Entering the IMPA factory, I realise why it is particularly appreciated by directors and photographers. There is something magic about the place. It is not just the rays of light coming through the windows, but the dozens of machines, originally used to transform aluminium, that occupy all three floors of the factory. They seem to have a story to tell. It is also curious how such a large surface is only occupied by 60 workers.

“2009 was not just another year. It started with a new Miguel Bru that was Luciano Arruga, and finished with a new Walter Bulacios: Ruben Carballo. Police repression and violence grew to the point of taking the life of someone every 24 hours.” Any student of Argentine history is familiar with the dictatorship of the 1970s and 80s, and the thousands of students, unionists and activists that were “disappeared” by the military regime. Victims were kidnapped from their homes or the streets, tortured and murdered, and their bodies never discovered.

Tourists have long felt the pull of Argentina’s stunning landscapes, vibrant culture and sumptuous gastronomy. However, as demand soars for a low cost tummy tuck or affordable fertility treatment, a new attraction is drawing scores of international visitors to the country: the surgeon’s knife. Reports show that the number of patients from the US flying to Argentina for medical procedures has increased by 75% in the last 12 months.

The recent UN Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark was of historic proportions, delegates from over 190 countries and tens of thousands of activists, environmentalists and journalists attended. But the 12-page accord fell short of living up to its potential. The vague language and lack of concrete commitment reflected the failure of the negotiations to create obligatory goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The urban conurbation of Gran Buenos Aires is home to a third of Argentina’s population, with some 13 million citizens living in the sprawling metropolis. A significant proportion of these currently have limited or no access to formal housing. They live either on the streets of Buenos Aires or in informal shanty towns, known as villas miserias. There are over 1,000 villas in the conurbation, housing nearly 700,000 citizens according to recent estimates.

It seems rather incongruous that in a world of such sophisticated means of communication, we often suffer from a distinct lack of listeners. Getting a point across can prove to be the most difficult and frustrating task, and the messages we so adamantly attempt to impress habitually fall upon deaf ears. Sometimes, words are not enough.