La Higuera, October 28, 2025. The second literary competition, “El Archipiélago de Humboldt en 110 Palabras” (1), was officially launched at the Yerba Buena InfoPoint in the southern part of the Humboldt Archipelago (2). The competition is an initiative of the Fundación Sphenisco Chile. The project is supported by the municipality of La Higuera, international organizations such as Sphenisco e.V., the sponsors Rostock Zoo and Ouwehand Zoo Foundation (3), as well as national (4) and local organizations (5).
The competition took place for the first time in 2024 and invites children, young people, and adults from the Coquimbo and Atacama regions to write short stories of no more than 110 words that express their connection to the sea, the fauna and flora, and the communities of the coastal region. The aim of the initiative is to promote reading, creativity, and respect for biodiversity, and above all to encourage younger generations to appreciate and protect the unique ecosystem of the Humboldt Archipelago.
At the opening, several participants emphasized the need to protect the Humboldt penguin, which is critically endangered. The Humboldt penguin is an endemic species and the symbol of the large marine ecosystem known as the Humboldt Current.
The president of Sphenisco Chile, Nancy Duman, emphasized the organization's commitment to environmental education and the power of the written word as a means of raising awareness and inspiring action. “It is a competition that uses creativity and words to enable people to become more familiar with the Humboldt Archipelago.” She invited many to “join in and participate, saying that the prizes were very interesting, especially for people who are not yet familiar with the archipelago.”
José Aguilera, the representative for culture and cultural heritage for the municipality of La Higuera, praised the continuity of the competition and its contribution to the identity of the municipality. He emphasized that literature can be a tool for strengthening memory and a sense of belonging. "For us as a municipality, it is very important to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the region. We think it's great that this is happening here in Yerba Buena, a historic place where measures are being taken to preserve and rescue, as well as promote, local biodiversity. Therefore, as a community, we are very happy to participate in this competition and be part of this initiative."
Journalist and writer Gabriel Canihuante, who is serving on the competition jury for the second consecutive year, emphasized the connection between literature and environmental awareness. He stressed the role of creativity in connecting people with their environment. “It is an honor and a source of pride for me to be part of the jury for the second literary competition. I really enjoy this work, and it makes me very happy to read what children, young people, and adults write.”
Elena Jiménez, representative of the regional Ministry of Education and coordinator of school libraries, emphasized the importance of promoting reading and integrating environmental issues into the educational process. This strengthens the connection between schools and the region. “I consider this competition to be fundamental and essential for raising awareness among students of different ages and educational levels from the Coquimbo and Atacama regions and giving them the opportunity to learn more about the Humboldt Archipelago and the entire region that is part of this wonderful archipelago.”
The chairman and artisan fisherman Leonardo Ahumada, who is also a representative of “Chungungo Turismo Azul” from Chungungo (6), praised the cooperation between organizations and communities to promote marine conservation and sustainable tourism. “For us in Chungungo, it is very good that this competition is being launched here in this area. It allows us to learn about biodiversity and the Humboldt Archipelago with all its riches... it shows how beautiful our area is.”
Teacher Dana Donoso highlighted the educational value of the competition as a tool for sparking curiosity, a love of reading, and respect for the environment in students. "We are located in the Yerba Buena area and are a group committed to the development and protection of the environment. We are part of the coastal region of the Humboldt Archipelago and believe it is very important to invite all citizens to participate in this competition, with the aim of raising awareness of our biodiversity and the coastlines of the Atacama and Coquimbo regions and learning more about them."
After the celebration, participants took an informative walk near Tilgo Island. The Tilgo area is part of the Humboldt Archipelago, where visitors can see the flora of the coastal desert and learn about the natural wealth of this region up close. The walk encouraged reflection on the importance of preserving biodiversity and promoting learning experiences with nature.
The conditions of participation, copyright declaration, and permission to use the works are already available at www.sphenisco.cl.
Literary contributions can be submitted until December in the categories children, young people, and adults.
With the relaunch of the competition, Fundación Sphenisco Chile reaffirms its commitment to environmental education, culture, and the protection of the Humboldt Archipelago. The foundation reminds us that, as stated at the opening ceremony, “writing is also a form of protection.”
Fundación Sphenisco Chile
notes
For better readability, the generic masculine form is used in this article. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms used in this article refer to all genders.
(1) The article “Segunda edición del concurso literario ‘El archipiélago de Humboldt en 110 palabras’” (English: “Second literary competition ‘The Humboldt Archipelago in 110 Words’ opens”) was taken from the website of the Sphenisco Chile Foundation and translated using the free version of deepl.
(2) The Yerba Buena InfoPoint is located in the municipality of La Higuera.
(3) The Ouwehand Zoo Foundation is based in Rhenen, Netherlands. With the help of this foundation, Ouwehand Dierenpark promotes nature conservation, species preservation, and environmental education.
(4) National and regional organizations: Ministry of Agriculture of the Coquimbo Region, National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) Coquimbo, Environmental Defense Coquimbo Region, online newspaper El Mostrador, Alianza Humboldt Coquimbo Atacama, Red de Observadores de Aves y Vida Silvestre de Chile (ROC), NGO Eco Terra.
(5) Local organizations: Agrupación Yerba Buena, Cultrucción Caleta Los Hornos.
(6) Coastal village in the Humboldt Archipelago area.
