Category Archives: EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Isabelle Bourgeois: Your joy is my destination

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Tony Robinson from Pressenza

Early readers from the first days of Pressenza will remember Isabelle Bourgeois as a passionate journalist who joined the Base Team of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.  Almost every day, Isabelle would upload a video summary of the day’s events, telling both the serious and humorous sides of the journey.

In fact, Isabelle is a professionally trained journalist who has worked in war zones such as Iraq, Ethiopia and Kosovo for the Red Cross, but despairing of the one-sided stories portrayed in the media, Isabelle abandoned mainstream journalism and has set off to follow her own dream, driven by a profound purpose: to seek out joy in the world and to transmit it to as many people as possible.

As I know Isabelle very well from the time we shared on the World March, she called me a few weeks ago to say she was on her tour called “Joy for the Planet” and wanted to come and see what inspiring people she could find in Hungary.  I realised that after 6 months’ sleeping in her camper van, she’d probably welcome the spare bed and hot shower I could offer her!  So to Budapest she came and I helped out while she met up with a young Japanese ballet dancer who she was in contact with and who offered to be a subject in a video to spread joy through dance.  We spoke a lot about her project, her purpose and the future.


Isabelle decorates her beloved vehicle and home for 2018 (Image by Joy for the Planet)

One has the impression with Isabelle that she is being guided by a great force.  What seems to be a coincidence at first, later on always feels like it was meant to be.  As she says herself, “I’m the right person at the right place, at the right time with the right people.”
I took the opportunity to interview her for Pressenza and offer her her old role back!

Pressenza: What is Joy for the Planet? Tell us about this project.

Isabelle Bourgeois: Joy for the planet is a journey around the world but starting with a tour through Europe, with my camper van that I’ve called Begoodee, in order to promote and share joy, enthusiasm and passion through meeting inspiring people.  I’m a journalist and all my life I’ve been dedicated to promoting and sharing positive news, inspiring news, through the media and I wanted to bring my own contribution to improve humankind, somehow, on a very humble level.  So the idea is to travel throughout Europe for one year with the gift that I’m born with and with my experience as a journalist, with my camera, with my microphone and pencil and some drawings.  I’m bringing joy and sharing joy as a volunteer through videos, articles and interviews.

PZ: I see that as part of the project, in every place you go, you look for inspiring people who you award with the title nominee of joy and give them a solar lamp. What’s that about?

IB: The idea again is to bring trust and faith, but faith not in a religious sense, faith in yourself, faith in your life’s mission, faith in the purpose that you are living on Earth.  So the idea is to build bridges instead of fear, instead of walls, to show how much beauty there is in the world and how many great and inspiring people there are.  And on the road, in order to show the light that goes from person to person helping each other and being passionate about their lives, I found a concrete way to symbolize this transmission of love and passion with a little solar lamp.

So on the road, in a way which is not at all planned or controlled, something totally spontaneous, I might meet some people; adults, disabled people, children who are willing to build solar lamps with me.  So they add their light to this project, they add their love, they add their hopes, by building these little lamps.  And on the road I offer these lamps to inspiring people who dedicate their lives to others, or who bring better living conditions for us.

PZ: What led you to take on this great adventure?

IB: For the last 25 years, I’ve been a journalist and at the beginning I was a regular journalist, writing about gossip, violence and scandals; nothing that actually helps anyone to evolve and I was also working as a humanitarian delegate in war-torn countries.  And being in war zones I was surprised to see so much love, solidarity, great behaviour and forgiveness from all parties involved in the conflict.  But in the evening when I came back home and switched on the TV, the media were only talking about terrorism, bomb attacks, violence and blood, and I said that there’s something here which isn’t right, because I’m in the middle of the war and I see so much beauty also, so much love, so much peace and I thought, “Oh, there’s a kind of conscious manipulation by omitting what makes people human beings.”  And I didn’t want to take part in that lie anymore because this war and violence is a reality but it’s not the reality.  And I witnessed also another reality which is solidarity, helping each other, forgiving and so 15 years ago I decided to create a good news website – somehow similar to Pressenza – on a voluntary basis and I decided to quit mainstream journalism for good, because it contributes much more to increasing fear, hate and judgment among people than to bringing trust and inspiring solutions.  So this was the first thing I did.

And then I tried as a freelance journalist to publish good news, inspiring news, but most of the media said, “Good news is not news, Isabelle,” and, “You’re too idealistic, you’re too naïve.” Really, I was hitting my head against a brick wall for many years, wanting to show that other side of reality.

So in the mean time I created other projects like, for instance, Planet Positive Action which is a travel company that organises solidarity tours. 

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It’s about travellers who visit a country while at the same time helping and giving a meaning to the trip. So I did that while taking a bit more distance from journalism but I never gave up on the idea of really bringing my journalistic faculties to others because I love my job.

I think journalism is one of the most beautiful jobs in the world.  So two years ago I said I will not give up on inspiring journalism or humanist journalism and I said, “But how can I bring my reportage, my features, my articles, if mainstream media are not that interested in publishing what I see and who I meet?”  And so I said, “I’ll do it on my own, I’ll just find some money to buy a vehicle and I’ll jump into the world with my camera, my microphone, my pencil and I’ll just do it on my own. I will not wait any more for people to follow me in this. I’ll just do it.”

And I did some crowdfunding last November and I succeeded to collect eighteen thousand euros which was beyond my expectations because I was asking for fifteen thousand.  And then I bought my second-hand old camper van and that’s it.  I started my journey from Switzerland six months ago and this is how it happened, to make a long story short. Although the project only took shape two years ago, it’s really a life-time commitment.

PZ: On your journey so far from Switzerland with Begoodee, where have you been? And could you give us a couple of highlights for you?

IB:  Yes.  So I started in Switzerland then I went down to Sardinia, Corsica, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Finland and then I went through all the Baltic countries to Poland, and I landed now a few days ago in Budapest.

Highlights?  Actually every day of that journey has been a highlight because I’ve met such unbelievable people, extraordinary people.

So for instance in Finland, I met Villé, a 25 years old young man who tried to kill himself when he was 16 years old because he couldn’t fit with that world.  It was like he was parachuted on to a terrible planet he didn’t want to belong to. So he jumped off a cliff, and he told me, “I jumped from the cliff. I’ve lost two legs, but I found my joy.”  And he was sharing with me what made him so joyful today and he said that it was this path that has nothing to do with what is visible, with materialistic issues; it’s about finding peace and loving everything whatever it is, beyond shape and form, beyond the physical.  So he was really a fantastic person.

Also in Finland, I participated in the world championships of boot-throwing. This also I loved so much because it was kind of, when you’re going through a hard time and you have this total nonsense sport which helps you also to give a meaning to your life, because it helps you to take distance from drama and from seriousness.  So I found it actually very therapeutic.

Also in the South of France I met a guy whose dream, he is 75 years old, was to cross the Atlantic inside a barrel.

I’ve met Buddhists, I’ve met Jewish people who are committed to bringing peace to the Middle East.  I’ve met dancers who were dancing to bring all the nations together.

And I have rewarded – it’s not me actually it’s the project, because there is a big difference between me and the project – so the project has rewarded so far 36 or 37 nominees of Joy.

PZ: What’s the future for this project?  Where are you seeing it in the future?

IB:  Of course, the idea now is to build something that will remain, that will be useful for everyone.  So this year’s journey is just for me a calling card to show to everyone that I want to give an example.  So, I did it with all my love, with all my convictions.  I did it and then I will write a book about this journey and I would like to make a movie because so far I’ve edited more than 60 videos but very short so I’d like to make a movie. And then with this movie, the journey (the experience), the writing and the film, I would like to create a kind of a place, a physical location, where people can experience joy: joy through art, joy through science (with quantum physics, for instance, how your thoughts are influencing your destiny), joy with music, joy and education, and so on.  So, it will be a place where people can experience, in an interactive way, how to find the key to joy in life and how to live a dream, how to align your values with your actions.

PZ:  What have you learned in these last six months?

IB: [Laughter] That I was right! I’ve learned somehow very deep, but I’ve learned that I was right to trust human beings.  I was right all my life to trust human beings, and to see jewels within them. And people who behave badly, it’s not that they’re bad, it’s just that they didn’t have the chance to be loved enough to follow their dreams.  So all the harm and the bad is coming from ignorance.  It’s not coming from reality, rather from a source of negativity.  It’s really an accident in a loving process in an individual’s path.  So, I’ve learned that actually everyone is good and has a very beautiful ground but education factors have stopped them from remaining loving or a loved person.  I’ve learned that I shouldn’t judge anymore what is right and what is wrong, because if you decide what’s right, what’s wrong, then you will feed the notion of duality and this is not at all what I would like to contribute.  So by accepting light and dark, good and bad in a compassionate way, I believe that I contribute more to building this sense of oneness on earth.

PZ: And finally, what brings you joy?

IB: Of course, this project actually.  There is joy in finding joy actually.  So because all my life, I really felt joy despite the burdens, difficulties and troubles in my life, I never quit that deep feeling that everything has a purpose and that we’re not alone and that there’s a reason for all the turbulence in your life.  So I never quit that underground stream of joy, but it was of course up and down, up and down, like as if I was going out of the flow and then back into the flow, and out of the flow and back again.  But now, through this project I feel really that I’m non-stop in the flow of joy, non-stop, because I feel that I’m the right person at the right place, at the right time with the right people and that I’m really doing what I was born for, that I’m in my life’s mission.

PZ: Very good. Thank you and good luck!

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe

As UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan Stressed Need For Culture Of Peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by CPNN

As we mourn the death of Kofi Annan, we recall his inspiring leadership as the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The following is his message for the occasion of the International Day of Peace, 14 September, 1999:

“The principal mandate of the United Nations to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war remains as valid today as when those words were written into the Charter more than half a century ago. For millions upon millions of people throughout our world, the march of human progress continues to be plagued by conflict, violence, hatred and greed.

“Over the years we have come to realize that it is not enough to send peacekeeping forces to separate warring parties. It is not enough to engage in peace-building efforts after societies have been ravaged by conflict. It is not enough to conduct preventive diplomacy. All of this is essential work, but we must also act at a deeper level if we want enduring results. We need, in short, a culture of peace.

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Questions for this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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“It may seem sometimes as if a culture of peace does not stand a chance against the culture of war, the culture of violence and the cultures of impunity and intolerance. Peace may indeed be a complex challenge, dependent on action in many fields and even a bit of luck from time to time. It may be a painfully slow process, and fragile and imperfect when it is achieved. But peace is in our hands. We can do it.

“This year, the International Day of Peace coincides with the launch, at the initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), of the International Year for the Culture of Peace. Since wars begin in the minds of men, says UNESCOs Constitution, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed. All of us must do our part in this project. The culture of peace is an idea whose time has come.”

The preceding press release from Kofi Annan on September 10, 1999, echoed the following remarks made by Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury two weeks earlier upon the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. That document, which remains to this day the key forumulation of a culture of peace, had been introduced a year before by Director-General Federico Mayor of UNESCO and guided through a difficult birth process by Ambassador Chowdhury:

“I believe that this document is unique in more than one way. It is a universal document in the real sense, transcending boundaries, cultures, societies and nations. Unlike many other General Assembly documents, this document is action-oriented and encourages actions at all levels, be they at the level of the individual, the community, the nation or the region, or at the global and international levels. The document also brings together the various actors who have a role in advancing a culture of peace. They include States, international organizations, civil society, community leaders, parents, teachers, artists, professors, journalists, humanitarian workers – in a way, all people from all walks of life and all sorts of backgrounds can contribute to its implementation.”

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

The Elders mourn the loss of Kofi Annan

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

A press release from The Elders

The Elders are shocked and deeply saddened at the passing of their dear friend and colleague Kofi Annan, who was the globally admired and respected Chair of The Elders.

A founding member of The Elders, Kofi Annan succeeded Archbishop Desmond Tutu as Chair in May 2013. He played a vital role in leading The Elders’ work, and was a voice of great authority and wisdom in public and private, most recently on visits to South Africa and Zimbabwe in July 2018.

As the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006, he was a constant advocate for human rights, development and the rule of law. The first Secretary-General to reach the post from within an organisation he served for over 40 years, Kofi Annan had a life-long commitment to the cause of peace and was known for his staunch opposition to military aggression, notably the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

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Questions for this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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The great respect for him and his essential work was illustrated when he, together with the United Nations as a whole, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.

Gro Harlem Brundtland, Deputy Chair of The Elders, said:

“We are devastated at the loss of our dear friend and fellow Elder. Kofi was a strong and inspiring presence to us all, and The Elders would not be where it is today without his leadership. Throughout his life, Kofi worked unceasingly to improve the lives of millions of people around the world. While we mourn his passing today, we resolve as Elders to continue to uphold his values and legacy into the future”.

In retirement, Kofi Annan continued where he had left off at the United Nations, founding and leading the work of the Kofi Annan Foundation, based in Geneva, and maintaining a hectic international schedule. His quiet advice on how best to defuse impending crises was in constant demand from all corners of the globe, in particular from Africa.

All of the Elders and their Advisory Council and staff team members send their heartfelt condolences to Kofi’s family: his wife Nane, his children and grandchildren. They have lost a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
The world has lost an inspiring figure – but one whose achievements will never be forgotten, and whose commitment to peace and justice will endure to inspire future generations.

For media inquiries, please contact William French, Head of Communications at The Elders (+44 7795 693903) or email: media@theElders.org

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

Brazil: Culture of Peace will be the theme of a free lecture in Guarujá

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Resenhando

The Legislative School of Guarujá (ELG) will hold a free lecture on ‘Culture of Peace’ next Thursday, 16th, from 7 to 9 pm. The activity will be open to all concerned and will be the responsibility of the director of ELG, journalist and psychologist Vanessa Ratton.


Vanessa Ratton

It will be part of the Popular Legal Promoters (PLPs) course, which has been held since the first semester, through a partnership between the ELG and the Guarujá Municipal Government Coordination Office (Segov).

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese)

Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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It is not necessary to pre-register. Just come to the City Hall (Av. Leomil, 291, Center, 2nd floor) at the scheduled time. More information can be obtained by e-mail at escoladolegislativo@camaraguaruja.sp.gov.br

According to Vanessa Ratton, the Culture of Peace is a set of values, attitudes, traditions, behaviors and lifestyles based on respect for life, the end of violence, the practice of non-violence through education, dialogue cooperation.

“It helps us to get along better at home, at work and in society, and teaches us to dialogue and avoid conflict, and makes us think about how to eliminate violence from ourselves, and promotes reflection about how to welcome different ideas and cultures without denying that there is conflict, but making it an opportunity for everyone to learn.”

Date: Thursday, 16/8
Hours: From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Av. Leomil, 291, Centro

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

6,000 teachers deployed to promote peace in Mindanao (Philippines)

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by John Unson for Philstar Global, as reprinted by the Global Campaign for Peace Education

Some 6,000 teachers deployed in five southern provinces in the past five years are now actively helping propagate interfaith solidarity among schoolchildren in support of the government’s Mindanao peace efforts.
They are now handling classes in remote barrios in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao covering Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in mainland Mindanao, and in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.


New ARMM public school teachers show their appointments signed by the region’s chief executive, Gov. Mujiv Hataman. (Photo: Philstar.com / John Unson)

Lawyer Rasol Mitmug Jr., ARMM’s regional education secretary, said Friday the latest batch of duly licensed public school mentors enlisted by his department is comprised of 765 men and women who had signed commitments to accept teaching assignments in far-flung schools.

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Questions for this article:

Can peace be achieved in Mindanao?

Where is peace education taking place?

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More than 4,000 teachers were appointed by ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman during the time of Mitmug’s predecessor, John Magno, who was at the helm of the regional education department from late 2015 to 2017.

They filled out vacancies after the removal by the Hataman administration of thousands of “ghost teachers” from the payroll of the Department of Education-ARMM that proliferated during the time of past regional governors.

“Some of them showed their dedication and commitment when they volunteered to help facilitate the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataang elections last month,” Mitmug said.

He said the teachers are now helping propagate the so-called “culture of peace” and religious solidarity among ARMM’s Muslim and Christian communities.

The ARMM education and public works department were touted as the most corrupt agencies of the regional governments under past administrations.

Officials of the two agencies now openly talk about efficiency in  handling of quarterly operating funds from the national coffer, open to scrutiny by media entities and peace advocacy blocs helping improve regional governance through various capacity-building interventions.  

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

East Asia, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Philippines: New Bangsamoro Organic Law Includes Provision for Peace Education

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by By Jasmin Nario-Galace and Loreta Castro from the
Center for Peace Education, Miriam College for the Global Campaign for Peace Education

On July 27, the Philippine President signed into law the Bangsamoro Organic Law which aims to complete the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. This peace agreement was signed in 2014 but required a law to implement it.  


Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

The Center for Peace Education at Miriam College  in Quezon City has been lobbying for the inclusion of peace education in the Education provision of the said draft law. After nearly 4 years,  the said efforts had finally yielded the result that was hoped for.  

Under Article IX, the Education provision of the new law, second paragraph says: “The Bangsamoro government shall institutionalize peace education in all levels of education” (page 39).

You may download here a copy of the Bangsamoro Organic Law

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

East Asia, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Violent Conflicts: Kaduna To Start Peace Education In Primary Schools (Nigeria)

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Aza Msue published by Leadership Nigeria

The Kaduna State Peace Commission (KAPECOM) has revealed that they will develop peace education to be included in the primary schools curriculum for pupils as one of the steps to address crisis and insecurity.

Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, Chairman of the State Peace commission,Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, along with his team explained that, the proposed peace education to be taught at primary education will promote peaceful co-existence among residents, urging youths to be peace ambassadors in communities.


Recall that, governor Nasir El-Rufai had in November last year inaugurated the Kaduna State Peace Commission to promote and sustain peaceful and harmonious coexistence in the state. The establishment of the commission was necessitated by the frequent and avoidable violent conflicts that bedevilled the state for over the last 30 years.

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Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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KAPECOM chairman, said in the last six months,the commission has taken its assignment with seriousness it deserves and initiated broad level engagement with diverse stakeholders including traditional,religious,political leaders among others:”Adopting a conflict-sensitive approach,the commission has intervened in many communal disputes in the state particularly in Kajuru,Jama’a and Kauru local government areas,where interventions were taken to prevent escalation of violent conflicts”

“In some LGAs such as Kauru,Igabi and Chikun,proactive measures were taken by stakeholders with support of the commission to prevent violent conflicts. Some unfortunate incidences of violence were recorded in Kaduna State in the last six months.The most worrisome of these were in Kasuwan Magani,in Kajuru,Angwan Mailafiya and Ninte in Jama’a and Kizakoro in Kauru local government areas of the state”

” The commission conveys its deepest sympathy to all the victims,while urging the relevant institutions and law enforcement agencies to strengthen surveillance to prevent the recurrence of these dastardly acts.Persons that lost loved one,persons that were wounded and who lost property are urged to remain peaceful and adopt non-violent means in seeking redress”

“Presently,we are at the stage of developing a strategic plan that will guide the activities of the commission over the next five years.In this process,we will make wide ranging consultations,and will engage all segments of the society.” Bishop Idowu-Fearon said.

He urged political parties in the state to be active agents of peace as another round of political activities ahead of 2019 elections draw near.

Bishop Idowu-Fearon, who is also the Secretary of the World Anglican Communion, however,called on stakeholders in the society to do and say things that bring people together rather than things that divide them.

(Thanks to the Global Campaign for Peace Education for bringing this to our attention.)

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

The UNESCO Chair and the UTPL promote the training of peace managers for Peru, Colombia and Ecuador

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from La Conversación (translation by CPNN)

Through the intervention and support of the UNESCO Chair of Culture and Education for Peace at UTPL, on June 27, 2018 an agreement was signed between the Private Technical University of Loja (UTPL) and UNESCO Quito that will allow the strengthening of education programs so that the future managers of the peace can act from a sensitive perspective to fight against conflict and violence.


130 students and teachers from institutions of higher education and networks for peace, from Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, met in Loja with the aim of strengthening the skills of young leaders on issues related to the construction of environments without violence.

From June 27 to 29, 2018, the First Training Program for Culture of Peace Managers was held in Loja, organized by the Private Technical University of Loja (UTPL), the UNESCO Chair of Culture and Education for Peace – UTPL and UNESCO Quito.

The event was developed through lectures and workshops on topics of peace through environmental education, ethics in higher education, nonviolence and culture related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

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(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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Santiago Pérez, professor of the UTPL and coordinator of the International Youth Network for Peace, mentioned that this program is an innovative initiative in Latin America, as it is the first time that three countries seek to join together to promote the construction of a culture of peace, and that, thanks to the endorsement of UNESCO Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Venezuela and the support of several public and private entities in Ecuador, the quality of the conferences and workshops provided was assured.

Formation of the International Youth Network for Peace

As a result of this program, the UTPL, together with the Colombian and Peruvian universities present, participated in the signing of the commitment for the constitution of the International Youth Network for Peace.

Thanks to this network, young peace managers will be part of programs that will allow them to develop social and productive skills to participate actively in the resolution of conflicts and urban violence. They will study methodologies such as TINI (Land of children and young people for Good Living) of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Ecuador and UNESCO and the models managed by the Futuro Latinoamericano Foundation and the Foundation of the Americas.

Perez affirms that once the training should prepare the young people to be transformers of their communities.

The event for the agreement was attended by José Barbosa Corbacho, rector of the UTPL; Saadia Sánchez, director and representative of the UNESCO office in Quito; and, Mónica Reinoso, vice minister of Educational Management.

Each year, the International Youth Network for Peace will make available a specific number of places for young people interested in becoming peace managers in the three countries.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Peru: Law to promote the culture of peace and non-violence in basic education

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Andina: The Peruvian News Agency (translation by CPNN)

The government has promulgated Law No. 30810, which will incorporate the principle of the culture of peace and nonviolence into Law 28044, the General Law of Education for the Peruvian educational system. The law is published today in the official newspaper El Peruano.


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(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

Questions for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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This principle of culture of peace as described in the mentioned law seeks to promote values ​​and attitudes that reject all types of violence, as well as promote the incorporation into the Peruvian educational system of the teaching of the culture of peace.

For this, the following text is inserted into article 8 of Law 28044, the General Education Law: “I) The culture of peace and nonviolence, which promotes values ​​and attitudes that reject all types of violence and discrimination, affirms life, individual freedom, freedom of thought, solidarity, equality between men and women and in general those rights referred to in Chapter I of the Political Constitution of Peru “.

The new law, previously approved by the Congress of the Republic, was promulgated by the President of the Republic, Martín Vizcarra, and by the Prime Minister, César Villanueva.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Tandil, Argentina: Municipal Mediation Center participates in the Provincial Meeting of Mediators

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from La Voz de Tandil (translation by CPNN)

In recent days Tandil was present at the provincial meeting of mediators in Buenos Aires, sharing experiences of the Mediation Center, whose creation in 2004 was one of the pioneer municipalities.


(Click on photo to enlarge)

The delegation from Tandil was headed by the Director of Community Relations Lic. Zulma Ferreyra and the mediator Gladys Thomas, who is in charge of the Mediation Center of the Municipality.

As every year, this meeting aims to strengthen the work of mediation in the province, assuring the training of work teams and the promotion and dissemination of participatory methods to address conflicts as a public policy of access to justice.

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(click here for the Spanish version)

Question for this article:

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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In addition, the focus was on the need to disseminate and promote the implementation of non-violent community conflict management programs in the municipalities that have not yet incorporated this tool.

The conference was attended by the National Director of Mediation and Participatory Methods of Conflict Resolution of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of the Nation, Raquel Munt; the Deputy Ombudsman in Human Rights and Health Services, Marcelo Honores; the mediator María Gabriela Rodríguez Querejazu; and the person responsible for Conflict Management of the Ombudsman’s Office, Dolores Ayerdi.

The activity of permanent training and review of the practice carried out since 2016, is provided for all municipal mediators working for the cooperative management of socio-community conflicts.

In addition to the Community Mediation Center of Tandil, representatives from the municipalities of Bahía Blanca, La Plata, San Pedro, Mercedes, Lanús, Florencio Varela, Pilar, Tigre, Mar del Plata and Madariaga attended.

Activity by XIV World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace

For the XIV World Congress of Mediation and Culture of Peace, to be held this year in Argentina, our city has been chosen to carry out one of the workshops of the Pre Congress on September 17 and 18.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America