotting legal issues and argumentation. My main task at CELE was writing an Amicus brief, which allowed me to learn and grow in the field of law. Finally, during my internship, I was able to attend sessions of a seminar organized by CELE regarding the right to access information and communication in Latin America. At this seminar, notable scholars from all over the world offered conferences on the challenges facing freedom of expression globally, and the mechanisms that are being created by countries to promote and protect freedom of expression. Every single one of these experiences was truly eye opening and enriching, particularly for somebody who, like me, is looking to build a successful career in the field of law.

My time at CELE proved a wonderful learning experience -- thanks in great part to being able to work alongside Eduardo Bertoni, CELE's incredibly knowledgeable director, who encourages intellectual curiosity and independent initiative at every turn. In my short time at the Center, I engaged in a comparative analysis of model Freedom of Access to Information laws in Africa and the Americas, which provided me with an insightful look into the most salient issues surrounding this field globally. Moreover, the staff at CELE is not only generous in letting us interns collaborate meaningfully in their projects, but they also help create a very pleasant work environment day-to-day.

"Working with CELE for two months was an intensely rewarding experience. I learned about -- and learned to critically analyze -- issues of free expression in the Americas both in a broad scope, geographically and temporally, and at the more focused level of an emerging issue in Argentine jurisprudence. It is a privilege to carry these lessons with me as I move forward in a legal career".

"Working at CELE proved a wonderful experience in which I was able to explore various issues surrounding regulations affecting freedom of speech and expression on the Internet in assisting with a project proposal for the Open Society Institute. The ability to work with Eduardo Bertoni, the Director of CELE and an expert on issues of freedom of expression and access to information for all of Latin America, gave me great insight into these issues. In addition, the supportive and academic environment of the law school at the University of Palermo enriched the experience and offered the opportunity to attend talks with leading legal scholars and practitioners in Latin America".

Through writing an executive summary for one of CELE's reports, summarizing decisions of the Inter-American Human Court and translating a variety of different documents, I gained familiarity with the basic freedom of expression issues in the Americas. I also learned even more from CELE's staff who, besides being extremely knowledgeable about the state of freedom of expression in the Americas, were incredibly welcoming and fun to be around.

La oportunidad de participar en el programa de colaboraciones del Centro de Estudios en Libertad de Expresión y Acceso a la Información (CELE) fue esencial en mi proceso de desarrollo educativo en Argentina. El equipo de trabajo y su director, Eduardo Bertoni, me permitieron poner en práctica mis destrezas de investigación, redacción y comunicación multilingüe en los trabajos y me dieron acceso a los recursos didácticos, actividades, talleres y discusiones del centro. Todos los miembros del CELE, los profesores, equipo de trabajo y administrativo estuvieron disponibles y accesibles para contestar todas mis preguntas y orientarme sobre el mundo del derecho y la educación universitaria en la Argentina. Mi experiencia de intercambio en la Universidad de Palermo me brindó las herramientas necesarias para poder asumir posturas, participar de manera informada en debates y obtener material investigativo y didáctico que me permita ser una profesional competente y excelente en el campo del derecho internacional y comparado. Agradezco a todos y todas las personas que fueron pieza clave en el proceso. Siempre recordare con afecto y aprecio mis vivencias en Argentina y todo lo aprendido en la Universidad de Palermo.

CELE is an ideal place to learn about and participate in the current freedom of expression and access to information issues and debates in Latin America. In my ongoing collaboration with CELE, I have taken part in sessions with visiting scholars about media regulation, researched hate speech legislation and jurisprudence in the Americas for a study solicited by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, helped write a paper for and participated in a conference on Internet and Freedom of Expression hosted by CELE and the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and drafted grant proposals. Eduardo Bertoni and the staff of CELE are incredibly knowledgeable and are producing interesting and vital work. As a journalist who was interested in but previously unfamiliar with the field, it has been an extremely valuable learning experience.

Trabajar en el CELE fue una experiencia increíble para mí. Aprendí mucho en poco tiempo y pude investigar sobre importantes temas internacionales. Me siento sumamente agradecida de haber sido recibida en una institución como el CELE.

Aunque fue breve, mi práctica en el CELE fue instructiva y agradable. Aprendí mucho sobre las regulaciones de los medios de comunicación, un tema que no conocía. Como estudiante, el CELE me ha dado una nueva perspectiva sobre los derechos humanos, fundamentales en una democracia, y el rol que el Estado debe tener en su regulación. El equipo fue muy amable durante mi estadía y me animaron a practicar mi castellano y a aprender más sobre libertad de expresión y acceso a la información.