The Alejandro Angel Escobar Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, devoted to the promotion of scientific investigation and social development programs in Colombia through the annual awarding of the Alejandro Angel Escobar Prizes in Science and Solidarity.

In July 1954, by  the Resolution 1952 of the Ministry of Justice was created the Foundation, which was established by testamentary will of Alejandro Angel Escobar. Doña María Restrepo Angel, widow of the founder, was the President and animating spirit of the Foundation for almost 40 years.

Since its establishment the Foundation has awarded the most important research in all areas of science - Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as the most prominent institutions working for the benefit and well-being of Colombian citizens and their communities. Between 1954 and 2014 the Foundation has awarded 115 prizes to investigations in Science and 114 organizations working in solidarity.

Other activities

Established in 2005, this Fund provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students who work on topics related to knowledge, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in Colombia. It also has the Workshop Biodiversa Colombia, which seeks to promote understanding of the most challenging issues in environmental matters in Colombia and the world.

Is an electronic bulletin by which the Foundation reports news of science, environment and solidarity. This newsletter is powered by notes sent from research centers, universities,  organizations working in the social area, readers of La Cotorra and winners of the ALEJANDRO ESCOBAR ANGEL Awards.

In this library, the Foundation makes ​​available to the public, all research papers that have participated since 1955 in Alejandro Angel Escobar awards, in the category of Science. Additionally, it has established the María Restrepo de Angel Editorial Collection.

Since 2009 the Foundation launched a photo contest through which it seeks to establish a dynamic, agile and fresh relationship, not only with  more than four thousand direct readers of La Cotorra, but with a wider audience, different from the academic, scientific and social.

The Foundation is also part of the National Environmental Forum, an institutional alliance dedicated to the reflection and discussion on the country's environmental policy and the approach of recommendations for better integration of the environmental dimension into development policy of Colombia.