Event will run July 24–26, with all donations going directly to the World Food Programme’s relief efforts in Venezuela.
Following the recent earthquakes in Venezuela, members of the Global Game Jam (GGJ) community are coming together to support those affected. Organized by Global Game Jam organizers in Latin America, including site organizers in Venezuela, the initiative will bring developers from across the region and around the world together for a shared cause.
Global Game Jam is partnering with World Food Program USA, which is mobilizing support for the World Food Programme’s (WFP) earthquake response in Venezuela. WFP is on the ground providing disaster relief and humanitarian logistics support to ensure food assistance reaches affected communities.
Event Details
Juntos: Game Jam for Venezuela Earthquake Relief, a virtual game jam, will take place July 24-26. The jam is open to developers from anywhere in the world. The jam will be hosted on itch.io and the Global Game Jam Discord. The jam will be fully bilingual in English and Spanish. Participation is free, and donating is voluntary. If you want to donate, you can do so here.
You don’t need to donate to jam, and you don’t need to jam to donate.
The event will include:
- A virtual kickoff event on July 24
- An online game jam from July 24 – 26
- A showcase of submitted games on August 5
How to Get Involved
- Jam: Register for the jam on itch.io: https://itch.io/jam/juntos-game-jam-venezuela-earthquake-relief
- Donate: Donations can be made here: https://tilt.fyi/cVK5Fy1gzr
- Watch: For the Kickoff Livestream on July 24, sign up here. For the post-jam showcase on August 5, sign up here.
- Share: Help us get the word out about this jam/fundraising initiative across your networks and communities.
You can even create your own individual fundraising campaign as part of this jam. Get your friends, family or coworkers to sponsor your jam team. Launch a charity livestream – and more. Just go here to get started.
All funds will go directly to WFP’s Venezuela relief efforts.
Why This Matters
“Those of us who make video games know that no project comes together on its own: it always takes a team,” said Denyam Noguera, one of the event’s lead organizers and a GGJ site organizer in Zulia, Venezuela. “Today, Venezuela needs its one. As a Venezuelan and an organizer of the Global Game Jam, I’m thrilled to see how many of my colleagues across the country are coming together for this cause, and how the global community responded immediately. That’s why I invite you to join this charity jam: create, play, and share with us to raise funds for those affected. And if you can’t participate, you can also help with a donation. Every contribution counts. We’re moving forward, for those who come after us.”
“This jam is proof of something I’ve always believed: video games bring people together to create things of value, even, and especially, in the darkest of times. In games, we learn that after every fall comes another try.” Denyam Noguera, GGJ site organizer in Zulia, Venezuela
GGJ’s leadership shares that sense of purpose and call to action.
“Global Game Jam has always been about what our community can create together,” said GGJ Executive Director Maria Burns Ortiz. “This initiative, brought forward by our local jam organizers, shows that the same drive and talent that brings jammers together to make games can also bring jammers together to support each other in times of crisis.”
In addition to raising funds, the jam aims to be a show of solidarity for GGJ’s Venezuelan jammers, their families and communities and raise awareness of the ongoing impact of this devastating event.
“What we’ve seen in response to the devastation in Venezuela is that everyday people want to help in any way that they can,” said Barron Segar, President and CEO of World Food Program USA. “We’re incredibly thankful that the Global Game Jam community has stepped up to create this unique platform that brings together creativity, passion and impact in support of WFP and the people of Venezuela. Humanitarian work is as much about community as it is logistics, and this new model of support is a great example of that.”
Bring the Community Together for a Cause
“One of the things I love most about the Global Game Jam community is how quickly people come together when someone needs support,” said Chriss Vasquez, GGJ Regional Organizer for Latin America. “In moments like this, when so many people have been affected by tragedy, that sense of community becomes even more important. This initiative started with organizers in Venezuela, but it quickly became something the wider Latin American community wanted to be part of. Games have always been a way to bring people together, and through this Game Jam we hope to do exactly that while celebrating the creativity, talent, and culture that make Venezuela so special.”
Along with Noguera and Vasquez, other GGJ organizers in Venezuela coordinating the jam are Kevin Esaa (Maracay), Romario Valera (Valencia) and Jose Pacheco (Lara).
About the Partners
About Global Game Jam
Global Game Jam is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower people around the world to learn, experiment, and create together through the medium of games. In addition to organizing the largest game jam in the world across over 800 sites worldwide, GGJ works year-round to support, promote, and grow the global game development community.
About World Food Program USA
World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C., proudly supports the mission of the World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. Our leadership and support help to bolster an enduring American legacy of feeding families in need around the world. To learn more about World Food Program USA’s mission, please visit wfpusa.org/mission-history.
About the World Food Programme
The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s frontline responder to hunger and one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world. WFP delivers food assistance to save lives in emergencies and help communities build resilience against future shocks. WFP is also a key enabler in the wider humanitarian system. Its logistical, technology and innovation expertise and assets support other humanitarian partners to deliver faster, smarter, and more efficiently on their own mission. In 2020, WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. To learn more about WFP, please visit wfp.org
Disclaimer: Games developed as part of this Game Jam are created independently by participating teams. World Food Programme USA does not endorse, approve, sponsor, or validate any game, content, opinions, or claims presented in these submissions.
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This article was originally posted on Global Game Jam.
