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An opinion piece by Fernando Gray in Other News ( translation by CPNN)

The last two years of health crisis have highlighted the inequalities within Latin American cities. In fact, the social, economic, health and territorial inequities have gotten worse among the cities of our region. Local governments are the first t respond. As stated in the motto of  the XXVI Mercociudades Summit , “local governments are always there.”

In this sense, the big, intermediate and peripheral cities are on the front line of actions that guarantee the right to an inclusive, healthy, sustainable and equitable city for everyone.

Sustainability

The pandemic has exposed the importance of local governments, as the first political institution that safeguards democratic life. Cities have been especially affected by the process of urbanization without provisions for sustainability, due to the problems of indebtedness and economic dependence, produced by neoliberal policies and financial capitalism that have dictated the global agenda from Washington.

In recent years, local governments have played an increasingly leading role, not only for the management of vaccines and the immunization process.  They have worked hard to educate and raise awareness in the community and to implement actions against violence, inequities and the vulnerability of citizens, plagued not only by the health pandemic but also by other causes of inequality.

Cities network

For this reason, from Mercociudades, the network of sister cities in Latin America, we focus on the need to strengthen governance. We must intensify efforts to develop territories that guarantee social, environmental and climate justice, equality, sustainability and a participatory democracy.

Mercociudades is the spokesperson for Latin American cities in relation to horizontality and twinning so that both big and peripheral cities are integrated to forge common objectives in pursuit of the well-being of the community and its environment.

The Southern has been more affected than the Northern Hemisphere, as can be seen with regard to the production and distribution of vaccines. And this is reproduced in multiple inequalities of all kinds, especially in peripheral cities.  We have seen that no person, no government, no nation can save itself by acting alone. We must think collectively, and act with parity and solidarity.

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(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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Inclusive city

At the recent XXVI Mercociudades Summit, in which the municipality of Esteban Echeverría assumed the Presidency for the period 2021-2022, we have proposed to design and implement actions, projects and programs that deepen inclusion policies with a gender and diversity perspective. Furthermore, it is urgent for us to guarantee accessibility to information, democratic communication and citizen participation of all identities and groups.

Local governments seek to guarantee to new generations livable cities with peace and harmony between people and with nature and the environment. We understand that major transformations occur from the local to the national, from the national to the regional, and from the regional to the global. Therefore, our mission is to continue in the integration of our cities in the network and with other networks in the region.

We propose to broaden the horizons of Mercociudades and to engage more cities, carry out more initiatives and celebrate the leadership of youth, women and dissidents. We are mobilized to forge ties of parity and horizontality between genders, generations, ethnic groups and cultures in all areas of community life.

Democratic communication

In the same sense, it is necessary to fight to reduce the inequalities in the accessibility of information for people with disabilities. We must promote cities that communicate democratically with equality and inclusion so that everyone has the same opportunities for participation, expression and development.

Likewise, we must emphasize cooperation and association initiatives so that we make known the situation of Latin America on the global agenda.  For example, we presented our position at COP 26 in Glasgow with a document that highlighted the common but differentiated responsibilities.

Barriers

The peripheral nations are urged to meet global goals in the face of climate change, but our responsibility for the effects that industrialization has produced on the planet is not the same as that of the countries in the North. In this way, the Southern Hemisphere is faced with para-tariff barriers that prevent the growth of our industry, which, in turn, translates into greater unemployment and poverty in our communities.

For this post-pandemic scenario, it is necessary to make visible the need for a fair distribution of responsibilities and actions that concern the entire Latin American people. We fight for inclusive, egalitarian, accessible, integrated and violence-free cities. From the local to the global, we propose a life in participatory, horizontal and cooperative democracy. We fight to ensure spaces for innovation, avant-garde and social and environmental justice. It is time for the voice of Latin American to be heard.
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Fernando Gray is the mayor of Esteban Echeverra, Argentine Department belonging to Greater Buenos Aires.  He is the President of Mercociudades.

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An article from The Jamaica Information Service

Restorative Justice Centres, which offer services to resolve conflicts, have noted an increase in referrals from the courts and communities across the island.

This was disclosed by Restorative Justice Coordinator, Andriene Lindsay. She tells JIS NEWS that conferences, in particular, have exceeded their target by 269 cases.

Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck consults with Coordinator, Restorative Justice, Ministry of Justice, Adrienne Lindsay

“The target for this year is 2,200 conferences and for the second quarter we actually completed 616 conferences, and that was in addition to our first-quarter results, and a total of 1,369 at the moment. or where we should be, which is 1,100, we are 269 ahead of our target. So, we’re doing really well in terms of conferences,” she says.

“This, when it comes to the variance, would be due to an increase in the referrals associated with sensitisation, particularly from the courts and the community. We’ve also had an increase in staff, which means we have an increased capacity for how many conferences we can actually conduct,” she further adds.

Ms. Lindsay says the Centres have also included virtual sessions, which makes it “easier for participants to interact”.

A conference is a tool used by the centre administrators that includes its facilitators, a Justice of the Peace and community supporters who can help to provide emotional support to everyone involved in the dispute.

“During the sessions, each person gets to tell their side of the story, but this time to the other parties that are involved. At that time, nobody else can speak; it’s just one person at a time.

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Restorative justice, What does it look like in practice?

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If there are any questions, those can be asked and responded to by the facilitator or community supporters. The last phase of the conference is what to do to move on and make things right,” she tells JIS News.

Ms. Lindsay notes that after each conference, the individuals involved in the disputes sign an agreement relative to the agreed resolution.

“If this process is done through the court, then that document once returned to court becomes a legally binding document, but if it is in the community, then what we do is just trust the participants to stick to that agreement, and we monitor it,” she adds.

She says follow-up for each case is done between three and six months and citizens can benefit from the Centre’s services free of charge.

“This is a free service, from the starting point to the finishing point. The Ministry of Justice does not charge any fees for interacting with the Restorative Justice Unit. We provide follow-up sessions, as well, free of charge and, of course, if any counselling services are required, we will also refer them free of charge to our Victim Services Unit,” she says.

The Restorative Justice Centres form part of the Ministry of Justice’s efforts to improve alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods.

The Centres will be established in every parish and are equipped to handle matters related to child diversion, restorative justice and dispute resolution, among other justice-related issues.

They also serve as a point of contact for custodes and justices of the peace.

“The Ministry of Justice is committed to make restorative justice a major part of the work that we will be carrying out, and we are doing so because we have seen that it is successful,” Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, says. He was speaking at a previous Restorative Justice Facilitator Training Programme.

The aims of the Restorative Justice Programme include the creation of a culture of peace through processes that emphasise the values of mutual respect, dignity and concern among one another in an environment of healing, reconciliation and restoration.

The Ministry is also trying for individuals and communities to become empowered to respond to crime positively, to enable productive relationships and reduce criminal case backlog.

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An article from the Brasilia Agency (Translation by CPNN)

The School of Government of the Federal District (Egov) will hold, on the next 18th, the 1st Meeting of Culture of Peace in the Public Sector. In line with the climate of peace promoted throughout the year by the Executive Secretariat for Valorization and Quality of Life (Sequali), the event will take place from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm, in the institution’s auditorium, and interested parties will have until next Tuesday (16) to make the entries, on the Egov website .

The meeting aims to awaken synergy between the individual, social and environmental aspects, towards sustainability, with ethics and respect for life. The idea is to promote a holistic view of the human being, sustainable development and the adoption of responsible practices by public entities.

The opening of the meeting will be attended by Adriana Faria, executive secretary for Valuing and Quality of Life, and the dean of the Environment at Unipaz, Regina Fittipaldi, a guest who will give a lecture on the theme “Paths to a culture of peace”.

The secretary of Economy, André Clemente, highlights that, since the beginning of this administration, the secretariat has been promoting actions aimed at the valorization and development of GDF servants.

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(Click here for the Portuguese original of this article)

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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“The servant valuation agenda is part of this management, which proposes the recognition and development of servants, through initiatives like this, aimed at personal and professional growth, promoting balance, ethics, respect for life, the good -being and productivity”, said Clemente.

According to Adriana Faria, the initiative to promote the meeting is in line not only with the secretariat’s actions, but with the current scenario. “The idea of holding this meeting arose from the need to encourage reflection on the culture of peace, a fundamental issue in the current social and political context of the country”, he says.

She explains that “servers will have the opportunity to know a worldview that privileges dialogue and mediation to resolve conflicts, abandoning violent attitudes and actions and respecting the diversity of ways of thinking and acting of each individual, fundamental attitudes for life in society.”

The executive director of Egov, Juliana Tolentino, highlighted the relevance of the meeting. “This event is extremely important. It is the opportunity to connect this culture of peace with the work developed by the public administration, acquire new knowledge and add to the efficiency and quality necessary for the provision of public services”, he said.

To participate in the meeting, click here and register.

Service
I Meeting of Culture of Peace in the Public Sector

Date: November 18, 2021

Time: 8:00 am to 5:30 pm

Modality: in person

Registration: until November 16, 2021

Check the program here.

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An article from the prefeitura de Petrópolis

Four lectures are part of the program elaborated by the Petrópolis da Paz Program, for the III International Week of Restorative Justice. The event, which takes place online, will open next Monday (15th), at 3:30 pm, broadcast by the City Hall’s official networks, such as Facebook and Youtube.

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“This event encourages a new vision of conflicts while giving a voice to victims and offenders, valuing, for example, the maintenance of family, school and community ties”, explains the interim government.

North American expert Kay Pranis will open the cycle of lectures talking about “Restorative Justice in Education: Building Restorative Communities”. The judge of Law at the São Paulo Court of Justice, Marcelo Nalesso Salmaso, will speak on the topic “Restorative Justice and Socio-education”. São Paulo teacher Liliane Claro Rezende was invited to speak on “Restorative Justice in Education: Experience Report in Santos”, while psychologist Paulo Henrique Moratelli addresses “Restorative Justice: Conflict Transformation Processes and Transformative Dialogs and Circles.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese)

Restorative justice, What does it look like in practice?

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“The III International Week celebrates restorative practices and represents the incessant work of the Petrópolis da Paz Program in its aspect of Restorative Justice in the recognition and expansion of the remarkable effects of these practices in our city and throughout the world”, highlights the coordinator of the Petrópolis Program of Peace.

The event is being organized by Vanessa Siqueira, the Program’s Restorative Justice coordinator. “It connects us with the world and with actions aimed at a culture of peace.

We are celebrating another year of achievement in our city by joining this international movement. Once again, we have the participation of renowned guests”, he explains, adding: “May this week inspire us and connect us to continue opening paths so that restorative justice and Movement Circles are present in schools, communities and other spaces.