FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following 95 events in 24 Latin American countries include those listed in Google during the week of September 21-28 under the key words “International day of peace”, “Dia Internacional da Paz” and “Día Internacional de la Paz” The events also includes some listed on the event map for the International Day of Peace and on the facebook pages for the global feast and the International Cities of Peace as well as partiipants in One Day One Choir and Montessori schools singing for peace.

In Feira de Santana, Brazil the event featured white balloons
and many people dressed in white.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

SAN CAYETANO, ARGENTINA: For the International Day of Peace “Culture goes to the square” was developed in Plaza América, with the participation of the workshops of the Directorate of Education and Culture. In the space of the painting workshop they were able to make a production using the silk-screen technique; in loom they contributed to make the longest flag of the district; the Papelnonos built paper bulbs and cranes that were hung in one of the diagonals of the plaza, as well as they interpreted the Anthem of the Peace; whereas Danzas Latinas, Old Active and Fun, and Coro made everyone sing and dance. The Laboratory of theater, tango and folklore showed how much they learn in classes; while the rock and guitar workshops presented their newly formed bands. Everything was recorded through the Photography workshop.

SAN JAVIER, ARGENTINA: In San Javier, schools 853 and 1121 carried out activities for the International Day of Peace. In the case of the public elementary school N ° 853 Fray Ermete Costanzi, there was a peace march from the educational institution to the municipal campsite. “We want to instill this value with the children, we have worked during the week in the classrooms on the subject of peace,” said the deputy director of the morning, Claudia Blanc. San José School 1121, carried out various activities related to peace, first in the classrooms and then held a celebration at the Palo de la Paz, located in San Martín Square and then went to the municipal campsite, to develop recreational activities.

SALTA, ARGENTINA: The celebration in the Paseo de la Democracia of the Plaza de la Legislatura included the raising of the flag, “bandera de la paz,” an artistic show, a peace walk and a photographic exposition.

SAN SALVADOR DE JUJUY, ARGENTINA: The municipality of the capital, through the Secretariat of Human Development, organized the ceremony in Plaza Belgrano, an opportunity to strengthen the ideals of peace and to release the anthem of a Jujuy author. The Secretary of Human Development, José Luis Sánchez, praised the importance of the ideals of peace of all the nations and peoples of the world, Other participants included the Secretary of Indigenous Peoples, Natalia Sarapura; Rebeca Chambi, Director of Cultural Rights; councilors Patricia Moya, María Galán, Estela Flores and Marcelo García; Ambassadors of Peace and neighbors.

CORRIENTES, ARGENTINA: On Friday, September 21, the Ministry of Education of Corrientes, on behalf of Lic. Mirta Clarisa Godoy Director of Intercultural Bilingual Education participated in the commemorative act for the “International Day of Peace” in the Plazoleta located at intersection of streets May 25 and Costanera Av. of our city. The event was led by the Mayor of the city, Dr. Eduardo Tassano, who spoke to those present highlighting the importance of living in a society that uses peace as a basis for coexistence, inaugurating a peace pole “May peace prevail over the land” written in different languages ​​representative of our diverse culture.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA: Organized by the Secretariat for Equal Opportunities and Treatment of the UPCN (Unión del Personal Civil de la Nación), the commemoration of the International Day of Peace, was held in the gardens of the Ministry of Economy. From 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the gardens were decorated with hundreds of origami cranes made by children in schools, elderly people in different centers and interested people who came to the offices of the Secretariat to learn the technique and make the cranes which are symbols of peace made by the Japanese paper folding technique.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA: A Global Feast for Peace was held this year in Buenos Aires.

ORANJESTAD, ARUBA: UNESCO Aruba partners up with JCI Yala for a 3k fun walk to celebrate World Peace Day.

TUBARÃO, BRAZIL:Representatives of 12 School participated in the 9th Meeting with Catholic Professionals of Education, on September 29, morning, at St. Joseph’s College in Tubarão. Archbishop João Francisco, in his message to the educators, stressed that peace is ” woven day after day with patience and mercy and demands a look from the heart”. Counselor, Psychologist and Educator Joyce Lima Floriano, with competence, addressed the theme: “The culture of peace in the world of the School “. 

PIRATININGA, NITERÓI, BRAZIL:The social action “Walk of Peace”, in celebration of the International Day of Peace, was held yesterday afternoon, at the Colégio de Aplicação Dom Hélder Câmara, in Piratininga, Niterói. The students gathered in the Plaza do Rotatória do Cafubá, and sang the song “La paz” by Gilberto Gil, leaving the people who watched with excitement. “This walk is very important, because the world today is really very violent, with shots to all sides and the walk is to make everyone aware that peace can reign at any moment,” said Ricardo Caliço, 5th year.

JÚLIO DE CASTILHOS, RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRAZIL: With the purpose of disseminating a culture of non-violence in schools and society through work carried out in schools and outside of it, EMEI Dona Doralice promotes a walk next Wednesday (19), at 14:00, which happens on the street Cel. Luiz Azevedo in the neighborhood Centro Baixo in front of the school is located in Júlio de Castilhos, within the “Peace Project is People Who Do”. The direction, CPM and students of the school, invite state schools and entities such as Santo Antonio Beneficent Association and community members to participate in the ‘Walk for Peace’ where everyone can wear white clothes.

PIRENOPOLIS, BRAZIL: You are invited to the event “I am peace” on the International Day of Peace, September 21, 2018 from 5 p.m. to 1 p.m. Dance, Music, Poetry, Performance and Walk for Peace on Rua Matutina, Centro – Pirenopolis. Prem Rawat Foundation’s Education for Peace videos every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. on Matutina Street, No. 8 with Sandra Cristina and Luis Gustavo Armond Free entrance

ARAPIRACE, BRAZIL: Students from Lindalva Elementary School Eulália de Farias marched on the streets of the Bom Sucesso neighborhood on Friday (21), International Day of Peace, to ask for “enough” in the violence and to shout for justice. During the week several activities with this same theme were carried out inside the school, including with the presence of the parents, as poster contest and parodies.

CAMPINAS, BRAZIL: This Friday, September 21, starting at 4:00 p.m., in Praça da Bandeira in Campina Grande, the United Religions Initiative – Uri Borborema Cooperation Circle, will celebrate the International Day of Peace, with the presence of several leaders and representatives of religious institutions and groups in the city, with messages and prayers for world peace. The event will feature musical performances MaracaGrande and Viviane Stayner, distribution of about 200 mini-ykebanas and 200 kitcharis – vegan snacks, and will still be made a ThetaHealing healing wheel for unconditional love giving.

CHAPECÓ, BRAZIL: The Chapecó / SC Choral Association marked the International Day of Peace at the Regional Police Station of the Civil Police and the Chapecó District Forum, with brief concerets in order to carry the message that marks the date. The end of this day is for the person to do something for peace. Among other ideas, you can put a white flag in your house, forgive a friend, make a donation, join the world events, share the official page of this day or Imagine John Lennon’s music on social networks or sign petitions that circulate through the internet for peace.

CHAPECÓ, BRAZIL: Some activities were made by the Institution Chapecó Criança to celebrate the Peace Day which is celebrated on 21 September. The activities are focused on the Project called “Hands given for Peace.” After this action the children went to the field to fly white kites made by the the institution’s teachers. The kites represent the symbol of the culture of peace, so that good winds bring actions of good to the whole world. And to finish the children received three seeds of sunflower, symbolizing seeds of love, to cultivate actions of: Embrace, Solidarity, Kindness, Expressing Love.

FRANCISCO BELTRÃO, BRAZIL:Today, September 21, International Peace Day, students and staff gathered in the courtyard for a moment of reflection. Using ribbons, the colors of the continents were represented and a cry for Peace in the world was raised.

CURITIBA, BRAZIL: The International Day of Peace, celebrated this Friday (21), will gather more than 400 people on a walk in Curitiba. Promoted by the Secretariat of Sport, Leisure and Youth, the Walk of Peace will begin at 10 am in Barigui Park.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL: Unipaz São Paulo (International Peace University), School of Transformative Education, designed for the next week a special program called “Dialogues for a Culture of Peace”, in celebration of the International Day of Peace, September 21, in order to reflect about the importance of the theme in everyday life. The special program begins at 6:00 pm on Monday, September 17, with the free practice of Meditation entitled Connection to World Peace. On May 18, at 7:30 p.m., Unipaz Vice President Nelma da Silva Sá, Unipaz Facilitator Andrea Duque and guests will hold a live on Culture of Peace entitled “Living in Peace is Possible?”. The event will be broadcast live on the Unipaz Facebook page .

SAO PAULO: To celebrate the International Day of Peace, representatives of different religions – Catholicism, Spiritism, Buddhism, Umbanda, Protestantism, Hinduism, Candomblé, Islam – participate in the interreligious act Unity for Peace on Friday, (21) at the São Paulo Commercial Association (ACSP) headquarters, in the center of the city of São Paulo. At the event, 30 young people appointed by the ACSP districts, present in all regions of the city, will receive the Peace Mark Trophy, which is a replica of the landmark Peace Monument, a monument created by the special adviser to the ACSP presidency, Gaetano Brancati Luigi. “Young people are our future. We need to encourage them to pursue the culture of peace and love, because only then do we feel the true flavor of life.”

FEIRA DE SANTANA, BRAZIL:  In Feira de Santana, the International Day of Peace was celebrated in the Marcus Morais Space. An action of the Fair Campaign calls for Peace, the act brought together the community, municipal and state schools, as well as authorities and civil society entities. The municipal secretary of violence prevention, Pablo Roberto, explained that the campaign has a vast program and all actions are based on the discussion about the need for a culture of peace in the city. The event featured white balloons and many people dressed in white.

SANTA MARTA, BRAZIL This year’s International Peace Day event in the community is bringing the discussion of how important peace in the favelas is. The president of the NGO Atitude Social, Pierre Avila, told the Voice of Communities: “I expect more love, less arms, to end discrimination and prejudice. We are all children of the same Creator.” The resident and artist Juanita Costa, will exhibit her works of art. Although she currently lives in Los Angeles, she always visits Brazil to develop artistic activities with the children of the NGO. In addition to Juanita’s presence, the event will feature a music school and an integrated arts workshop.

ITAJAÍ, BRAZIL: On Friday (21), when the International Day of Peace is celebrated, the students of the Basic School Professor Judith Duarte de Oliveira will perform an action from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Hercílio Luz street, opposite to the Historical Museum. They participate in the Project “Sowers of Peace: United to Make a Difference”, which is developed in the school. One of the programmed activities is the Pinwheels for Peace project. Will they be planted? weather vane in various regions of the city, with messages on peace, anti-bullying, non-violence, among others. “They will be placed in the municipal gardens as a public statement of the search for a Culture of Peace ?, explains Professor Patrícia Regina, adding that the wind will spread thoughts and feelings about peace for the whole country and the world.

 VITÓRIA, BRAZIL: Students at the Centro Educacional Leonardo da Vinci produced a mural for respect for differences among peoples, through generosity and a careful look at the other. Each group worked with a continent, painting butterflies with the colors of the flags of each country, but these butterflies are not restricted to their borders, joining on the same planet, showing that although we have different colors and flags, we are similar and have a same heart.

SOUSA PARAIBO, BRAZIL Ação Colegio e Curso held a “Peace Walk” around the school. The children also presented texts and related poems. In the words of the 5th year B student, Anthonia Maria “peace means love, harmony, knowing how to listen to others, to be calm and patient.”

CRICIÚMA, SANTA CATARINA, BRAZIL:A big collective hug was held on the afternoon of last Friday (September 9) in Criciúma to celebrate the International Day of Peace. The action was part of the III Meeting of the Hands-for-Peace Project promoted by the CPMA of the Criciúma region in partnership with the State Government, the State Department of Justice and Citizenship, the Santa Public Prosecutor’s Office Catarina and the Judiciary of Santa Catarina. The project seeks to promote reflection on the construction of a less violent society based on initiatives that promote a culture of peace. In the opportunity also was inaugurated a billboard in the side street to the Forum, highlighting the campaign with the message “For the victims of all forms of violence, our fight for peace”. The event was attended by CPMA partner institutions such as the City Hall of Criciúma, 9th Battalion of the Military Police, Civil Police, 28th GAC, Red Cross, Fire Department, General Institute of Skills, Civil Defense, neighborhood associations, churches and schools in the region, among others.

MANDAQUI, SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL For the International Day of Peace at Cermac College the students of Fundamental II , made a mural together, in the art classes, idealizing what they understand as peace. Already high school , took advantage of text production classes to write their perceptions in the form of a poem.  Meanwhile, Elementary I students treated the topic on the “good morning” and “good afternoon”. At Cermac Junior , the children set up a beautiful mural with the theme “What is peace for you”. The students of Infantil I and II knew the legend of Tsuru and made their own, embellishing the whole unit with the origami. The juniors made drawings on the story of Todd Parr, “The Book of Peace.”

ITAJAÍ, BRAZIL: An event in celebration of the International day of Peace, included artistic presentations on the theme, recitation of poetry, distribution of white balloons, face painting, tree seedlings distribution and 1500 Pinwheels with messages of peace in the gardens of our city. There was also distribution of the “Peace Sowers Newsletter”. With a monthly circulation of 3000 thousand copies with 12 pages, and also in the digital format, the “Peace Sowers Newsletter ” addresses several topics in the sections on Quality of Life, Health, Family Space, Ecology, Sustainability, Interviews with Inspiring People, Traveling in History with Peacemakers, UN News, and a wide range of knowledge and information to add to these, and that contribute to the individual and collective good, benefiting as many people as possible and promoting the Culture of Peace. The event was in front of the Historical Museum of Itajaí, in the center of the city.

TIBÚ, COLOMBIA: The celebration of the International Day of Peace took place on Saturday, September 29 at the school in the village of Caño Indio with a Eucharist, bazaar, sale of meals, lightning football championship, presentation of musical groups and cultural activities.

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA: Bogotá celebrates the International Day of Peace with symbolic exhibitions, talks with the public, concerts, gastronomic events and fairs with products produced by victims of the armed conflict. One of the most outstanding exhibitions will be at the Center for Memory, Peace and Reconciliation where the monolith that serves as a welcome to the Center is clothed since yesterday afternoon by 1,200 meters of fabrics with stories of peace , reconciliation and memory. These have been woven by victims of the armed conflict and citizen organizations. Virgelina Chará, representative of the Union of Costurers, coordinator of the Asomujer Foundation and in charge of the construction of the loom, explained that “Covering the monolith of the Memory Center is a way of claiming rights. Today we are talking about peace, but what we are doing is for it to be spoken from another language: from the embroidered memory, written, cooked, sung and traditional medicine “.

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What has happened this year (2018) for the International Day of Peace?

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SANTA MARTA, MAGDALENA, COLOMBIA: “Act for Peace !: Peacemakers – Words + Actions” is an event in the framework of the Celebration of the International Day of Peace, where the community of Magdalena University is invited to be agents of change of our territory.

LA PAZ, CESAR, COLOMBIA: In the framework of the International Day of Peace the United Nations Organization , with the support of the Government of Cesar, planned for today a gastronomic day called “Master Chef Por La Paz”, inspired by the famous reality Master Chef. During the activity to be developed today in the Territorial Space of Training and Reincorporation of the ex-combatants, it is expected to have the presence of recognized figures of folklore and national entertainment such as the Mono Zabaleta, Omar Murillo and his wife Koral Costa, as well as the cooks of important restaurants and hotels in Valledupar. Competing teams are made up of ex-guerrillas , the community, the public force and the institutions, according to the Peace Adviser of the Department of Cesar, Jesualdo Hernández Mieles.

DABEIBA, ANTIOQUIA, COLOMBIA: Some 150 ex-combatants of the FARC guerrillas commemorated yesterday in the municipality of Dabeiba (Antioquia) the International Day of Peace with the purpose of “living without hatred” and continuing to build the “roads of peace”. In the Llano Grande farmhouse, where there is a Territorial Training and Reintegration Space (ETCR), ex-guerrillas, Public Force and civil society participated in an event led by the UN that reaffirmed the commitment to work on reconciliation. “This is a historic moment, some 15 years ago it was impossible to think of such a moment, and today we all come together for peace,” said Isaias Trujillo, who served 47 years in the Farc. The singing of the children of the school Laura Montoya, who interpreted the song Paz, Paz, Paz of the singer-songwriter Juanes, painted of optimism and hope an activity that also included the presentation of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Medellín and that was the stage of the presentation of the Alliance of Foundations for Reconciliation. This initiative developed by 10 business and social foundations seeks to strengthen specific programs in the area, to work on reconciliation with training and the planting of gardens, among other actions. During the celebration, in addition to recognizing that the implementation process “requires time and patience -according to Trujillo- to reach a successful conclusion”, the advances made in the reintegration were highlighted. For the mayor in charge of Dabeiba, Lina Valle, in that territory they not only talk about peace, but “we are building and living”.

BOSA, COLOMBIA: The celebration of the International Day of Peace takes place September 21 and 9:00 in the Plaza Fundacional.

MEDELLIN, ANTIOQUIA, COLOMBIA: Organized by the Fundación El Sol, the International Day of Peace was celebrated with different rhythms and dances in the Parque de las luces.

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA: To commemorate the International Day of Peace, a group of foundations allied with the Municipality of San José and the Ministry of Justice organized a walk starting at 8 in the morning from the Parque de las Garantías Sociales  to the Plazoleta de la Soledad. The organizers urged those who participate in the activity to wear white garments, as a symbol of peace.

CIEGO DE AVILA, CUBA: A meeting was attended by social communicators from various sectors of the territory of Avilanian and representatives of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples who repudiated the military bases of the United States. “To contribute to generating a broad international movement that makes peace and the survival of humanity its central objective, constitutes a moral imperative and a political commitment of Cuban communicators that we will not give up in any circumstance,” said Sierralta González, President of the Cuban Association of Social Communicators.

HAVANA, CUBA: The second international seminar on realities and challenges of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace took place September 19-21 at the “Raúl Roa García” Higher Institute of International Relations. Sponsors included the World Peace Council and the Cuban Movement for Peace and the Sovereignty of the Peoples, with co-sponsorship of the Higher Institute of International Relations and the Martin Luther King Jr. Center. Panels were on the following themes: – Current U.S. Policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean: Consequences for Peace – Social Inequalities, Gender and Ethnic Minority Issues: Challenges for Peace – The Environment, Natural Resources and Challenges for Peace – Imperialist Information and Communications Technologies and their Provocations to Peace – Importance of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: The Ministry of the Interior and Police (MIP), through the Vice Ministry of Social Management and Citizen Education, encouraged the participation of 75 young people in the seminar “Construyo Paz RD”, on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day de la Paz, on September 21. The presence of this group of young people, belonging to the sectors involved in the Vivir Tranquilo program, was supported by the Minister of the Interior and Police, José Ramón Fadul, and was organized by the “Cultura de Paz Network of the Dominican Republic”, a space that integrates different public, business and civil society organizations with the purpose of sowing in the youth knowledge and values ​​that impel them to develop a culture of peace. This seminar was born as an initiative coordinated by the Center for the Study, Prevention and Resolution of Conflicts (CEPREC), with the objective of empowering youth leaders who can promote in their sectors the construction of peace, through respect for Human Rights, tolerance and good behavior, for the prevention of violence and conflicts, and in that way guarantee an atmosphere of peace and security in communities throughout the country.

ITCHIMBIA, QUITO, ECUADOR: We are here in Itchimbia Park this Saturday September 22 to cultivate a family and collective space and commemorate the International Day of Peace that is celebrated on the 21st. We decree to the world and to us same that we are here for Peace. That in Ecuador, Latin America and the whole world, we are many and more and more people that actively take steps with confidence and say, We want Peace! in the present and for the future. For our life and the next generations. For our relationships, our Mother Earth and our hearts.

GUAYAS, ECUADOR: With an open house to inform citizens of the benefits of the Justice of the Peace, the Provincial Directorate of the Council of the Judiciary of Guayas celebrated the International Day of Peace as “a call to hope that one day of peace may lead to another. The president, Gabriel Manzur, said that since 2014, the Judiciary has participated in the community designation of 13 Judges and Peace Judges in 16 parishes, promoting in this way justice services to citizens living in rural areas of the country. Víctor Carranza, Justice of the Peace of the Cone parish in San Jacinto de Yaguachi, indicated that significant progress has been made in his community in the interests of better coexistence among the neighbors, because the conflicts have been overcome through dialogue. There have been seven educational centers of the Fe y Alegría network in the province of Guayas, which have participated in the “Seedlings of Coexistence” program, with workshops held both for students and parents, in which the problems were analyzed of their community and alternative solutions with practical tools so that dialogue becomes the fundamental mechanism to resolve conflicts.

GUANAJUATO, MÉXICO: International Day of Peace Celebration with Workshops and Music for Children in collaboration with 58 International Children´s Festival from Sibenik Croatia, World Art Games Organization, Art México, Art Spirit Community and Museo de Arte e Historia de Guanajuato.

IRAPUATO, MEXICO: Peace groups from Jalisco, Chihuahua and Michoacán, as well as different clubs and civic associations such as the Union of Clubs and Associations of Irapuato (UCADI), the Lions Club and the Board of Kings Cavalcade joined in a walk for peace. They held cardboard signs and blankets with various messages of peace such as; “High crime, more attention to the disabled … enough deaths” and “we are tired of so much corruption” was how the peace walk began, leaving the park Irekua .The walk traversed Guerrero Avenue and more people joined the contingent as it progressed its way bound for the Plazuela Miguel Hidalgo.

NAVOJOA, SONORA, MEXICO: All students at the primary and secondary levels were invited to submit posters for the International Day of Peace. Activities on that day included a march of students wearing white clothing from the Plaza 5 de Mayo to Plaza Santa Fé Springs, where the Museo Regional del Mayo is located . Organizers included the Municipal Government through the Directorate of Education and Culture , in coordination with Amigo de los Museos , Cultural Association, Nabojowa Mission Intercultural Civil Association and Yolem Tekia Cultural Center.

METEPEC, MEXICO: The International Day of Peace was celebrated by the Ignacio Zaragoza” primary school for the benefit of 567 students, the José Palacios Rojas High School and the Bertha del Avellano de Cárdenas Children’s Garden.

NUEVO LEÓN, MEXICO: The State Government will hold on Sunday, September 30, the Walk for Peace and Nonviolence to celebrate the International Day of Peace. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness among the population of returning to values ​​and regenerating the social fabric, said Ervey Cuéllar Adame, Undersecretary of Prevention and Citizen Participation. The Walk starts at 9:00 from the Alameda and goes to the Government Palace. Participants are asked to wear white clothing, symbolizing peace. In the end, through songs and dances, gang members will send messages of peace and nonviolence.

MONTERREY, MEXICO: On the occasion of the International Day of Peace (September 21) and the International Celebration of Nonviolence (October 2), the Undersecretary of Prevention and Citizen Participation ,Ervey Cuellar, called for a walk wih the objective of promoting peace and aborting the violence. He affirmed that the event will be carried out to exhort the population to recover the values ​​of dialogue, tolerance, respect and healthy family coexistence. “We want to strengthen the social fabric, to collaborate in all this problem that we are living and to promote peace and tranquility,” said Cuellar. 

ZACATECAS STATE, MEXICO: The International Day of Peace was celebrated with the ringing of bells in all the Catholic churches of El Mineral. The churches that joined the celebration when the bells rang for three minutes were Our Lady of Purification, Saint Anne, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Saint Joseph Worker, Our Lady of Refuge, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Saint John and Divine Providence. In addition to Fresnillo, other communities also participated, including Plateros -with its seven churches located in ranches and within the community-, Ábrego, Colonia Mariana, Rancho Grande, San José Station, San José de Lourdes, La Salada, Vallecitos Plan, El Aterradero, La Enchanted and Trujillo. The priest Jesus Arteaga, known as Father Chuzo, reported that the churches of the Cañitas de Felipe Pescador municipality also participated. Meanwhile the audiovisual media of El Mineral transmitted the Hymn to Joy , as part of the commemoration of the International Day of Peace, under the slogan the Right to Peace.

SALTILLO, COAHUILA, MEXICO: In coordination with the group of children Commissars and Environmental Inspectors, of the Pueblo Insurgentes Community Center, the DIF (Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia) commemorated the International Day of Peace on Friday, September 21, with the presentation of the work “La Ruta del Escarabajo” (The Route of the Beetle) by Mayte Olvera, with the support of the Municipal Institute of Culture. At the event, the participants expressed the desire and importance of living in a peaceful society, where equality and justice are available to all girls and boys. The activities culminated on Friday afternoon with the Hymn to Joy, which generated an emotional and fraternal atmosphere that all families enjoyed.

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO: Every year on the Sunday closest to September 21 in the Chapultepec walkway of Guadalajara, the organizations that make up the C-Paz collective exhibit some of the activities they carry out in favor of building Peace. On this occasion the organizations participating in this event were: Meditapalpa, Gises, Oblate Educational Center, Creapaz, Spokespeople for Peace, Amnesty International, Schools of Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Conscience and Action Mexico, FM4, Community Grows, Voices ITESO, CISV Mexico, DHAVYNA, Four Winds, etc. The activities of these organizations range from peace education for girls and boys to discussion forums for adults and from art for peace to the creation of micro-enterprises for young people and for women heads of family.

MANAGUA, NICARAGUA: Boys and girls want Peace, the members of the Rubén Darío Student Choir of the II district of Managua, sang in an angelic voice during the celebration of the International Day of Peace, at the San Sebastián Public School. “Peace, represents the love and tolerance that we must have to live in a better world, ” said Ángel Gabriel Ruíz , sixth grade student.

LIMA PERU:The Friends of the UN Club of La Libertad celebrated the International Day of Peace 2018 “The Right to Peace and the 70tth anniverary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” EI No. 80076 “Millennial Chan Chan” held learning sessions in each of the grades, called “La Paz Nace del Corazón”, and the pupils then expressed themselves by forming a great heart of children who yearn for peace and the love of all.

MAYAGÜEZ, PUERTO RICO: In honor of the International Day of Peace PeaceCast.tv will broadcast PeaceCast Global, with videos that promote peace. This year, for the first time, it will be broadcast simultaneously in English and Spanish. The Spanish version will be launched from the Mayagüez University Campus of the University of Puerto Rico. “For us at the College of Mayagüez, it is a great privilege to be part of this historic event that aims to raise the figure of peace as a center for our daily life. We are convinced that education is an integral part of the knowledge, in full, of the benefits, both of peace at the individual and social level and of the people. That is why we are honored to collaborate with this emblematic transmission that will be seen around the world, “said the interim President of the UPRM, Wilma L. Santiago Gabrielini.

LAS MERCEDES, VENEZUELA: Saturday, September 22nd, the Venezuelan American Center of Zulia (Cevaz) will hold a concert in commemoration of the International Day of Peace at the headquarters of this institute in Las Mercedes with the presentations of the Extra Various musical groups, Bento and Mr. President . This will be an event dedicated to fostering the ideals of fraternity, tolerance and understanding in all nations and peoples. In this context, music will serve as a perfect link to move closer and cross borders.

ALTAMIRA, CARACAS: On the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Peace , this Sunday in Pdvsa La Estancia , in Altamira, Caracas, a concert was held for Human Rights and Peace in Singing and Poetry with the poetic group Una Sola Brasa and the group Piakoa. The ombudsman Alfredo Ruiz Angulo, pointed out that together with PDVSA La Estancia, the Ombudsman’s Office celebrates this day with the builders of peace. Ruiz added that participants included representatives of various communities in Caracas, such as the foundation of the deaf, representatives of peasants, women, fighters and fighters for peace, among others.

CARACAS, VENEZUELA Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro highlighted the fact that the people of Venezuela are overcoming their difficulties peacefully in connection with the commemoration of the International Day of Peace, established by the UN since 1981. Through his account on the social network Twitter, the head of state ratified the path of peace as a way to achieve emancipation. ‘The heroic people of Venezuela have managed to overcome their difficulties peacefully. On this International Day, we confirm that it is the only way to achieve true freedom. With Peace everything is possible, “the president wrote.

In addition to the above events, One Day One Choir lists participating choirs for the International Day of Peace in :
Argentina (BUENOS AIRES, MONTESANO, MAR DEL PLATA, PILAR )
Bahamas
Brazil (SAO PAULO, BELO HORIZONTE)
Chile (SANTIAGO)
Costa Rica (CIUDAD QUESADA, NOSARA)
Cuba (HAVANA)
Ecuador (QUITO)
Grand Cayman (SEVEN MILE BEACH)
Mexico (VERACRUZ, MEXICO CITY, SAN LUIS POTOSI)
Nicaragua (MANAGUA)
Panama (PANAMA CITY)

And the map of Montessori schools singing for peace on the International Day of Peace includes schools in:
Argentina (BUENOS AIRES*)
Aruba (NOOR)
Brazil (FLORIANOPOLIS, SÃO BERNARDO DO CAMPO, SAO PAULO*, RIO DE JANEIRO, IPIAU BAHIA, BELEM)
British Virgin Islands (TORTOLA)
Chile (VINA DEL MAR QUNTA)
Colombia (QUINDIO)
Costa Rica (NOSARA*, SAN JOSE)
Dominican Republic (CABARETE)
El Salvador (SAN SALVADOR)
Grenada
Mexico (MORELES, CUAUTITLAN IZCALLI, SAN LUIS POTOSI*, MEXICO CITY*, MONTERREY
Panama (PANAMA CITY*)
Peru (CUZCO, LIMA)
Puerto Rico (MANATI)
Trinidad and Tobago (MARAVAL)
US Virgin Islands (ST THOMAS)

* these may be duplications

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An article from La Nacion

Schools for Peace, providing a diploma to children, adolescents, youth, parents, teachers and community leaders have delivered their first results in Villa de Los Andes, in La Plata; Silvania, in Giant; La Arcadia, in Algeciras; and Carlos Ramón Repizo, in San Agustín.

According to the Secretary of Education, Gloria González Perdomo, the project carried out forums and workshops, and the product was the publication of a pedagogical primer.
She added that these have been delivered to the educational communities in subregional forums in the educational institutions referred to. The fourth and last forum was held in

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What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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“These primers, as a pedagogical product of the project, should serve as a reference for all the educational, private and public establishments of the department, to address the problems related to peace. Coexistence is one of the pillars of the Development Plan ‘The Way is Education”, said Gonzalez Perdomo.

Peace: transversal theme

Humberto Montealegre, coordinator of the transversality programs of the Departmental Education Secretariat explained, “The purpose of the project of Schools for Peace and Participatory Democracy is the construction of a basic curricular document to develop the Chair of Peace in all educational institutions, not as a single subject, but as a transversal theme.”

He concluded by saying that in this way and in accordance with the curriculum of each educational establishment, all teachers, from preschool to eleventh, should develop teaching programs that promote culture of peace, coexistence and democracy

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Special to CPNN from the Fundación Escuelas de Paz

The Colombian Government is moving forward in the implementation of the Peace Accord with the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC) political party and is working to secure a peace deal with the National Liberation Army (ELN). With the peace process in place, Colombia is setting an example to the world for peace and reconciliation after over half a century of armed conflict and severe violence. However, the government cannot alone bring peace to this nation.

That is why the Bogotá-based peace-building NGO, Fundación Escuelas de Paz (FEP) has been supporting peace development in Colombia since 2001. FEP plays a vital part in the emerging multi-level and multi-dimensional approaches to peace-making in Colombia by working with civil society, government, and foreign partners to discuss the importance of diverse paths to peace and promote programs that educate youths on peace-building through a multitude of projects.

FEP employs a range of actions such as research, publication, and peace-building projects, and works closely with conflict resolution field experts to support the fundamental principles of “Culture of Peace” to make peace a right and a responsibility for all citizens, especially for the new generation of Colombians. FEP operates through an interdisciplinary team that works in stimulating environments that strengthen youth networks, teachers, and schools of peace.

Every year, FEP designs and executes conflict resolution and reconciliation type projects. From May 2018 to December 2018, FEP is performing a project titled “Música, Arte y Memoria: Jóvenes del Meta transformando el tejido social” (Music, Art, and Memory: Youths of Meta transforming the social fabric), which is funded by USAID Human Rights Program and FEP. The project includes a series of eight workshops to teach peace-building skills to youths through the use of the arts. Today, recognition of the contributions of arts and culture to peace is real and quickly evolving. It is fueled not only by artist-peace-builders and cultural facilitators, but the interest is also increasing from practitioners of more traditional peacebuilding approaches, such as mediation, facilitation, negotiation, transitional justice, and human rights advocacy.

This year, FEP is getting help from two current graduate students, Valentin Castro and Evan Tueller. Valentin and Evan are both candidates in the Masters of Conflict Resolution Program at Georgetown University. Last December, both students received a fellowship through Georgetown University to go abroad during the summer and work with an organization on peacemaking themes. Valentin and Evan arrived in Bogota, Colombia on June 2, 2018, to begin their 10-week internship at FEP and help design their first peace-through-the-arts workshop for youths living in rural Colombia.

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The project takes place in the Department of Meta in two small towns: Mesetas and El Castillo, territories once plagued by extreme violence and armed conflict. Valentin and Evan will help execute peace workshops and develop two products to leave behind with FEP: a video documenting the execution of the first workshop and a template for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) that FEP can use to analyze and measure their overall success better.

The goal of this project is for youth groups belonging to the municipalities of Mesetas and El Castillo to become peace ambassadors for their communities by carrying out non-violent collective actions using mediums such as art and music. Other essential themes within this project include education on human, civil, and political rights, and promoting responsibility and leadership roles at individual and group levels. Upon the completing these peace workshops, the follow-on intent is for the youths to use the skills and lessons learned to replicate and teach smaller peace workshops to other youth groups in their communities. This project will help influence and raise the competence of the young people of Meta as peace representatives on the issues of human rights, conflict transformation, peace-building, and intercultural dialogue.

The first peace-building workshop entailed two parts: one part in the morning and the second one in the afternoon. The first phase is titled “El Canto de Nuestra Memoria: Tu Cancion” (The Song from our Memory: Your Song) and the second half is “Desvelando tu lienzo interior a traves del arte, la danza y la creatividad” (Unveiling Your Inner Canvas through Art, Dance, and Creativity). The first half of the workshop uses music to help individuals understand themselves better by using the space to express themselves through musical instruments, vocal sounds, and dance. These techniques also help enable trust within the students since music is known to have the potential to bring people together. The second half of the workshop entails more dancing and concludes with designing a mural that exhibits how the students view the future in their community. Art is fundamental to the development of a child’s imagination because they cannot create nor achieve anything unless they imagine it first.

Our experience at FEP has been remarkable and eye-opening. The FEP team goes beyond being our colleagues—FEP is our family. Professor Amada Benavides is an excellent leader and seasoned professional with many years of experience in constructing peace. We feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the FEP team here in Bogotá and the remote regions of Mesetas and El Castillo. The internship with FEP surpassed our expectations and gave us a chance to work in the field and help execute these art peace-building workshops. This internship experience left us thinking of what Aristotle once said, “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”

We leave FEP and Colombia with a better understanding of how to achieve peace through the culture of the arts and with a new positive perspective of how Colombians are finding ways to make their tomorrow better.

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An article for El Tiempo

A family weekend to the beat of drums in San Basilio of Palenque, or to the rhythm of porro by the composer Lucho Bermúdez in El Carmen de Bolivar, and do not return home without bringing a hammock from San Jacinto.

These towns are part of the Ruta de la Paz, a strategy promoted by the the Ministry of Culture and the departmental government of Bolivar as part of the project ‘Bolívar si avanza’. The project promotes tourism and cultural development in regions and municipalities that were affected by the Colombian armed conflict. Today they are areas full of life, progress and courage, where the inhabitants show their natural beauty, share their cultural wealth and generate economic development.

The Route of Peace includes the municipalities of Santa Catalina de Alejandría, Turbaco, Arjona, San Basilio de Palenque (Mahates), María la Baja, San Juan Nepomuceno, San Jacinto, El Carmen de Bolívar, Magangué and Mompox. Here the traveler will find natural beauty and cultural wealth, such as the filigree artisans in Mompox, the magical port on the Magdalena River, whose renowned colonial architecture still breathes the spirit called Macondo by Gabriel García Márquez.

The route, as a tourist product, is articulated with the Caribbean Corridor that has been designed by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism to strengthen employment, productivity, competitiveness, sustainability, formalization, safety and education through the schools for tourism.

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What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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In Magangué, for example, work has started at the José Francisco Chico Cervantes Cultural Center, under the project ‘Bolívar si avanza’ and Icultur. Here, 343 young people have begun their studies in different cultural programs, among which are vocal technique, piano, guitar, percussion, dance, theatrical performance and communication. All this with teachers hired by the Office of the Mayor.

Julio Rojas Cultural Center

One of the jewels of the Montes de María, a land full of folklore and traditional costumes, is San Juan Nepomuceno. It already has a cultural center named Julio Rojas Buendía, in honor of the famous musician and lawyer who was born in those lands on July 9, 1959 and died in Barranquilla on June 20, 2016, accordionist and twice the king of the Festival of La Leyenda Vallenata, in 1983 and 1994. The center was inaugurated two months ago by the Government of Bolivar and Icultur in an event attended by the director of the National Planning Department, Luis Fernando Mejía; the director of the National Federation of Departments, Carlos Felipe Córdoba, the mayor and other personalities.

As explained by the general director of Icultur, Lucy Espinosa Díaz, “this inauguration consolidates the Departmental Network of Music Schools in Bolívar, It was made with resources of the General System of Royalties (SGR), In general, there will be six cultural centers in Bolívar, of which four have already been established by the the departmental government and Icultur. The Municipalities of Santa Rosa de Lima, Magangué, Cicuco and now San Juan Nepomuceno already have a cultural center. Those of Regidor and Tiquisio remain to be established. Thus we have cultural infrastructure at the service of all in Bolivar, above all for children, who are the ones who hope to take advantage of these spaces for culture.”

Now the people of San Juan will be able to advance artistic vocational training in the programs of band music, accordion music, acoustic guitar, bagpipes, whistles and drums, folk dance and plastic arts.

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An article by Kati Hinman for NACLA (North American Congress on Latin America

On Colombia’s Pacific coast, paramilitary violence has engulfed Afro-communities and their leaders in the wake of the peace accords. But resistance at the grassroots level remains strong.

Photo source: comité paro civico Buenaventura facebook

On April 17, three community leaders from the Naya River, south of the city of Buenaventura on Colombia’s Pacific Coast, were kidnapped by an unnamed armed group. The group was also searching for another leader, Iber Angulo Zamora. On May 5, Angulo Zamora was kidnapped from a boat in the presence of officers from the Human Rights Ombudsmen. The two attacks generated terror along the Naya, trapping people in their villages or displacing them to the city of Buenaventura.

Men claiming to be dissidents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) released a video  in June, claiming responsibility and stating that the leaders were killed because of their involvement in “illegal activities,” most likely referring to drug-trafficking. There has been no evidence  to substantiate the accusations against the leaders, but residents have been reluctant to suggest motives for the attack in fear of repercussions. Paramilitary groups are also present in the zone, and there have been reports of combat between armed groups, adding to the danger and confusion for civilians. 

These attacks are unfortunately only a few examples of the violence that continues to plague the majority Afro-Colombian communities in the city of Buenaventura and the surrounding rural areas, despite the reforms promised in the 2016 Peace Accords between the FARC and the Colombian government. The Peace Accords has been hailed as one of the most progressive and thorough peace agreements in history, promising  rural land reform and development, a comprehensive effort to replace illegal crops such as coca with legal sources of income, reparations to the conflict’s victims—ranging from individual payments to collective land titles and social projects—and truth and justice commissions. However, the first two years of implementation have fallen behind expectations, especially for Colombia’s Afro and Indigenous communities, who are some of the principal victims of the conflict.

The Naya River zone is home to 64 Afro-Colombian and two Indigenous communities. Afro-Colombians have lived on the river for over 300 years, and were first brought there as slaves to work in mines. After the abolition of slavery in Colombia, they created independent settlements in the region. After paramilitaries committed a brutal massacre in 2001, killing more than 70 people, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights implemented a series of precautionary measures to protect these communities. Today, Afro-Colombian communities along the Naya are governed by one democratically elected Community Council. Just three years ago, the Community Council was granted a collective title to the 64 communities’ lands under Law 70, which protects the ancestral territories of Afro-Colombians.

Government response to the recent violence has been slow and mainly focused on further militarizing the zone  by sending in more troops and pushing for additional military bases within the communities. Community leaders advocated  for a thorough criminal investigation into the crimes and respect for their rights as civilians to remain neutral in the conflict. They are concerned that military presence in their public spaces might put them at risk for more attacks.

The Battle for Puente Nayero

The continued violence is not limited to the rural areas around Buenaventura. On July 1st, a group of known paramilitaries entered Puente Nayero, a humanitarian space in the city of Buenaventura, where they remained for several hours as residents hid in their homes. Humanitarian spaces are designed as places where civilians can remain neutral and free from engaging with armed actors. Puente Nayero, created four years ago in response to terror and brutality as successor paramilitary groups were dividing the city, received legal and financial support from the Inter-Church Commission of Peace and Justice, a Colombian human rights organization, and protections from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Elisabeth [last name withheld] was one of the community leaders behind the space. “One thing that pushed me personally [to act] was my son,” she said. “He is very big, people think he is older than he is, and they started looking at him to become part of the [paramilitary] structure [when] he was 13 years old.”

The protections for the space call  on the Colombian government to adapt effective measures to preserve the lives of the 302 families who live in the humanitarian space and to respect their rights as civilians. Elisabeth explained that through the declaration of the humanitarian space and better community organizing, they were able to decrease the violence and remove a “chop-house” from their street, which were houses utilized by paramilitaries to torture and murder.

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Elisabeth still feels that as a leader, just stepping outside the humanitarian space leaves her feeling vulnerable and scared for her life. She has reason to fear; social leaders in Colombia are being targeted and killed at alarming rates. In January of 2018, Temistocles Machado, an Afro-Colombian activist, was killed in the city. Machado was one of the most prominent leaders of the civil strike that took place in Buenaventura in 2017.

Buenaventura is home to Colombia’s principal port, surrounded by a Free Trade Zone that allows most of the wealth generated by the port to flow directly to international companies. Corruption is rampant in the city, and in 2017 64% of the population lived in poverty, with unemployment at 62%. When the violence between warring paramilitary groups in Buenaventura escalated in 2013-2014, much of it occurred in neighborhoods that were part of development plans for a tourist boardwalk, airport, and other projects that would have to displace residents.

José, a 67-year-old from the humanitarian space, explained that the paramilitaries, with support of corporations, “wanted us to de-occupy this territory [Puente Nayero] so they could take it, so they started doing things to terrify us, to get rid of us.” The residents of Puente Nayero still worry that city development projects might lead to their displacement, and the recent presence of paramilitaries in the neighborhood has elevated these concerns.

The battle over land rights is an ongoing and central concern for Afro-Colombians in Buenaventura and the surrounding rural regions. Colombia has the highest rate of inequality in land ownership in Latin America, with just 0.4% of holdings encompassing two-thirds of agricultural land. Meanwhile, 60% of Colombian farmers have no formal titles to their land. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, over 7.6 million Colombians are internally displaced, forced to leave their homes because of violence or threats from armed groups, many without formal titles to prove their ownership and right to return.

To address this, land restitution was a central tenet of the Peace Accords. But many people remain uncertain that they will recover their ancestral lands. The rural Afro-Colombian community of La Esperanza was displaced to Buenaventura due to paramilitaries in 2004. Although they won collective title to their land under Law 70 in 2008, as well as provisional protective measures from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, their land has been parceled off and sold, and community leaders stated that local politicians were involved and now own some of the plots. Florenina, a community leader, emphasized repeatedly that logging and construction companies were responsible for the damage to their lands since their displacement. “True peace for me is defined as when people can return to their lands, when they are given reparations, beginning with the land because the territory is very damaged.”

Sara, a young woman and teacher on the Naya, is particularly disappointed with programs intended to combat illicit crop substitution, referring to financial support and training for farmers to replace coca with other crops, and the Development Plans with a Territorial Focus (PDETs). The PDETs are rural development plans for the areas hardest hit by the conflict, based in the community’s needs and priorities. These plans are critical for the Naya, as the river is utilized by criminal networks, not only for illegal mining and coca cultivation but also for the production and transit of cocaine directly to international waters. Other community members I spoke with agreed with Sara, adding that the government has not helped to provide needed social services, such as health centers and schools.

There is also concern that the “peace” era will bring extractive development projects that could drive the people of the Naya from their lands. Despite the Community Council’s collective land title, the Colombian government still holds legal rights over anything beneath the earth’s surface. Community leaders worry that their authority might be usurped to move forward with large-scale mining projects, since the area is rich with gold. The natural riches in their territory have become a source of danger for the communities.

As people have become disenchanted with the implementation of the accords, they have continued to build peace in their own ways. In May 2017, the residents of Buenaventura and the surrounding area shut down the city in a civil strike, demanding a recognition of their rights. Despite the assassination of leaders such as Temistocles Machado, the strike committee continues to implement the agreement reached with the government, which includes overseeing the funds to build a hospital and an aqueduct for the city.

Residents have also created local peace-building initiatives. For example, Niridia, a member of a collective of 300 women in the Naya River region, helps run political advocacy workshops and leadership schools, focusing on various themes from globalization and multiculturalism to gender and nature. “We are all family members of disappeared persons,” she said of the collective. “Although we might consider our family members dead, they still give us the possibility to exchange the tears for smiles for new generations.”

Sara, the teacher, said that keeping up the traditions that communities on the Naya have practiced for 300 years is an important part of peace-building. As an educator, she works to ensure an emphasis on protecting the environment. They use practical lessons to teach the children how to take care of their water and natural resources. In Puente Nayero, leaders continue to organize around their principles of dialogue and fair treatment.

President-elect Iván Duque has been critical of the Peace Accords and seems committed to obstructing their implementation, generating further doubt that there will be reparations and justice for Afro-Colombian victims on the national level. This has not deterred grassroots commitment to local peace-building processes, giving people hope and strength while they continue to resist violence and advocate for their rights and their lands.