Category Archives: Latin America

Mexico: XIX World Congress and XXIII National Mediation Congress 2023

. EDUCATION FOR PEACE ..

An article from Noticias de Queretaro

The Nineteenth World Congress and the Twenty-Third National Mediation Congress 2023 closed with great success. It took place from November 6 to 10 in the Municipality of Querétaro with participants from more than 10 countries, and with activities, analysis, study and dissemination of mediation issues, as well as the culture of peace for the benefit of the people of Queretaro.

Under the motto “A Life for Peace and Concord”, 83 academic activities were carried out, including 31 presentations, 18 conferences, eight book presentations, 11 successful projects, eight dialectical analysis forums and philosophical dialogues, and 27 workshops.

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Questions for this article:

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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Specialists from different parts of Mexico and other countries including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Portugal, and Spain combined efforts to carry out the project for the implementation and dissemination of mediation and the culture of peace.

This international event sparked the interest of participants from 20 states in the Mexico, including Jalisco, Yucatán, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas, Baja California, Chiapas, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Sonora, Sinaloa, Nuevo León, Puebla, Guerrero, Chihuahua, Aguascalientes and Quintana Roo. They met at the Educational and Cultural Center of the State of Querétaro, “Manuel Gómez Morín”, the Arts Center of the State of Querétaro.

It is worth highlighting the great participation and interest in all activities, both by specialists and by attendees. Attendees included students and schools at the high school and professional level of Mexico and more than 1,300 congressmen during the five days of the event which closed with important conclusions that will be translated into actions and public policies that will promote the peace and harmony that citizens need.

(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Mercosur without Racism: Brazil will propose a campaign at a meeting of ministers from the bloc

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the Government of Brazil

The Ministry of Culture (MinC), in the exercise of Pro Tempore presidency of Mercosul Cultural, will propose the campaign “Mercosul without Racism, with Diversity and Inclusion”, to create common strategies to combat prejudice in the countries that make up the economic bloc. The action will be presented on November 9th, in Belém, Pará, during the meeting of Mercosur Ministers of Culture. The meeting will begin at 9:30 am, in the Oval Room of the Government Palace of the State of Pará. 

The expectation is that, with approval of the campaign by the participants, the bloc’s ministers and authorities will sign the joint declaration of adherence to the agenda, expressing the commitment of all Mercosur member countries to adopt actions that guarantee the promotion of ethnic-racial equality in their territories, in an intersectoral and continuous manner.
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Led by Minister Margareth Menezes, the meeting will be attended by the Minister of Culture of Argentina, Tristán Bauer, the Minister of Culture and Heritage of Ecuador, Maria Elena Machuca, the Executive Secretary of the National Secretariat of Culture of Paraguay, Adriana Ortiz, the Vice Minister of Heritage, Memories and Cultural Governance of Colombia, Adriana Molano and the director of the Office of International Cooperation of Peru, Wilyam Abelardo Lúcar Aliaga. The Minister of Cultures, Decolonization and Depatriarchalization of Bolivia, Sabina Orellana Cruz, the National Director of Culture of Uruguay, Mariana Wainstein, and the representative of the Chilean Embassy in Brazil, Alejandro Guzmán, will be present by video.

During the 54th Meeting of Ministers of Culture of Mercosur, which took place in June this year, in Buenos Aires, minister Margareth Menezes received the Pro Tempore Presidency of Mercosur Cultural. At the time, the head of the Ministry of Culture had already announced that one of the main actions of Brazil’s mandate would be Mercosur without Racism.

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(Click here for the original Portuguese version of this article)

Question(s) related to this article:

Are we making progress against racism?

Latin America, has it taken the lead in the struggle for a culture of peace?

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Officially, the Campaign is an invitation to the governments of Mercosur member countries, as well as organizations and society. “A Democratic State is only possible by guaranteeing equal rights, social equality, ethnic-racial equality and freedom for all people. At this meeting, we will reaffirm our commitment to adopting social development policies for discriminated and vulnerable populations in the countries. These guarantees are fundamental to improving the region’s economic development conditions”, highlights the minister.

The Secretary of Citizenship and Cultural Diversity in the Ministry of Culture, Márcia Rollemberg, reinforces the need for Mercosur countries to adopt measures that will guarantee the population’s equal rights. She states that the Mercosur Without Racism Campaign aims to recognize the contribution of indigenous and Afro-descendant populations to the social formation and cultural identity of member countries.

“Racism encourages the maintenance of a social structure of great inequalities in access and opportunities, in which skin color and other bodily characteristics establish boundaries and limitations in access to social and cultural rights”, he highlights. “The goal is for countries to value and promote diversity, anti-racist education and good living, strengthening the culture of peace and interculturality in our region”, concludes secretary Márcia Rollemberg.

Mercosur Cultural works in an expanded manner, with the participation of member states Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela (despite the suspension of the latter since August 2017), as well as associated states such as Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Bolivia also participates as an associated state and is in the accession process. This collaboration has strengthened public cultural policies in the region, providing a valuable exchange of information and experiences from successful cultural programs and projects.

Declaration

The Declaration, which will be presented by Brazil, highlights the importance of adopting and enhancing specific cultural policies for the black population, indigenous peoples and traditional peoples and communities, in confronting inequalities and combating racism. The measures adopted will strengthen cooperation at national, regional and international levels to ensure the full exercise of the economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights of people who are discriminated against.

The text points out that racism consists of a derogatory and discriminatory attitude based on the race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin of a person or group. The consequence is racial inequality as a structural problem to be faced throughout the region. It also argues that racial discrimination encourages the maintenance of a social structure based on inequalities in access and opportunities, and affects both economic inequalities and influences social, cultural and political dynamics. 

HUMAN RIGHTS, Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Latin America and the Caribbean: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

A survey by CPNN

The following 85 actions in 17 Latin American countries include those listed in Google during the weeks of September 17-28 this year under the key words “International day of peace”, “Dia Internacional da Paz” and “Día Internacional de la Paz”

About 50 actions are listed in One Day One Choir and Montessori schools singing for peace, but except for 4 actions listed here because they were new this year, there is no indication which events took place this year and which took place only in previous years.


The children of Santa Rita, Brazil

Here are excerpts from the articles.

ARGENTINA

BUENOS AIRES: The Montessori School, Sunrise Jardín Oficial Trilingüe joined Montessori schools all over the world to sing for peace on the International Day of Peace to light a candle for peace, for love, for life!

BELLVILLE: This Thursday is the International Day of Peace and the Casa del Niño began with the celebrations. . . Young people from Mexico, Colombia and Brazil, who were joined by the host entity to 4th, 6th and 7th year students, together with their vice principal Elisa Gassman and different teachers, shared a breakfast and then games. In addition, foreign visitors gave souvenirs and tasted with the children some typical foods from their countries, as well as typical dances from the countries they represented.

CORDOBA: REDIPAZ and the Open Chair Right to Peace and Coexistence in Diversity of the Provincial University of Córdoba, invite you to join the events and activities that we will organize within the framework of the UPC Peace Month. Every September 21, the International Day of Peace is celebrated , which is why, from the Provincial University of Córdoba, we will develop a series of events aimed at promoting the culture of peace. On Monday , September 25, from 4 p.m. we will hold the meeting of “Young Builders of Coexistence” in the Sala Mayor of the Ciudad de las Artes Theater. The meeting seeks to generate a space for the exchange of experiences by young people, related to the construction of peaceful, inclusive, democratic, safe and resilient coexistence. The event will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the Provincial University of Córdoba .

ESQUEL: September 21 is the International Day of Peace, a date established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. This morning an event was held in front of the Esquel peace post. Present were the mayor of Esquel, Sergio Ongarato, the president of the Deliberative Council of Esquel, Gerardo Filippini, councilor Rubén Álvarez, representatives of Rotaratc, National Gendarmerie, Regiment 3, Communities of Esquel, the president of Rotary, Cecilia López Castaño, and the president of the HZE Cooperator, María Cecilia Guitart.

MENDOZA: The City raised the Flag of Peace on the municipal esplanade. The event was held within the framework of the International Day of Peace. The president of the Honorable Deliberative Council, Horacio Migliozzi, was present at this event, along with the Secretaries of Government, Rodrigo Olmedo, of Tourism and Culture, Felipe Rinaldo and other municipal authorities. Also, members of the Mil Milenios de Paz Foundation and guests from the foundation and the municipality participated in this event.

PUERTO GENERAL SAN MARTÍN: The Niño Jesús School together with the Municipality of Puerto General San Martín, organized this morning the event for the International Day of Peace with an emotional meeting in Plaza San Martín, to reaffirm once again the commitment to work together in fraternity and solidarity building a peace that guarantees justice, leaving aside differences, to work on them and make them tools that lead to growth and strengthening of people. The event was attended by the president of the Municipal Council, Juan Manuel De Grandis, the director of the Niño Jesús School, Susana Petrocelli, the secretary of Education, Culture and Sports, Sebastián Lezcano, the illustrious citizen, Elsa Patterer, representatives of educational establishments, teachers and students, and neighbors in general. Father Gerardo Iachini expressed some allusive words in front of everyone present.

PUERTO MADRYN: Within the framework of the International Day of Peace that is commemorated every September 21, this Friday morning, authorities from the Foundation Mil Milenios de Paz met with the head of the Puerto Madryn Addiction Prevention Directorate , Claudia Ricciotti , and members of the School of Social Psychology “Building Alternatives”, in order to begin projecting the different actions that will be carried out during the current month. The agenda will include soccer teams framed in the municipal “Football Night” program, and recreational and exchange activities with those present, “in order to re-educate about the importance of good treatment, non-violence, peaceful coexistence and solidarity.” , which will allow us to project a better Madryn every day,” the Foundation highlighted.

PUERTO MADRYN – SCHOOL 84: The creation of a mural began to make visible the different actions we carry out each year in commemoration of the International Day of Peace. This year it takes place at school No. 84 “Manuel Belgrano” in the city of Puerto Madryn. It will be the closing of a joint program that we will integrate during this week with directors, teachers, assistants and 6th grade students from school No. 84, and Social Psychologists from the Construyendo Alternativas School, with the aim of educating the importance of good treatment, solidarity, empathy, equality, and love as fundamental points to be able to “build a better world together.”

SAN JUAN: On September 21, International Peace Day, a release of origami doves and messages of peace will be held as a way to raise awareness about the need for human beings to live in harmony. We will work together with schools and the general public to make doves out of recycled paper using the origami technique. These doves will be exhibited in different sectors of the museum along with messages referring to the importance of peace for each person. The community is invited to participate in this activity and exchange a message for a dove or vice versa.

SAN NICOLAS: The Ambassador of Peace designated by the Mil Milenios de Paz Foundation, Graciela Esquilino, and the president of the San Nicolás War Veterans Center, MGV Luis Feldmann, invite the community to participate in the second event for the International Day of Peace, to be held on Thursday, September 21.

SANTA FE: Colegio de Abogados. The International Day of Peace and the day of the Santafesino Prejudicial Mediator. We invite you to participate in the activity by registering in the following form: Organized by: Mediation Center – Institute of Conflict Resolution Means – Training Institution No. 25

SUNCHALES: Within the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, which is commemorated every September 21 throughout the world, an activity alluding to the theme will be carried out from the Space for Interreligious Dialogue next to the House of Pax Culture. You are especially invited to participate in this initiative that aims to be a moment to share a time of reflection together, understanding that all people have a role to play in the promotion and construction of Peace. The event will last an estimated 45 minutes and will feature at the closing with the boys’ and girls’ choir from the Crearte Cultural Space in Sunchales.

USHUAIA: The Secretary of Culture and Education, Belén Molina, and the Secretary of Parliamentary Relations Omar Becerra, participated in the event for the International Day of Peace that took place in the Plaza Campana de la Paz, together with representatives of the Mil Milenios de Paz Foundation, Armed Forces and Security and neighbors.

VILLA MARIA: The Internationalization Secretariat of the National University of Villa María, the English Language Faculty of the Academic Pedagogical Institute of Human Sciences of the National University of Villa María (UNVM) and the Speakeasy Bookstore invite you to participate in the “Pequeñas great actions for peace between peoples”, leaving a message in English or Spanish of affection and optimism for adults and older adults, young people and children from all over the world.

BOLIVIA

EL ALTO: El Alto, September 1, 2023.- The institutions part of the EIRENE program reaffirmed this Friday their commitment to work for peaceful coexistence, and launched the “Build peace. Give love” with Sumankaña, a vizcacha that promotes good treatment. The campaign was presented within the framework of the celebration activities for the “International Day of Peace”, which is commemorated on September 21. The institutions that are part of the EIRENE program, in the city of El Alto, are the Civil Service for Peace, CCC Chaqui, Focapaci, OMAK, Sepamos and Pueblo Diferente, which work through spaces for dialogue and violence prevention actions, promoting the culture of peace in the population of El Alto and other municipalities of the department of La Paz. Among the activities will be an art festival for peace, the symposiums “Communication for Peace”, “Mediation and conciliation”, “Peaceful and harmonious coexistence” and the XIV Festival Fair for the International Day of Peace.

BRAZIL

SENADO: This Thursday (21/9), the International Day of Peace is celebrated. In celebration of the date, the Embassy of Peace brought together authorities from different sectors of society in the Petrônio Portela auditorium, in the Senate, with the aim of promoting dialogues on peace. The event was led by actress, presenter and peace ambassador, Maria Paula Fidalgo. The moment was attended by humanitarian leaders, authorities, artists, medal-winning Paralympic athletes, activists and monks, who gave moving speeches. A Hiroshima survivor was also present. . . . The moment also included a performance organized by instrumentalist Isabel Nabuco, together with the band PestaLovers, from the Associação Pestalozzi de Brasília.

BLUMENAU: The International Day of Peace is celebrated every year by students from the Family Secretariat (Pró-Família), with some action. This year, it was circular dancing. The collective dance is performed with the aim of integrating groups and strengthening values ​​of empathy, understanding and belonging. And that’s what the students felt. “It was really good, I loved it, I felt a lot of unity,” said Luiza Roth, 70 years old, a student at Pró-Família. Her colleague, Vanil Terres, 82, agreed: “I felt a lot of peace, love in my heart.”

CAMPINAS: Tree Day and International Peace Day, both celebrated on September 21, are the object of the special program that will be developed this Thursday morning, at the Joaquim Egídio Environmental Station, with the participation of community residents, students from the Francisco Barreto Leme State School, the Mata Ciliar Association, and members of the Municipal Council of the Culture of Peace of Campinas (Compaz). The program goes from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. with live music, sowing, planting, walking and various environmental education activities. The opening of the event will be made by the secretary of SVDS, Rogério Menezes. “The act of tree planting, on Tree Day, is a reflection on the importance of forests, the importance of urban afforestation and the dependence on individual and society actions to achieve a result. So, it’s acting locally and thinking globally,” says Menezes.

CAMPO GRANDE: Councilor Ronilço Guerreiro is the new Ambassador of Peace in Brazil. He received the title in today’s ordinary session at the Campo Grande City Council and the certificate was delivered by the universal ambassador for peace, Delasnieve Miranda Daspet de Souza, who used the Tribune of the Casa de Leis to speak about the International Day of Peace, which is celebrated today.

CAMPO LIMPO: This Thursday (21), the Unified Education Centers (CEUs) promote a series of actions to celebrate the International Day of Peace established by the United Nations. The actions take place in seven CEUs in the DRE Campo Limpo region, south of São Paulo, and include activities with student groups, peace walks, cultural presentations, lectures and conversation circles.

CARAVANA DA PAZ: The Brazil Peace Caravan was created by a group of people who aim to build a better world guided by a Culture of Peace Participate by sending a video answering what is Peace for you and what is fundamental for our Planet to achieve Peace? Our invitation is for you, and people in your network or institution who are interested, to record a short video answering the question: What is Peace for you and what is fundamental for Planet Earth to achieve Peace?We will use these videos in the caravan media and at the end of our meeting. Our intention is to generate a great collective vibration so that Peace is a path of regeneration for the entire Planet Earth

CASCAVEL: On International Day of Peace, a special message. All municipal departments, Transitar and the Public Ministry form a social protection network to carry out awareness-raising and combating violence actions. Today, with balloons, banners and leaflets, they spoke to drivers in front of the main church. Traffic violence is one of the areas of concern. And drivers recognize that more calm is needed on the streets and roads.

FRANCISCO BELTRÃO: Chanting “A Paz”, by the band Roupa Nova”, the students of Colégio Glória unveiled, yesterday afternoon, the 21st, a mantle of peace. With 72 m², the material was made by all the institution’s students – from kindergarten to high school – and is displayed on the facade, facing Rua Tenente Camargo, in Francisco Beltrão. The initiative is part of an action in honor of the International Day of Peace, celebrated this Thursday. “We are a school associated with the Pea Unesco Network, so every year we promote a culture of peace inside and outside the school. Each one made their own scrap, representing what they want to convey in this cream and we put it together, transforming it into a cloak”, explained the coordinator of primary education at Colégio Glória, Edileide Kielba.

GUARULHOS: This Thursday (21), International Day of Peace, the City Hall is promoting the third edition of Guarulhos de Mãos Dadas pela Paz in the main tent of Bosque Maia, from 8am to 11am. At 8:30 am, those present will be able to explore the harmony of peace through the circular dance workshop, promoted by the Guarulhos focalizers. At 10am, an emblematic action will be carried out by the artist and also participant in the circular dances, Renate Sewing Hammer, who proposes a collective work, a unique human mandala, made with knitted threads, symbolizing the union of the community in the search for peace.

IGARASSU : Maos Promovendo A Paz. · Today, 21/09, for Peace Day, I have been to the Sacred Heart of Jesus convent in Igarassu, which runs a school with 106 girls and boys. So I have taken 120 Hearts that will be given away at lunch.

JUAZEIRO: In order to reflect on the culture of peace, schools in the municipal education network of Juazeiro, carried out on the morning of this Wednesday (06), the traditional walk commemorating the International Day of Peace, celebrated in the month of September. The action is also part of the municipality’s calendar of pedagogical activities related to September 7th, and receives full support from Juazeiro City Hall, through the Department of Education and Youth (Seduc). In total, six municipal schools participated in the walk, bringing together students, families, managers, the school community and the local community.

LAJEADO: Pacto Lajeado pela Paz organizes, on this date, Peace Day, a moment to celebrate the project’s actions and share new ideas and philosophies through lectures in the Ceat Auditorium.

MANAUS: This morning, students from the Municipal Education Network carried out the first walk for Peace, in Manaus. The action took place in commemoration of the International Day of Peace, celebrated this Thursday 21/09. The journey was taken by approximately 1,200 students from the Gilberto Rodrigues dos Santos Municipal School, located in Viver Melhor 2, in the north of the city.

MATO GROSSO DO SUL: The OAB/MS Culture Commission celebrated the International Day of Peace on the 21st, with the “Primavera da Paz” event, which included the participation of the Lyric Singing group Cant’Arte. The event was organized by the President of the Commission Deslanieve Daspet, who is also an Ambassador and Peace Activist. The night of celebration ended with the performance of the Coro Lírico Cantarte, currently made up of 25 members including choristers and soloists, made up of singing students and classical music lovers.

MINAS GERAIS: In such confusing times in the four corners of the world, reflecting on peace is a most urgent task. With this in mind, the Minas Gerais State Public Library hosts the exhibition “Peace in all languages”, presented by the Brahma Kumaris organization. The opening will take place at 10 am this Thursday, September 21st, the date on which International Day of Peace is celebrated. The exhibition will be on display at the Cultural Passarela, in the Professor Francisco Iglesias Annex building, until October 27th.

MUZAMBINHO: On September 21st, designated by the UN as International Day of Peace, school students and society as a whole will join together for a Silent Walk for Peace. The Event should last an hour and a half, with gatherings starting at 7:30 am, in front of City Hall. The walk goes to Cruzeiro da Matriz, returning to Muzambódromo for a moment of celebration, art and reflections for Peace.

OURINHOS: Senac Ourinhos will hold a free event, this Thursday, 21/9, in celebration of the International Day of Peace. , A Servant Leader will be presented by actor João Signorelli, starting at 4pm, at Concha Acústica Sérgio Nunes, located in Rua Treze de Maio, Vila Perino. With text based on original speeches and writings by spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi, the play will address reflections on leadership, non-violence and ethical and philosophical principles applied to human relationships. The activity is organized by the Senac Ourinhos Culture of Peace Committee and has the support of the Municipal Secretariat for Economic Development, Labor and Tourism of Ourinhos.

PICOS: On the eve of the International Day of Peace, the Monsenhor Hipólito Institute (IMH) held a lecture on the morning of this Wednesday, September 20th, with the theme “Peace, Everyone’s Commitment”, aimed at high school students. The event had as speaker Lieutenant Colonel Felipe, commander of the 4th BPM of Picos, who had the collaboration of the 2nd Sergeant, Sahila. The program began with a moment of reflection and prayer, followed by a lecture given by the lieutenant colonel. During the lecture, the commander addressed the importance of the relationship between the Military Police and peace, highlighting the need to promote the culture of peace in different contexts, from family life to interactions in society in general.

PORTO ALEGRE: Peace breaks down the walls of separation. It gives us the happiest moments of our lives. It is equal to equity, respect for people’s rights, justice, empathy. Help everyone who needs it. It’s a world where everyone respects each other. And the union brings peace. These are some of the ideals expressed in the Mantle of Peace produced by the students of Colégio Santa Inês, in Porto Alegre – now linked to the Project of the Network of Associated Schools of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco). Throughout the month, all the classes of the school participated. The final adjustments were made on Thursday (21), the date on which the International Day of Peace is celebrated, in an activity in which students were able to reflect on the result, in addition to singing and dancing with live music.

RIO DE JANEIRO, CURITIBA, SALVADOR AND SÃO PAULO-MAOS PARA PAZ: From September 21 to 27, the organization Maos para Paz holds the 1st International Congress of Education for Peace and Nonviolence. Registration is free for all online lectures. The event brings together a wide range of participants, including organizations, public and private institutions, academics, educators, therapists, activists and students from various countries. In addition, its objective is to discuss strategies to combat hatred, xenophobia and violence, especially generated by the discourse of the ideology of fear. The Congress is a hybrid event, combining virtual lectures and face-to-face workshops in four Brazilian cities: Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba and São Paulo. During the 22nd and 23rd, there will be six online sessions, with national and international speakers sharing their work and experiences, stimulating debates and reflections on various types of conflicts and how education can play a key role in reconciliation and problem solving.

SALVADOR: On the 21st, International Day of Peace the opening will take place at 7pm, in person, in Salvador, and online, with performances by the artistic groups Quabales and Sumermo Music – and the singer Tito Bahiense, all from Bahia. An interreligious act will also be held in honor of Mother Bernardete (Maria Bernardete Pacifico, ialorixá, activist and quilombola leader, born in 1951 and murdered on August 17th) and all the people killed due to their color, race, religion and gender . On Sunday, the 24th, the Walk of maos para Paz will be held, also in honor of Mother Bernardete and against Violence, starting at 9am, starting at Farol da Barra.

SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS: A whole day to celebrate peace! This was the theme developed during the month of September in all units of Fundhas (Fundação Hélio Augusto de Souza) and which culminated in an event on Thursday (21), International Day of Peace.
The main celebration took place at the headquarters of the institution, with and execution of the National Anthem and the raising of flags.
One of the highlights was a large panel with drawings of the children of the Industrial Park unit.
Those served at the South Innovation Center developed activities with the Portuguese teacher, such as a Tangram (folds that assemble words within the theme), made the origami and an acrostic (poetic composition in which a letter of each verse forms, vertically, another word).
In the Alto da Ponte unit, the students created posters and wrote notes in order to transmit peace.
The action for Peace in the Putim Unit began with the reception of those served with music A Paz. Then there was an exhibition of the legend of Tsuru in the courtyard. The action ended with tree planting. In the Center unit, the children held an art exhibition to celebrate the International Day of Peace.

SAN LUIS: Next Thursday, September 21, the Upaon-Açu School, famous for its Montessori educational approach, will celebrate World Peace Day in a remarkable way, with the symbolic delivery of the Mantle of Peace to Unesco. The Mantle of Peace, a handmade piece full of symbolism and messages produced by the school community, will be delivered during a special ceremony that will bring together students, teachers and families.

SANTA RITA: “Love is the force of peace.” This phrase echoed at the Hospital Metropolitano Dom José Maria Pires, through the songs of more than 50 children and their caregivers, who walked from Associação Casa dos Sonhos, to the hospital complex, in order to pay homage to the workers and users, for through a moment of reflection and prayers. The initiative is part of a series of actions by the Association in reference to the International Day of Peace, celebrated on September 21st.

SAO PAULO: As a PEA/UNESCO associated school, Colégio Benjamin Constant joined the “O Manto da Paz” project, which symbolizes the union of all nations under the same ideal: the search for peace, tolerance and respect. The Mantle was made collaboratively. Students from Kindergarten to High School participated actively and interestedly. This project represents UNESCO’s belief that, through cooperation and mutual understanding, we can build a more peaceful and harmonious world and also serve as a beacon of hope, reminding us that despite our differences, we are all the parts of a single human family.

SAO VICENTE: Celebrated on Thursday (21), the International Day of Peace was celebrated in several schools of the municipal network of São Vicente. The initiative of the Center for Culture of Peace and Nonviolence, of the Secretariat of Education (Seduc), proposed a collective embrace involving students and professionals who work in schools and kindergartens. The idea was to dedicate 15 minutes to an activity related to the date, aiming to unite all employees and members of the school community in a welcoming moment, in addition to inspiring those involved in Education to combat intolerance, violence and disrespect. With a lot of creativity, the students participated in actions with music, games, dance, drawings, among others, ending the dynamics always with a hug.

TOCATINS: The state schools of Tocantins that are participants in the Associated Schools Program of the United Nations Educational, Science and Technology Organization (Unesco) will carry out, this Saturday, 23rd, from 8 am to 12 pm, actions aimed at International Day of Peace. Among the activities planned by the schools, we highlight the creation of the Mantle and the Flag of Peace, which will serve as symbols of the school community’s commitment to promoting peace and harmony; lectures and cultural presentations with the active participation of the school community and local community.

VIDEIRA: The International Day of Peace is celebrated on September 21st, with the aim of spreading peace, the Colégio Salvatoriano Imaculada Conceição held an action in favor of peace on Monday, the 18th, an international project that combines art and literacy called “Pinwheels for Peace”. At this event, weather vanes with messages of peace were planted in the area in front of our school, material produced by the students themselves mediated by their teachers.

CHILE

PARRAL: The State Center for Alternative Mechanisms for the Resolution of Disputes in Criminal Matters (CEMASC) held a talk with students from the Miguel Hidalgo Experimental Normal School, in Parral, to commemorate the International Day of Peace. CEMASC reaffirms its commitment to fostering a culture of peace in society, promoting peaceful societies and facilitating access to the administration of justice through mediation and conciliation.

Question for this article

What has happened this year (2023) for the International Day of Peace?



Manaus, Brazil

(Survey continued from left column)

COLOMBIA

CHAPARRAL: This September 21, the Sustaining Peace project was launched. The meeting brought together representatives of international cooperation, national government, local authorities, and local farmers, youth, women, indigenous people, Afro people and leaders of Tolima, who, from this initiative, will continue working for the collective desire to consolidate peace in the territory. Within the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, the launch event took place in the municipality of Chaparral, Tolima, which with music, dance, and spirituality opened its doors to the implementation of the project. Sustaining Peace seeks to strengthen the territorial leadership that survives in these municipalities, so today’s activities had the active participation of some of the representatives of the communities of Ataco, Planadas, Chaparral and Rioblanco.

MEDELLIN: On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, Medellín also celebrated the Month for Peace, which was celebrated between August and September, where social organizations, collectives and victims developed an entire territorial and citizen agenda with key programming on the importance of union and the gathering of knowledge in favor of local pacification, supported by the Secretariat of Non-Violence and the House of Memory Museum. . . . With forums, conversations, sit-ins, cultural, artistic and academic activities, the administration has supported scenarios of peaceful resistance created by citizens, which have favored the exchange of experiences and knowledge of the communities that defend life. . . . the Secretariat of Non-Violence led the conversation in the Month for Peace: Women in the construction of territorial peace with the Women’s Peaceful Route, a conversation on Peace as a fundamental right. In addition, the event Cometas por la paz territorial was supported to commemorate with the community the importance of the tutelary hill Cuchillón la Loma Hermosa, since nature, too, is a living actor impacted in the conflict, which requires restorative actions of memory and truth.

POPAYAN: On September 21, the Municipal Council of Peace, Reconciliation and Coexistence of Popayán was installed, recognizing 21 people from the different social sectors of the civil population, who assume and make up this consultative and advisory body. It is made up of members and representatives of the academy, social organizations, Afro-Colombian communities, protectors and defenders of the rights of children, girls and adolescents; artistic, cultural, LGBTI collectives and business sectors. In addition, the International Day of Peace was commemorated.

COSTA RICA

CARTAGO: The Cartago Concert Band invites you to its “Special Concert for the International Day of Peace”. Date: September 22, 2023, 6:30 pm, Municipal Amphitheater of Cartago. Cost: free

GARABITO: With the aim of celebrating the International Day of Peace , the Civic Center for Peace in Garabito (CCP) , dresses up and celebrates this Thursday, September 21 , a day full of artistic presentations that have been generated as a result of the learning of the participants of processes and workshops that are taught at their facilities. This cultural celebration will have its programming from 9 am to 2 pm , admission is free

UNIVERSIDAD ESTATAL A DISTANCIA: International Day of Peace. Activities: Collaborative games, Peace Infographic Exhibition, Infographic contest award, Conference with Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Oscar Arias Sánchez: “Through education, a culture of peace is possible”

UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA: September 21: International Day of Peace. A Student Initiatives project helps create a culture of peace in the children of La Carpio. The fifth grade boys and girls of La Carpio develop various recreational activities to learn to form a true culture of peace in their community. . . . The work of this university group in La Carpio began with a diagnosis of what the group of children thought about violence, which gave material to know how to intervene in the realities that many of these people lived. Once this preliminary step was completed, they began to develop the methodology to work with the infants, so that they have fun while developing a critical mentality; all from a horizontal treatment with the students who are in the fifth grade of La Carpio. . . . But this whole project of Student Initiatives would not have been possible if before the Bien de Mujer Foundation had not dared to found Casa Ilori in La Carpio. This instance began to operate in this town for 15 years through mathematics and Spanish reinforcement centers for the students of the school.

CUBA

HAVANA: The Day for the International Day of Peace begins this September 12 at the Manuel Fajardo Medical Faculty of the University of Cuba with a video tribute to Commander Juan Almeida Bosque who bequeathed us music and revolution, in the voice of his son Juan Guillermo Almeida with his song “Mi querido Viejo”. . .. . In the voice of Taimí Dianet López Cruz, the “World March for Peace and Nonviolence” was heard and at the closing with the outstanding participation of students, workers and directors of the entity, the FEU and the FEEM with the Ernesto Che Guevara Honorary Chair, they presented the call “For a culture of peace, non-violence and sustainable development.”

HOLGUIN: The Plaza Camilo Cienfuegos cultural complex, in the municipality of Holguín, hosted the celebrations for the International Day of Peace in the northeastern territory. Political-cultural activities and dialogues around the anniversary were developed by the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) with the participation of students from the Máximo Gómez Báez, Luis Peña Martínez, Augusto César Sandino and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes educational centers.

ICAP: The headquarters of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP) hosted today, the celebration of the International Day of Peace, which this year calls for the recognition of the individual and collective responsibility to promote peace.
As part of the day, the brochures Open Letter to President Joe Biden and Open Letter to the leaders of the European Union, from the Venezuelan professor and researcher, Carlos Méndez Tovar, were presented. . . . He interactively explained to a group of students from the capital’s pre-university Saúl Delgado, the importance of knowing our history and checking the veracity of the news, especially the information circulating on social networks. The meeting was attended by members of the Russian diplomatic corps, the Palestinian ambassador in Havana, Akram Samhan, and members of the network of collaborators and peace activists.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

LA ALTAGRACIA PROVINCE: In a commemorative event for the International Day of Peace , the authorities of the province of La Altagracia met to reflect on the importance of peace in the current context, after the situation that surrounds the country with the Haitian nation. At the event, Senator Virgilio Cedano explained that the Dominican Republic, historically, since 1844, the year in which independence was declared, is a country of peace. He highlighted that the Dominican Republic has never attacked any foreign country and that the internal conflicts that have occurred, as a State, as a nation, have been resolved here . . . The provincial governor Martina Pepén Santana stated that the occasion invites us to continue cultivating the values, which are so necessary in the nation. . . . For his part, the representative of the evangelical churches in the province, Pastor Ruddy Hidalgo, argued that there is a peace that comes to human beings as a result of a sustained policy thinking about values ​​and principles; thinking about the freedom of the human being in what it means to live together.

ECUADOR

LOJA: The Judiciary Council, within the framework of the commemoration of the International Day of Peace that is celebrated every September 21, since 2020, has institutionalized September as the Month of Peace, and one of the main activities it carried out The institution is the “Caravan for Peace”, an activity that left a significant mark in the Vilcabamba parish, on Saturday, September 9, 2023, through an “Open House”. This event brought together producers and entrepreneurs from the surrounding parishes, including Malacatos, Vilcabamba, San Pedro de Vilcabamba, Quinara and Yangana, the event became an epicenter of activities that celebrated cultural diversity and promoted the importance of peace in society. , attendees had the opportunity to enjoy a varied display of the region’s cultural wealth through various traditional dances and artistic performances that delighted the public, transmitting a clear message of unity and a culture of peace.

QUITO: As part of the program that promotes a Culture of Peace, the Secretariat of Education, Recreation and Sports, together with the Pan American Round Table, hold reflection days with municipal high school students. The sessions were held in the municipal educational institutions: Quitumbe, Sebastián de Benalcázar, Eugenio Espejo, Rafael Alvarado, Antonio José de Sucre, Calderón and Fernández Madrid. The goal is to reach 20 municipal educational establishments.

QUITO: The students of the Nueve de Octubre Municipal Educational Unit participated in a day of reflection, in a symbolic event for the International Day of Peace, organized by the Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sports together with the Members of the Pan American Round Table, within the framework of the Program to Promote and Foster the Culture of Peace. . . . Students received buttons with the mission of promoting a culture of peace, not only among their classmates, but in other spaces of daily coexistence.

HAITI

PORT-AU-PRINCE: Young people of both sexes from precarious neighborhoods described in theatrical performances the multifaceted violence in Haiti on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Peace in Port-au-Prince. au-Prince on September 21, 2023. Despite everything, they raised awareness among young people to act to promote lasting peace in Haiti. Other young people promoted this peace in songs, slams and discussions. “The culture of peace is a necessity for a stable, just and committed Haiti on the road to economic and social progress,” said the Minister of Youth, Sports and Civic Action, Raymonde Rival. The Minister invited young people to continue to get involved in various citizen initiatives in favor of peace. . . . Plus de 150 jeunes ont participé à cette commémoration.

UN MISSION: This year, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) emphasizes the creativity of the ideas inherent to the International Day of Peace by organizing with the Haiti Jazz Foundation a concert open to all, on Saturday, September 27 at Place Boyer, in the metropolitan area of ​​Port-au-Prince. According to a press release from the UN mission, Haitian musicians and artists BeethovaObas, James Germain, Misty Jean and Rutshelle Guillaume and the Congolese LokuaKanza who lives and works in France, star of world music, defender of peace and women’s rights , will together sing peace.

MEXICO

CANCUN: For the International Day of Peace, which is celebrated on September 21 around the world, the first edition of the 5 kilometer race “All for Peace” will be held in Cancun. This athletic event will take place on Saturday, September 23, with a scheduled start at 6:30 p.m. on the Malecón Tajamar and a quota of one thousand runners.

CHIAPAS: Olinka School; Within the framework of the International Day of Peace, it is a pleasure to invite you to an exciting children’s meeting focused on exploring and promoting the Culture of Peace and the Prevention of Violence in its 2023 edition. . . . Participating students must carry out the following activities during the first 4 weeks of the start of the 2023-2024 school cycle and these must be sent to the link that will be provided after registration.

CHETUMAL: More than 1,000 thousand high school students marched in the Parade for Peace this afternoon on Héroes Avenue, in the center of the state capital. With the presence of school authorities, educational center authorities and more than a thousand students, they commemorated the International Day of Peace with a parade to demand a culture of peace in the state, specifically in the city.

GUADALAJARA: The Casa Yinu Montessori joined Montessori schools all over the world to sing for peace on the International Day of Peace to light a candle for peace, for love, for life!

GUANAJUATO: San Francisco del Rincón, September 21, 2023. Before more than two thousand young people who witnessed, within the framework of the International Day of Peace, municipal instances of youth care from across the state of Guanajuato signed the Youth Peace Alliance that will promote actions in favor of peace, led by JuventudEsGTO. In addition, the projects “Newspaper for Peace” and “Comics for Peace” were presented, created by young members of the Multipliers of Peace program. . . . The “Newspaper for Peace” and “Comics for Peace” are two projects that promote the practice of values, the application of which generates a healthy coexistence in society and the formation of good citizens.

HUEJUTLA DE REYES: Within the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, personnel from the State Center for Alternative Justice of the Judicial Branch of Hidalgo in the municipality, together with other invited institutions, carried out various activities in the facilities of the Municipal Kiosk of this city. In addition to personnel from the State Center for Alternative Justice of the Judiciary in Hidalgo in Huejutla, personnel from CAMI, INPI, Lawyers, Human Rights, among others, also gathered there.

MÉRIDA: In commemoration of the International Day of Peace, the Secretariat of Education of the Government of the State of Yucatán (Segey), through the Coordination for the Prevention of Violence in Basic Education ( CPREVI) held a day of activities to raise awareness about the importance of having healthy school spaces that promote good actions among children and youth. For the development of the day called “Peace to the Voice”, which took place at the Gonzalo Navarro Báez Secondary School, there was support from various areas of Segey, who together developed dynamics with the participation of more than 300 students. . . . As part of the activities, the students from the morning and afternoon shift participated, who through dance and body expression performed a dance demonstration titled “The face of peace through break dancing.”

MEXICO CITY: Within the framework of the International Day of Peace, which is celebrated on September 21 of each year, the head of the Secretariat of Government of Mexico City (SECGOB), Ricardo Ruiz Suárez, led the installation of a “Yes” module to Disarmament, Yes to Peace”, in the Chapel of the Conception, located in Plaza Tlaxcoaque, Cuauhtémoc Mayor’s Office. From this emblematic site of the Historic Center, the Secretary of Government explained that peace must be built every day through dialogue and teaching, with the aim of avoiding a “culture of war and violence.” . . . During the first hours of operation of this disarmament module, a 16-caliber shotgun and a 22-caliber revolver were delivered for destruction, for which 10,400 pesos were delivered. Since January 2019, “Yes to Disarmament, Yes to Peace” has removed more than 8 thousand firearms, nearly a thousand grenades, as well as more than a million cartridges from homes.

PUEBLA: The present government of Sergio Salomón, through the Ministry of Education, invites students of basic education (preschool, primary and secondary), as well as high school, to commemorate the “International Day of Peace” (September 21) . . . Through exercises that strengthen the ideals of the New Mexican School (NEM), which aims to create peaceful, safe and healthy school environments, students must carry out activities during the month of September such as: murals, music for peace, poetry contest , digital awareness campaign, letter for peace, yoga and meditation, ecological cleaning, collaborative art, photography contest, among others.

QUERETERO: The president of the Education and Culture Commission and member of the Legislative Group of the National Action Party in the LX State Legislature, Ana Paola López Birlain, inaugurated the Peace Festival ” Paz Fest”, which will be held on September 21, 22 and 23 of the current year, where there will be the participation of civil society organizations, schools and associations of professionals, universities and public institutions, among others.

QUINTANA ROO: International Day of Peace, a utopia: students of José Maria Morelos, Mayan Intercultural University of Quintana Roo (Uimqroo) concerned about world peace due to the current violence. The university students held an event (a peace wall) at the campus facilities to commemorate the International Day of Peace.

TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF JALISCO: The Technological University of Jalisco commemorated the International Day of Peace on September 21, wearing the white badge to emphasize that the university community carries out actions in favor of peace, through respect, equity, equality and inclusion. We are all parts of this community and together we take action in order to commit to promoting and maintaining peace.

VERACRUZ: The First Meeting “Thinking interdisciplinary about peace” of the National Network for Peace, of the National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education : Jaqueline Jongitud Zamora, Secretary of Institutional Development of the University of Veracruz (UV), inaugurated the event in the Blue Hall of the Humanities Unit, and in her message highlighted that the UV seeks to advance the agenda of global interest through the Plan for Culture of Peace and Nonviolence 2023-2031, a document that will surely be enriched from the results of this first meeting that takes place from September 7 to 9 within the framework of the International Day of Peace.

UNITED WORLD SCHOOLS: On September 21, the International Day of Peace is celebrated. For this reason, the movement has adopted that day as “UWC Day”, a day to reflect and strengthen the ideals of peace in favor of a better world. This year “UWC Day” focuses on “Forging a sustainable future” . At a time when the effects of the climate crisis are being felt every day, particularly in the most vulnerable communities around the world, and when floods, fires, droughts, and loss of biodiversity are increasingly more frequent, we must all act to stop environmental deterioration. Thus, we hope that this topic gives us all the opportunity to take a step back to dream and, why not, re-imagine a better world in which human beings live sustainably.

YUCATAN: Women’s clothing items made by Yucatecan hands were presented on a catwalk in New York, United States within the framework of the International Day of Peace, organized by the United Nations Organization (UN). These “Mazehual” brand garments are manufactured in the “Hacienda Montecristo” (HMC) maquiladora in this Yucatecan municipality. About the exhibition, Roger Alcocer Cetina, manager of the maquiladora, shared on his social networks: “After analyzing the work carried out in our maquiladora, we were invited to present a clothing collection on the catwalk held in the city of New York, within the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace”. He indicated that 150 artisans work in the maquiladora who, in addition to dresses, handcraft leather bags for women, among other products that they export to several foreign countries.

PANAMA

DON BOSCO: This Thursday, September 21, which commemorates the international day of peace in many countries, Panama, under the coordination of Doctor Guerra, has planned countless activities that include a Mass at the Don Bosco Church in Calidonia, visits to educational centers for celebrate with the children, visit the peace monument in the town of Don Bosco and conferences and decorations at the University of Panama (6:pm). . . . Dr. Emelda Guerra is Supervisor of the Youth and Adult Program of the Ministry of Education and is also a member for Panama of the Organization of America for Educational Excellence and Peace since 2008.

MINISTRY: The Minister of Culture, (MiCultura) Giselle González Villarrué, representing the national government, participated together with the French ambassador in Panama, HE Aude De Amorim, in the cultural events and the planting of an olive tree that symbolizes fraternity, Peace , renewal and is also capable of withstanding adverse conditions. This activity, which was organized in the Plaza de Francia, is part of the celebration of different initiatives to be carried out on September 21 in order to strengthen the ideals of peace between nations and peoples, as a celebration that is celebrated in each country world level; . . . The special guests were the boys and girls from the United States of America, Simón Bolívar, Manuel José Hurtado and Republic of Mexico schools who were able to participate with songs and oratory dedicated to Peace. In his speech, González Villarrué highlighted that, “we must commit to teaching and putting into practice the value of tolerance and mutual respect to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.” He added that “more must be invested in a culture for peace, which will build a just and inclusive world that embraces diversity and inclusion.”

PARAGUAY

NATIONAL CONGRESS: The office of Congressman Freddy Franco (PLRA-Central) is engaged in the organization of an “International Leadership Conference in commemoration of the International Day of Peace”, an event to be held next Friday, September 20, at 7 a.m. :00 to 12:00 hours. The activity, to be carried out in the Bicameral Chamber of the National Congress, has the support of the Federation for Universal Peace-Paraguay Chapter, which is part of a global network of organizations that seek to build a world of peace.

PERU

CHIMBOTE: Engineer Luis Gamarra Alor, mayor of the province of Santa, led the emotional Sunday raising ceremony and the massive walk in Chimbote, in commemoration of the International Day of Peace. Accompanied by municipal authorities, councilors, officials and employees of the Provincial Municipality of Santa, the tour was carried out along Pardo Avenue to the front of the provincial commune, where they joined the residents of the towns in the flag-raising ceremony. This walk was established as a preamble to the International Day of Peace, designated by the United Nations in 1981, and celebrated every September 21. During the event, the inhabitants of Chimbote wore white t-shirts and released balloons of the same color, symbolizing the desire for peace.

LIMA: The International Day of Peace was celebrated at Markham College on September 22.

PUERTO RICO

PONCE: The CEscuela Flor de Loto Montessori joined Montessori schools all over the world to sing for peace on the International Day of Peace to light a candle for peace, for love, for life!

VEGA ALTA: The Antonio Paoli school joined Montessori schools all over the world to sing for peace on the International Day of Peace to light a candle for peace, for love, for life!

URUGUAY

PARLIAMENT: This afternoon in the Acuña de Figueroa Room, in the José Artigas building, the meeting “ The challenge of establishing Peace in a Globalized World” was held , within the framework of September 21 declared by the United Nations as the International Day of Peace. In this instance, the following spoke: the President of the Foundation for Peace, Raúl Rey; the President of Youth and Students for Peace, Valeria Pellejero; the Secretary General of ALADI, Dr. Sergio Abreu; the Anthropologist and President of the 21st Century Oriental Ladies Association, Mag. Virginia Rial; the President of the District Public Image Committee of Rotary Uruguay, Cono Rossi; the President of the Women’s Federation for World Peace, Marisa Machado. In the second instance they stated: the founder of the ATABAQUE Group, Mae Susana Andrade de Oxun; for the Baha”I Community of Uruguay, Sima Baher; Ahmadia Muslim Community Missionary, Yousaf Khan; the President of the Costa Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Adolfo Ferrari and the President of the Federation of Families for World Peace, Kazuhiro Tsusaka.

VENEZUELA

CEPAZ: We are very happy to be able to share that on September 21, 2023 we will begin the seventh edition of the 12 Actions for Peace. We want to invite you from the Justice and Peace Center (Cepaz) to be part of this collective activism, which last year managed to add hundreds of people taking actions and 124 organizations promoting the campaign. On this occasion we want to make visible the pillars of the women’s peace and security agenda (Resolution 1325) and the work of women and organizations that support other women affected by the complex humanitarian emergency.

PRESIDENT: The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, remembered today the International Day of Peace and affirmed that it is built from respect, recognition and coexistence. That is the path of the Bolivarian Republic and “we will always insist on building a world without hatred or violence, where human solidarity and social justice prevail,” the head of state wrote on his X account, formerly Twitter.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America, Uncategorized

Brazil mulls deforestation patterns as Lula government launches new action plan

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Forest News

Brazil’s policy makers are turning to scientists to help pinpoint deforestation trends in the Amazon region over the past decade that have contributed to greenhouse gas emissions, shrinking ecosystem services and biodiversity loss.


Mato Grosso landscape, Brazil. Photo: Icaro Cooke Vieira/CIFOR

On 4 May 2023, a virtual forum jointly sponsored by the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force and the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) assembled science and policy experts to provide input for the new phase of the new country’s Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm), launched in June under the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Preparation of the plan’s fifth phase – which will cover the period from 2023 to 2027 – has involved 13 government ministries, as well as other agencies, academics and civil society groups. Earlier phases of the plan guided government action from 2004 to 2020.

Brazil – which has the largest forested area in Latin America and is the region’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases – managed to reduce forest loss by 83 percent from 2004 to 2012 after decades of increased deforestation. However, this trend has reversed in the past decade under different federal administrations.

In 2020, deforestation in Brazil soared to a 12-year high, widely attributed to the federal government’s weakening environmental enforcement and calls for more development in the Amazon.

“Deforestation has doubled since 2012,” said Raoni Rajão, who presented the PPCDAm on behalf of the Department for Deforestation and Fire Control Policy of Brazil’s Ministry of Environment. “We need to understand what happened between 2012 and 2020.”

Researchers have studied what has and hasn’t worked in Brazil and other forest-rich countries for decades. What remains clear is that action against deforestation must happen at multiple levels, from global to national to subnational to municipal.

As a result, basing policy decisions on scientific research has become a priority for state environment secretaries, said Carlos Aragon, Brazil country director for the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force, which is a subnational collaboration of 43 states and provinces working to protect tropical forests, reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and promote realistic pathways to forest-maintaining rural development.

As part of its decade-long, 22-country Global Comparative Study of REDD+, CIFOR-ICRAF has been targeting deforestation at subnational levels, such as states and districts in Brazil.

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Question for this article:

How can we ensure that science contributes to peace and sustainable development?

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“The purpose of the dialogue at today’s event was to help identify different policy interventions for addressing deforestation dynamics in Brazil,” said Richard Van der Hoff, Brazil country coordinator for the study.

The Brazilian government’s analysis, carried out in preparation for the PPCDAm, points to some major changes in deforestation dynamics that planners must consider, according to Rajão.

Nearly two decades ago, when the first phase of the plan was implemented, deforestation mainly occurred in an arc in the southern Amazon region, where forest was being cleared for industrial agriculture. With policies in place to help preserve forest on farmland, deforestation in recent years has been linked to infrastructure, with hot spots occurring around hydroelectric dams and along highways.

The 2004 plan also targeted large-scale deforestation, significantly reducing it in the following years. Since 2019, however, deforestation of large areas has been occurring again with impunity, Rajão said.

Deforestation has also been occurring in recent years in protected areas, Indigenous territories and settlements more than it did during the period of greater control, he said.

Besides clearing of forests, there has been an uptick in the degradation of standing forests because of fires set on farmland that escape into the understory.

“Fire is playing a greater and greater role in the deforestation process,” Rajão said. “People use fire so intensively and for such long periods of time that it destroys the forest structure.”

The Brazilian government’s analysis of shifting patterns of deforestation is similar to a methodology that CIFOR-ICRAF researchers are developing to classify deforestation patterns according to a series of archetypes, in order to determine which policies work or do not work in different situations, CIFOR-ICRAF researcher Julia Naime said.

The archetypes range from areas of past deforestation – classified as inactive, consolidated or fragmented – to hot spots or “rampant” frontiers, and “looming” frontiers, where there is a risk of future deforestation.

These archetypes are meant to help planners think strategically about deforestation patterns in a landscape, she said.

“We need to align infrastructure with environmental and climate goals,” Rajão added. “Otherwise, we will have activities that are completely disconnected.”

The goal is to stop illegal deforestation by punishing infringements, and to reduce the legal clearing of forests by promoting sustainable use, he said. Law enforcement fines and the confiscation of illegal items have doubled compared with last year, he added.

The science and policy dialogue in May was the third in a series sponsored by CIFOR-ICRAF and the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force. Sessions scheduled for later this year will focus on future deforestation scenarios and the final results of the Global Comparative Study.

For more information on this topic:
Pham Thu Thuy at t.pham@cifor-icraf.org
Richard Van der Hoff at richard.vanderhoff@inteligenciaterritorial.org

This work was carried out as part of the Center for International Forestry Research’s Global Comparative Study on REDD+ (www.cifor.org/gcs). The funding partners that have supported this research include the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (CRP-FTA) with financial support from CGIAR Fund Donors.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Amazon Rainforest Nations Gather to Forge a Shared Policy

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Reuters (reprinted by permission)

Eight Amazon nations agreed to a list of unified environmental policies and measures to bolster regional cooperation at a major rainforest summit in Brazil on Tuesday (August 8), but failed to agree on a common goal for ending deforestation.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has staked his international reputation on improving Brazil’s environmental standing, had been pushing for the region to unite behind a common policy of ending deforestation by 2030 – one he has already adopted.


Indigenous groups call for bold steps at Amazon summit © Evaristo Sa / AFP

Instead, the joint declaration issued on Tuesday in the Brazilian city of Belem created an alliance for combating forest destruction, with countries left to pursue their own individual deforestation goals.

The failure of the eight Amazon countries to agree on a pact to protect their own forests points to the larger, global difficulties of forging an agreement to combat climate change. Many scientists say policymakers are acting too slowly to head off catastrophic global warming.

“The planet is melting, we are breaking temperature records every day. It is not possible that, in a scenario like this, eight Amazonian countries are unable to put in a statement – in large letters – that deforestation needs to be zero,” said Marcio Astrini of environmental lobby group Climate Observatory.

Lula and other national leaders left Tuesday’s meeting without commenting on the declaration. Presidents from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru attended the summit, while Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela sent other top officials.

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Question for this article:

Sustainable Development Summits of States, What are the results?

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Bolivia and Venezuela are the only Amazon countries not to sign onto a 2021 agreement among more than 100 countries to work toward halting deforestation by 2030. A Brazilian government source told Reuters in the lead up to the summit that Bolivia, where forest destruction is surging, is a hold-out on the issue.

Bolivian President Luis Arce did not address the 2030 commitment in his speech on Tuesday.

Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said in a press briefing that the issue of deforestation “in no way whatsoever will divide the region” and cited “an understanding about deforestation” in the declaration, without elaborating.

This week’s summit brought together the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) for the first time in 14 years, with plans to reach a broad agreement on issues from fighting deforestation to financing sustainable development.

But tensions emerged in the lead up to the summit around diverging positions on deforestation and oil development.

Fellow Amazon countries also rebuffed Colombia’s leftist President Gustavo Petro’s ongoing campaign to end new oil development in the Amazon. In his speech on Tuesday, Petro likened the left’s desire to keep drilling for oil to the right-wing denial of climate science.

He said the idea of making a gradual “energy transition” away from fossil fuels was a way to delay the work needed to stop climate change.

Brazil is weighing whether to develop a potentially huge offshore oil find near the mouth of the Amazon River and the country’s northern coast, which is dominated by rainforest.

“What we are discussing in Brazil today is research of an extensive and large area – in my vision perhaps the last frontier of oil and gas before … the energy transition,” Brazil’s Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira told reporters after Petro’s speech.

Silveira said they should conduct research into what oil is there in order to make a decision on the issue.

Beyond deforestation, the summit also did not fix a deadline on ending illegal gold mining, although leaders agreed to cooperate on the issue and to better combat cross-border environmental crime.

The final joint statement, called the Belem Declaration, strongly asserted indigenous rights and protections, while also agreeing to cooperate on water management, health, common negotiating positions at climate summits, and sustainable development.

As Reuters previously reported, the declaration additionally established a science body to meet annually and produce authoritative reports on science related to the Amazon rainforest, akin to the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Brazil Federal District: Management of Culture of Peace and Mediation completes one year this Wednesday

. EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Jornal de Uberaba

This Wednesday, the Office of Culture of Peace and Mediation of the Public Defender’s Office of the Federal District (DPDF) completes one year. It was a period of positive results in conflict resolution, in order to avoid new lawsuits and encourage dialogue between the parties. In all, 3,185 consultations were carried out, with 75% of conflicts resolved through agreements.

In addition, several other initiatives were adopted to accelerate mediation and conciliation during the period. Partnerships were established with regional administrations, public schools and law universities in the Federal District, which carried out mediations and conciliations, training with more than 200 civil servants with postgraduate degrees and distance learning courses, management and alignment workshops, training and the offer of postgraduate scholarships. graduation with the counterpart of the beneficiaries contributing to the growth of the culture of peace and mediation of the Public Defender’s Office of the DF.

The three most recurrent demands in management throughout this first year were alimony, consensual divorce and divorce.

The implementation of the results management tool with the systematic spreadsheet of data was also essential for improving management work and decision-making.

In commemoration of the management’s anniversary, the DPDF will create a specific sub-secretariat to concentrate mediation actions within the scope of the institution. It will be one more way to encourage the practice in the assistance provided by the Public Defender’s Office, as a way to avoid judicialization and speed up the cases. Currently, the Culture of Peace and Mediation Management is linked to the DPDF School of Legal Assistance

Also in honor of the date, the DPDF will promote, on August 18, a lecture with the judge of the Court of Justice of Bahia (TJBA) André Gomma, one of the creators of the self-composition methods of conflict resolution in Brazil and a national reference in the subject. The class will be part of the continuing education course on Family Law, Culture of Peace and Mediation, and Childhood and Youth, promoted by Easjur.

The management’s proposal is to promote appropriate methods for conflict resolution, emphasizing mediation and conciliation, in order to implement multi-door justice, provided for in the Civil Procedure Code of 2015. With the objectives of humanizing conflicts, seeking peace, promoting education in rights and the speed of the process, the solution rate of the first 2,200 demands received was 90%, between September 2022 and March 2023.

In commemoration of the Management’s anniversary, the DPDF will create a specific subsecretariat to concentrate mediation actions within the scope of the institution.

The general public defender, Celestino Chupel, recognizes the transformative role of management in the traditionally established scenario of excessive judicialization. “It is necessary to break with paradigms and update the techniques used in conflict resolution. Mediation allows for faster and more uncomplicated dispute resolution, in addition to facilitating effective communication between the parties”, he analyzed.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese)

Discussion question

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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For the public defender and head of the Culture of Peace and Mediation Management, Lídia Nunes, the work carried out in mediation is very important to avoid judicialization and possible overload of the Judiciary. “By means of self-composition techniques, we manage to make people aware and provide information so that they can build the solution to their conflicts themselves. It is a faster and more effective way of resolving disputes”, she explained.

Innovative project

The Legal Assistance Nucleus (NAJ) Deusa Maria de Carvalho, located in the Ceilândia Forum, innovated in the execution of the mediation project in ongoing processes. There were 203 hearings held in eight days throughout the month of July, with a success rate of 95%.

The success is due to the offer of 12 full postgraduate scholarships in Law at the Brazilian Institute of Teaching, Development and Research (IDP) to defenders and servants of the DPDF, who must collaborate with a minimum of 40 hours in mediation, conciliation hearings or attempted settlement in the administrative region. The purpose of the initiative is to increase the offer of hearings on peaceful methods of conflict resolution for residents of Ceilândia, the most populous region of the Federal District.

Management’s proposal is to promote appropriate methods for conflict resolution, emphasizing mediation and conciliation, in order to implement multi-door justice, provided for in the 2015 Code of Civil Procedure.

School of Legal Assistance

In the last year, Easjur has actively participated in the institutional evolution of the Culture of Peace and Mediation within the Public Defender’s Office of the Federal District. With the creation of management, the educational body conceived the workflows with the DPDF nuclei and bodies that make up the local public administration, as well as produced guidance materials that gave essence and direction to the work.

Established alignment with the Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories (TJDFT) to ensure greater reach in service, in addition to partnerships with higher education institutions, enabling the entry of professors and hundreds of students in the institution to collaborate with the provision of services in mediation to the underprivileged population.

On the other hand, with a view to ensuring training and technical improvement, in line with private institutions, hundreds of postgraduate scholarships and training courses were offered to DPDF defenders and servants.

Dejudicialization of claims

One of the purposes of mediation and conciliation is the resolution of conflicts through dialogue, thus avoiding the judicialization of demands and the overload of the Judiciary.

One of the people who approached the Culture of Peace and Mediation Management during this period was Regiane Braseiro, 32 years old. She is the mother of five children and contacted the DF Public Defender’s Office to carry out a DNA test on her youngest son, who is eight months old. “I need proof of paternity for my youngest child to include the father’s name on the birth certificate and apply for child support,” she explained.

Conciliar Space

In April, the DPDF, the TJDFT and the Public Ministry of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT) inaugurated the Conciliar Space. The new environment offers a multidisciplinary service, with the aim of identifying the feasibility of resolving conflicts without filing a lawsuit, resolving issues through mediation or conciliation in loco and free of charge.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Three large South American economies sign an agreement in Cartagena to tighten tax policies against “ghost companies”

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Euro ES Euro

The First Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean for an inclusive, sustainable and equitable global taxation, had the participation of 16 governments of the region and is taking place in Cartagena. Twitter/@MinHacienda


Three of the main economies of South America (Chile, Colombia and Brazil) joined forces at the ‘First Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean for global, inclusive, sustainable and equitable taxation’ held in Cartagena de Indias, in which officials and Finance ministers from 16 Latin American countries met to establish a joint regional platform.

The objective of this initiative is to address the challenges posed by the global economic landscape, especially in relation to the impact of tech giants like Netflix, Spotify and Amazon in the region.

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Question for this article:

Opposing tax havens and corruption: part of the culture of peace?

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The summit, which included the participation of three other large economies in the region, such as Mexico, Argentina and Peru, represents an effort to discuss and harmonize the reform of certain shortcomings in the tax structure of Latin American nations, which are characterized by being one of the most unequal areas of the world in terms of wealth distribution.

The debate on the need to establish a worldwide corporate tax rate was the subject of discussion for a long period, however, the inherited social imbalances of the pandemic accelerated the urgency to take action on it.

The large economies of the world have already reached recent agreements to tax the profits of technology companies and other large transnational corporations operating in their countries with a minimum of 15%.

Former Colombian Finance Minister Jose Antonio Ocampo who played a key role in the preparation of the summit, emphasized in an article published in the daily Time  about the importance of facing the challenges posed by the digital economy.

Ocampo pointed out that large fortunes and corporations use “shell companies” in tax havens to evade a significant part of their tax obligations, which has aggravated inequality in the region.

José Antonio Ocampo led the preparation of the summit from his position as minister, highlighting how the emergence of the digital economy allowed corporations to use more “shell companies” in tax havens. Twitter/@JoseA_Ocampo

This is related to awareness of tech companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon paying taxes in jurisdictions with very low tax rates, where they establish their financial headquarters, rather than in the countries where they operate and generate revenue.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Colombia: The Schools Embrace the Truth

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

Special to CPNN from Amada Benevides

On June 9, more than 1,300 educational institutions throughout Colombia commemorated the first anniversary of the delivery of the Final Report of the Truth Commission. In the company of civil society organizations and education secretariats, the schools organized to live a special day with their educational communities, opening a path of dialogue and reflection on the value of truth in coexistence and the history of the Colombian armed conflict.

On June 28, 2022, after more than 3 years of work, the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence, and Non-repetition delivered its Final Report to society. The Truth Commission (CEV), together with the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) and the Unit for the Search for Disappeared Persons in the framework of the Armed Conflict (UBPD), are part of the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-repetition (SVJR). The SVJR arising from the Agreement between the FARC-EP and the Colombian Government to end the armed conflict that lasted more than 60 years.

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(click here for the article in Spanish.).)

Question related to this article:

Truth Commissions, Do they improve human rights?

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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The Commission’s report is made up of 11 chapters that are designed in multiple formats so that they can be addressed by diverse communities and populations. The Commission’s Final Report is a public good. Its recommendations arise from an in-depth analysis of what happened during years of violence from more than 1,000 reports delivered by civil society, nearly 30,000 people interviewed and heard about what is necessary for non-repetition. Not all the recommendations are addressed to the Government or the State; there are several that fall on the rest of civil society and that is why their dissemination with the formal and non-formal education sectors is so important. Girls, boys, adolescents and young people, as well as the entire educational community, have the right to know the truth about what happened in the context of the armed conflict and the commitment to work on actions so that this does not happen again.

To commemorate the date of the launch of the report, the organizations allied with the Commission invite the educational institutions to develop three special days of deliberation and action. The aim of these journeys are to promote spaces for reflection with the educational community on the most important aspects of the report and how these processes contribute to the construction of peace from the clarification of the truth and the recommendations for the construction of coexistence that the CEV developed in its three years of work.

The allied organizations of the Commission, including Fundación Escuelas de Paz – civil society organizations, universities, Secretaries of Education and the Ministry of National Education – are aware that the contribution to Peace must be a continuous process. We unite in order to propose the development of a commemorative agenda with three milestone dates that motivate reflection on the work that is carried out from the Comprehensive System for Peace and keep the Legacy of the Commission alive.

These sessions will be:

June 9: The School Embraces the Truth.

August 30: The School embraces empathy.

October 2: The school embraces justice and restoration.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, HUMAN RIGHTS, Latin America

Colombia: With the “Tourism for a culture of peace” strategy, the Government of Change will invest $8.2 billion to boost tourism in 88 territories

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia (translation by CPNN)

With the purpose of turning tourism into a mechanism that promotes the construction of a culture of peace in the territories, creating productive alliances and making known the rich cultural, gastronomic and natural diversity of the country, the strategy “Tourism for a culture of peace” was presented in the town of San José del Guaviare.

This initiative of the Government will benefit targeted population groups including victims of the armed conflict, signatories of the final peace agreement, demobilized combatants, farmers changing from illicit to legal crops and other actors for peace.

In the launch of the strategy, led by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, its Vice Ministry of Tourism, representatives of the international cooperation entities that have been linked, such as the CAF Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program; German Cooperation Colombia and the United States Agency for International Development. They support the initiative and will play an active role in its implementation.

Likewise, as it is an integrating project of the government of President Gustavo Petro Urrego, entities such as the Unit for Victims, the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization, the Renewal Agency, the Colombia in Peace Fund and 4-72 have joined this commitment to build a culture of peace in the Territory/ They participated in the launch and will play an active role in its implementation.

Also participating were the federations and associations of the country’s tourism sector.

A comprehensive strategy

During the launch of “Tourism for a culture of peace”, the Deputy Minister in charge of Tourism, John Ramos, highlighted that the first phase of implementation will have an investment of $8.2 billion, and will impact 3.5 million inhabitants of the 88 tourist territories with a peace focus.

Initially, it will benefit 34 peace firm initiatives (18 tourism production projects and 16 tourism sector value-chain projects) that are ready for commercialization; and promote the productive chain of more than 4,000 productive units led by victims of the armed conflict.

For his part, César Oliveros, advisor to the office of the Vice Ministry of Tourism, stressed that the project includes four major axes.

The first axis seeks to strengthen peace tourism territories through work that promotes governance models and lessons learned; the creation of the network of tourist territories of peace as a mechanism for the promotion and visibility of the work of reconciliation and coexistence. In addition, the goal of investing in 10 tourism infrastructure projects is proposed.

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(Click here for the Spanish original.)

Questions related to this article:
 
How can tourism promote a culture of peace?

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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The second axis will be focused on promoting scenarios of economic opportunities through programs of productive chains of goods and services that can be associated with the extended value chain of tourism, making visible the work of building a culture of peace that local communities have been developing. The main mechanisms are the development of business roundtables; programs of chaining short circuits and in some cases, digital programs.

A third axis includes promoting a culture of peace through tourism by technical support for the consolidation of experiences and the construction of narratives that do not glorify the war, on the contrary, narratives that contribute to the historical memory of the country and the construction of peace. Also, the construction of the Code with Ethical Principles of tourism for the historical memory for the country.

And the fourth axis includes the development of a tourism promotion with a purpose, which aims to position these tourist territories with a differential value, with documentaries that tell stories of communities that work for transformation and that today are committed to life and that invite tourists to live these tourist experiences.

The actions will be developed in two phases, the first of which includes strengthening and development, and an initial base investment of $8.2 billion has already been approved and will be carried out over 18 months.

The second phase, of consolidation, will be executed according to the progress and dynamics of the prioritized territories and in this sense, the investments will depend on the new needs that are identified.
 
Where will it take place?

As part of the execution of this strategy, the following are considered peace tourism territories:

° The municipalities with Development Programs with a Territorial Focus -PDET-;

° The former Territorial Spaces for Training and Reincorporation -AETCR-;

° The Zones Most Affected by the Armed Conflict -ZOMAC;

° The Zones in processes of substitution of legal instead of illicit crops and

° The metropolitan areas that are transformed by scenarios for coexistence and culture.

An important condition is that they are territories with great potential for tourism, enjoyed by residents and visitors.

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism has begun the process of strengthening the tourist territories of peace that include municipalities in the PDET subregions of:

1) Sierra Nevada-Perijá, Cesar;
2) Macarena-Guaviare subregion;
3) Caguan Basin and Piedemonte Caqueteño
4) Pacific Nariño;
5) Montes de Maria
6) Cauca and Valle del Cauca;
7) Arauca;
8) Putumayo;
9) Urabá Antioqueño and
10) Chocó.

Also included are five areas most affected by the armed conflict and three metropolitan areas.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Dominican Republic: Ministry of Education develops program to promote a culture of Peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from the Government of the Dominican Republic (translation by CPNN)

The Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic (MINERD) has developed a program aimed at fostering a culture of peace and peaceful conflict resolution in the educational community, especially students.

The National Strategy for a Culture of Peace, as the program is called by the Directorate of Guidance and Psychology of the Vice Ministry of Technical and Pedagogical Services, seeks to strengthen values to form a peace-loving citizenry with the capacity to face and resolve conflicts that may arise in the social environment.

Vice Minister Ancell Scheker pointed out that “the Culture of Peace proposal is implemented with and for all the actors in the educational community, understanding that the school is accompanied by families and in a community context in which we teach and from where we learn to live with the other”.

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Questions for this article:

What is the relation between peace and education?

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He specified the Culture of Peace program in educational centers develops life skills so that students learn to live with others with a sense of respect, guaranteeing harmonious coexistence and taking into account that conflict is natural to human beings.

In this regard, the Vice Minister of Technical and Pedagogical Services said that the Culture of Peace program teaches that while conflict is natural, what is not natural, nor should it be accepted, are the different forms of violence.

Likewise, the national curriculum, which follows a competency approach, includes transversal axes to strengthen the general themes that guarantee citizen training and the integral development of students.

Among the fundamental competencies that are developed throughout the curriculum, some directly affect the construction of a culture of peace, such as Ethical and Civic Competence, Communication, Problem Solving, Personal and Spiritual Development, and Environmental and Health Competence.

Ancell Scheker cited that the General Directorate of Curriculum recently published a booklet on the culture of peace in digital format to guide teachers on how to address the issue transversally in curricular development.

(Click here for the original article in Spanish.)

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America