Publish Date: Oct 22, 2026
Argentina, 6 October 2026: Torcuato Di Tella University hosted the second edition of the Unstereotype Alliance LATAM Summit, a regional gathering convened by UN Women that brought together more than 450 participants from the private sector, creative industries, media, academia, international organisations and civil society to reflect on the power of narratives to shape culture and the futures we imagine.
Under the theme “Narratives That Build the Future,” the Summit centred on one key question: What narratives do we need today to build more inclusive futures?
Over the course of a day combining thought-provoking conversations, panels, workshops, case studies, artistic experiences, interactive activities and networking opportunities, representatives from different sectors shared experiences and tools to explore how the stories and representations circulating in society can reinforce stereotypes, but also open up new possibilities.
The second edition built on the foundations laid in 2025 and further established the Summit as a regional platform for collaboration among those who produce knowledge, make decisions, build brands, create content and have the power to influence the narratives that shape culture.
Four key themes for understanding how we shape culture
The Summit’s agenda centred on four timely themes: artificial intelligence, the creator economy, sport and narratives.
Across the programme, discussions explored the challenges of preventing artificial intelligence from reproducing and automating bias; the growth of the creator economy and new forms of influence; the need to create conditions that enable more women and girls to remain in sport; and the role of stories in broadening what people believe is possible.
The diversity of perspectives helped connect discussions on equality and representation with the people who produce, shape and amplify the stories that form part of everyday life.
The Power of Narratives to Expand Opportunities
For Mariana Massaccesi, Private Sector Specialist at UN Women Argentina and lead of the Unstereotype Alliance Argentina & LATAM, one of the key challenges is recognising that transforming narratives also means transforming the possibilities we imagine for people.
“Stories do more than describe the world: they shape it. They show us who can lead, create, play or build technology. When stereotypes are repeated, they end up limiting what we see and what we believe is possible,” she said.
This transformation also has a business dimension. A study by the Unstereotype Alliance and the University of Oxford, which analysed 392 brands across 58 countries, found that brands with more inclusive advertising recorded 3.5% higher sales in the short term and 16% higher sales in the long term. “Eliminating stereotypes is not just the right thing to do; it is about understanding audiences better and selling more effectively,” Massaccesi said.
In this context, the Summit provided an opportunity to share experiences across sectors and advance a dialogue focused on turning ideas into concrete action.
Collaboration as a Driver of Change
A central theme of the gathering was the need to strengthen collaboration among the private sector, international organisations, academia and the creative industries.
For Verónica Baracat, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Women Office in Argentina, the event provided an opportunity to deepen this dialogue. “The private sector has enormous power to help transform social norms and stereotypes because, every day, it contributes to creating products, technologies, images, stories and cultures that reach millions of people.”
Stories, Masculinities and New Possibilities
Among the featured speakers at the Summit was Alfonso Dosal, actor and UN Women Mexico spokesperson, who opened the morning with a talk titled “Creating and Telling Good Stories Can Change the World.”
During his presentation, Dosal reflected on the role of narratives in shaping new understandings of masculinities and building more equal societies. “Can a story change the world? To answer that question, there are many others we, as men, need to ask ourselves but often don’t: What privileges are we unwilling to give up? Why do we continue to reinforce stereotypes? What stories do we want to keep telling?”
His contribution highlighted the importance of broadening representations of men and creating stories that allow us to imagine new ways of relating to one another, caring for others and expressing emotions.
From Debate to Action
The R.E.D. de Empresas por la Diversidad (Business Network for Diversity) at Torcuato Di Tella University, which hosted the event, once again served as a space for exchange between academia, businesses and other stakeholders committed to cultural transformation. For María José Sucarrat, Director of the R.E.D. de Empresas por la Diversidad at Torcuato Di Tella University, one of the Summit’s key contributions was reaffirming the importance of sustaining efforts towards equality.
“These are difficult times, especially for organisations. Many have been discouraged from working on gender equality and diversity, and some have stopped publicly showcasing their work in these areas. The good news is that many still have the freedom to do so and believe it is truly important to keep this agenda moving forward.”
Three Questions Shaping the Future
Throughout the day, the Summit explored three areas where culture is being shaped and amplified today, each framed around a key question:
- Artificial intelligence: How can we innovate with AI without automating bias?
- The creator economy: Who shapes culture today, and how is the power of influence changing?
- Sport: What needs to change to enable more women and girls to remain in sport?
One overarching question connected all the discussions:
What stories do we need to tell to expand what we believe is possible?
From different perspectives, these three areas sparked discussion on how the decisions we make today can expand, or limit, the representations, opportunities and possibilities available to future generations.
A Gathering to Build New Partnerships
The second edition of the Unstereotype Alliance Summit LATAM brought a day of dialogue and exchange to a close, bringing together more than 450 participants and reinforcing the continuity of a regional agenda launched in 2025.
With “Narratives That Build the Future” as its central theme, the Summit brought technology, culture, communications, business, sport and representation into conversation, encouraging participants to see stories not only as reflections of society, but also as tools capable of broadening horizons.
The gathering reaffirmed the importance of collective action to transform narratives and advance representations that reflect the diversity of our societies more fully and authentically.
The Summit leaves an important conversation open, one that extends beyond the event itself: What stories are we creating today, and what futures are we helping to make possible?
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Link to the full programme of the Unstereotype Alliance Summit LATAM 2026. https://lac.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2026-10/programa_summit_latam_2026.pdf
Link to download photos from the event https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BuLVBZzE22TnVZbilHf7vCC_S86aGE4p
About the Unstereotype Alliance
The Unstereotype Alliance aims to eradicate harmful stereotypes in advertising and the media to help create a more equal world.
Convened by UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women, the Alliance takes collective action to empower people in all their diversity, including across gender, class, age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, language and education. It harnesses advertising as a powerful tool to drive positive change around the world.
The Unstereotype Alliance Argentina Chapter was established in 2022 and comprises Unilever, Alurralde, Jasper + Asociados, Apex, Bi Universe, Diageo, Dreamco, Konecta, London Supply Group, Mastercard, Mondelēz, Natura, Ukelele, the Argentine Chamber of Advertisers (Cámara Argentina de Anunciantes), Mujeres en Publicidad (MEP) and Walrus.
For more information, visit:
https://www.instagram.com/onumujeresar/
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https://x.com/ONUMujeresArg
Media Contact: lourdes.fernandezmadero@unwomen.org