Category Archives: Latin America

Brazil: Practices that promote a culture of peace at Funase had good results in 2021

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An article from the blog of Didi Galvão

Restorative justice actions, aimed at promoting a culture of peace in socio-educational units in Pernambuco, had good results in 2021. During this period, 77 circles of restorative justice were carried out with 458 participants, including adolescents and young people in compliance with socio-educational measures and employees of the Socio-Educational Service Foundation (Funase), an institution linked to the Department of Social Development, Children and Youth (SDSCJ) of Pernambuco.


Image: Divulgação/Funase

The face-to-face activities took place in a manner adapted to the health guidelines resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, with smaller groups of participants, in accordance with the protocol established by Funase. The training processes of multipliers, on the other hand, prioritized the virtual modality. In 2022, the idea is to continue expanding the work of the Center for Restorative Justice (NJR), a group of public servants established in 2019 with the objective of disseminating these practices in the socio-educational system in Pernambuco.

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(Click here for the original article in Portuguese)

Discussion question

Restorative justice, What does it look like in practice?

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Restorative Justice addresses issues such as conflict mediation and non-violent communication, encouraging accountability processes. Marcela Mariz, coordinator of the NJR, believes that the gains have been significant. “We see important results for those who participate. Compliance with the socio-educational measure is not easy. Welcoming, strengthening and empowering are essential actions. And Restorative Justice presents itself as a great tool for that”, she says.

The Socio-Educational Service Center (Case) Jaboatão dos Guararapes, in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, is one of the Funase units where restorative practices are implemented and in progress. “At first, some teenagers show resistance, but later they realize that that moment is theirs and that’s when they can reflect, tell stories and build an internal space for this practice”, explains psychologist and reference technician Cristiane Campelo.

In 2021, training courses were held for managers and technicians on the topic “Restorative Justice in the Socio-Educational System”, with the promotion of Funase in partnership with the Training Center for Public Servants and Employees of the State of Pernambuco (Cefospe). Trainings on coping with LGBTphobia and its parallels with restorative practices were also guided. Another highlight was NJR’s participation in the 1st Latin American Journey “Justice and Restorative Practices: reflections, tools and good practices”, an event held in September, remotely, based in Argentina.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

López Obrador and the offer of asylum to Julian Assange: honest politics in a time of double standards

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An opinion piece by Javier Buenrostro from RT (translation by CPNN)

Last Monday (January 3), in his first morning conference, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador appeared flanked by Jeremy Corbyn, a British MP and leader of the Labor Party between 2015 and 2020. Corbyn, who is one of the main references of the European left, has strong ties with Mexico since his wife, lawyer Laura Álvarez, is Mexican and for this reason maintains an important bond that extends to all of Latin America. For example, Corbyn does not stop pointing out that Gabriel Boric’s triumph in Chile a few days ago gives him joy and hope.A petition from United National Antiwar Coalition


Obrador (left) and Corbyn (right) at the January 3 press conference (photo from Reuters

Due to Corbyn’s presence, the Mexican press asked López Obrador about his offer of asylum to the Australian journalist Julian Assange , WikiLeaks founder and who is about to have served three years in a London jail and ten years deprived of his freedom, counting the time he was asylum in the Embassy of Ecuador in the United Kingdom.

The United States government is close to prosecuting Julian Assange on charges of espionage and attacking national security, after British judges accepted that the WikiLeaks leader could be extradited to that country. Given this , the possibility of asylum for Assange in a country has once again been considered , as a measure to protect human rights and freedom of the press and information.

Mexico, honoring one of its best traditions in foreign policy, which is that of giving refuge to those persecuted for political or ideological reasons, has on several occasions expressed its intention to provide asylum to Julian Assange, even in the face of the possible controversy and confrontation that could arise. ith the United States.

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Click here for the Spanish original of this article.

Question related to this article:
 
Julian Assange, Is he a hero for the culture of peace?

Free flow of information, How is it important for a culture of peace?

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López Obrador revealed that on December 23, 2020, he wrote a letter to Donald Trump asking the United States government to exonerate and pardon Julian Assange. In the letter, the Mexican president explained to his counterpart that, in his opinion, Assange was a person moved by ideals and principles, and that for that fact he should be worthy of compassion. Unfortunately, the letter was never answered.

Currently, according to Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s asylum offer to Julian Assange is still in place and his lawyers are in contact , however, for procedural reasons, the offer cannot be made effective at this time . After ten years, Assange is still trapped in legal situations that have kept him confined all this time and one wonders if the United States will ever allow him to enjoy freedom in a host country.

Less than a month ago, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei posted a video on social media where he runs on a treadmill. It is a campaign that has the hashtag #RunForOurRights and that seeks not only the release of Assange but also to raise awareness about the defense of press freedom and human rights.

Ai Weiwei visited Assange in London in October 2016, while the WikiLeaks founder was in asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy. Since then, the Australian activist’s health has deteriorated dramatically, even suffering from a stroke a couple of months ago. Thus, while the majority of people who believe in freedom of the press and information advocate that Assange should not die in prison, the United States, a country that calls itself the “defender of freedom” requests 175 years in prison for someone who defended the right to information of citizens. Such hypocrisy!

If things continue as they have in the last decade, it is more likely that we will see an extradition of Assange to the United States in the coming months rather than the approval of asylum in a country like Mexico. If Assange dies in prison, either in England or in the United States, his death should fall on the conscience of the justice systems of both countries and will be one more example of the false narrative of freedom of their societies that the official propaganda wants the world to believe, especially in the case of the United States.

Mexico, for its part, continues to uphold the tradition of asylum and refuge in some of the thorniest and most complicated cases in international geography. In the last century the Spanish Republicans, Jews and Communists and the thousands of Argentines, Chileans and Uruguayans who fled from military dictatorships were received in our country, in the López Obrador government Evo Morales was already given refuge following the coup in Bolivia. Now, the hand is outstretched for Assange and for freedom of the press and information.

If only the asylum could materialize, it would honor all involved international actors and put an end to an act of injustice and arbitrariness that the United States intends to carry out in continuation of its double standards and hypocrisy on freedom issues.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Mexico: Toys and Games as Instruments of the Culture of Peace

.. EDUCATION FOR PEACE ..

An article from Government of the State of Jalisco

The Secretariat of the Social Assistance System (SSAS) and the Jalisco Solidario Volunteering have joined the campaign “Toys and Games as Instruments of the Culture of Peace”, an initiative of the deputy Rocío Aguilar Tejada. The campaign aims to promote a culture of peace through of positive play, creating awareness and reflection about the damage generated by violence promoted through toys and war games, in addition to inviting parents to refrain from giving them as presents during the Christmas season.

The coordinator of the Jalisco Solidario Volunteering, Joanna Santillán Álvarez, commented that it is necessary to strengthen Jalisco childhood, especially in view of the pandemic that has changed the dynamics of life, taking advantage of the development capacity that the game gives physically, emotionally and cognitively.

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Questions for this article:

Do war toys promote the culture of war?

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“It is important that we call on all Jalisco families to avoid giving war toys, and to share games capable of creating an atmosphere of respect, solidarity but above all of love”, Santillán Álvarez stressed, during the start of the campaign, which was hosted by the State Congress and which will conclude at the Trompo Mágico Interactive Museum.

The head of the SSAS, Alberto Esquer Gutiérrez, acknowledged that the current pace of life sometimes does not give parents time to pause to reflect on the toys and games of their daughters and sons. They are often warlike, including those of electronic devices. “If we don’t make an effort to generate sports, recreational, cultural and coexistence activities for our children, no one is going to do it; dads and moms are the main educators of our children ”, he emphasized.

Also participating in the campaign are the State Government, the Jalisco State Human Rights Commission (CEDHJ), the Magic Trompo Museum, the Guadalajara Security Police Station, the Guadalajara City Council, as well as the plastic artist Álvaro Cuevas and the CAI-METLAN Artistic Collective, who exhibited the sculptures “Impacts that leave a mark”, and “La Paloma de Picasso”, paintings linked to this purpose.

It should be noted that this campaign will culminate during the first week of January when girls, boys and adolescents are summoned to carry out the destruction of war toys at the Trompo Mágico Museum.

(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Ecuador: Festival for peace and human rights to be held in Guayaquil

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An article in El Universo

The Canton Council for the Integral Protection of Rights of Guayaquil will hold the Festival for Peace and Human Rights this Monday, December 13, at 3:00 p.m., in the auditorium of the Anthropological and Contemporary Art Museum (MAAC), located on the Malecón Simon Bolivar.


Foto: Jorge Peñafiel Foto: El Universo

(Click here for the Spanish original. . )

Questions for this article:

Can festivals help create peace at the community level?

The festival is meant to promote a culture of peace, brotherhood, good treatment and respect for human rights, according to the Council, which has organized this event with the support of the Norwegian Alliance Mission and SOS Ecuador Children’s Villages.

This festival takes place within the framework of Human Rights Day, which is remembered every December 10. The General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 to make clear what are the basic inalienable rights of every human being.

This Monday’s event will feature artistic performances by the Guayaquil Municipal Band, the Juan Pueblo Municipal Children’s Choir, the Huancavilca Foundation Orchestra, Team Casa de los Dioses, the Juanito Bosco Marimba School and the Saint-Saëns Music Academy.

The musical show will include videos about peace made by children and adolescents from Ecuador, Colombia, Switzerland, Norway, Spain, the United States and Venezuela.

Entry to the festival is free.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Mercociudades: A Latin American Network to Fight for More Inclusive, Egalitarian, Diverse and Supportive Cities

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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)

Questions for 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.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Culture of Peace at the Encuentro Mundial Educar para la Vida

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

Information from the website y facebook page of the Encuentro Mundial Educar para la Vida (translation by CPNN)

The global meeting of Educar para la Vida (Educating for Life) is a project that aims to reflect and create a dialogue about education, the ways of life that humanity has adopted and the possibilities of transforming them through a different education. This project arose from the challenge that the pandemic and the environmental crisis have posed for humanity, challenges that have been aggravated by social problems such as inequality, poverty and migration.

The objective of this project is to stimulate a transformative cultural mobilization of the ways of thinking, of producing, of consuming, of living in harmony with ourselves, with the community, with society and with nature, taking into account the perspective that education is the key to building a collective future based on respect for the common good.

The dialogue that this Meeting proposes is carried out in virtual format and developed around six themes: Educating for criticism, Culture of peace, Global citizenship, Justice, Communication and Educating in life and with life. There are keynote conferences, dialogues between international specialists and an exhibition of the experiences of NGOs, activists, leaders, academics and pedagogues.

One of the six fields of reflection is the culture of peace.

Culture of Peace

This is understood as a process of recognition of the thousands of forms, experiences of resistance and local, community and ethnic expressions from which it is possible to learn to live peacefully or to defend ourselves peacefully from war. The universe of human rights and democracy is the context for its guarantee. An antimilitarist culture where the language of war has been replaced by one of solidarity, a language of the acceptance of multiple dissensions, from where we work hard to build a just, anti-patriarchal, anti-racist planetary society, in solidarity with ourselves as human beings, with the other species that inhabit the planet and with the world of nature of which we are part.

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(click here for the original version in Spanish).

Question for this article:

What are some good films and videos that promote a culture of peace?

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10 Conferences

Culture of Peace : Video of David Adams, Coordinator of the Culture of Peace News Network and promoter of the UN Declaration and Program of Action for a Culture of Peace (1999).

Culture of peace towards the future : Video of Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Pharmacist, professor, poet, politician and high international civil servant. He was director of UNESCO (1987-1999). Since 2000 he has presided over the Culture of Peace Foundation. He is president of the Scientific Council of the Ramón Areces Foundation since 1993.

What education and for what kind of life?”> : Video of Manuel Dios Diz, Teacher, institute professor, diplomas in geography and history from USC. Founder and ex-president of the Galician Seminary of Education for Peace. Former president of AIPAZ and member of the Culture of Peace Foundation.

Education for a Culture of Peace : Video of Sofía Herrero, Pedagoga con Master Internacional en Estudios de Paz, Conflictos y Desarrollo y Doctora con mención internacional.

Culture of Peace and Neuroscience: Contribution from Mexico : video of Roberto Mercadillo, Psychologist with a Master of Science, specialist in Neurobiology with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences. He is a professor at CONCACyT and his research revolves around Social Neuroscience. He has worked at the Institute for Biomedical Research at UNAM, in addition to being a Professor at the National School of Anthropology and History.

Towards an education in human rights and citizenship from the United Nations models : video of Matías Penhos, Researcher Professor, his Master’s thesis revolves around the United Nations Models to address discriminatory situations in the field of non-formal education and its incidence in schools. He is a member of human rights education networks at the regional and international levels.

Colombian youth are transforming politics : video of Fabián Acosta, Philosopher, Master of Arts, Kliment University of Ojrid Sofia Bulgaria. Master in Political Science, Doctor in Social and Political Philosophy, Kliment University of Ojrid. Associate Professor Dept. of Political Science National University of Colombia, professor of political theory. Social researcher, Director of the UN OBJUN Youth Observatory.

Constructing Cultures of Peace: Today’s Challenge video of Alicia Cabezudo, Graduate in History and Social Sciences, Master in Spanish Studies and in Education for Human Rights, Peace and International Cooperation. She completed a Doctorate in Education and Social Sciences. She is currently a professor at the International Peace Bureau – IPB and the Global Alliance for Ministries and Infrastructures for Peace- GAMIP.

The challenges of education for peace and sustainability of life : video of Jaume Martínez Bonafé, Doctor in Philosophy and Educational Sciences, founder of the Pedagogical Renewal Movements and the University of the Paulo Freire Institute of Spain.

La décima conferencia no está disponible

3 Experiences

Our thinking at Embera : video of Miguel Angel Parada, Jumara Kincha Embera, Colombia.

Psychosocial support strategy with the use of ICTs, through the Meraki school magazine : video of Janeth Triana Triana, Colegio de Cultura Popular, Colombia.

Culture of Peace in the Network of Women Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs video of Leticia Adela Mosqueda Ochoa, Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global, Latin America,

Jamaica: Increase In Use Of Restorative Justice Centres To Resolve Conflicts

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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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Discussion question

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.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

UN chief sees firsthand the progress and challenges five years after Colombia’s historic peace deal

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An article from UN News

In Colombia to mark the fifth anniversary of the peace accord between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC-EP, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday visited a small mountainside village he described as a “laboratory of peace”, where former combatants and civilians are living and working side-by-side.


UNMVC. Secretary-General António Guterres talks to villagers in Llano Grande, Colombia, where he witnessed how the peace process was developing in Colombia.

The Secretary-General visited the northern town of Llano Grande, in the Department of Antioquia, along with Colombia’s President, Ivan Duque, as well as the former FARC-EP commander, Rodrigo Londoño. The town is one of several areas in the country where the former guerillas are being reincorporated into civilian life.

Colombia has 32 Departments, or ‘States’. With up to 80 per cent of its population affected, Antioquia was one of the areas most impacted by the more than 50-year conflict.

Llano Grande is a town of 150 inhabitants, where former ‘enemies’ now live and work together. With the support of the United Nations and the Government, the small village has become a place where peace reigns, and as inconceivable as it may have seemed five years ago, FARC combatants and locals now consider themselves family.

The UN chief walked through the town and was able to talk with its residents who are benefiting from different reincorporation entrepreneurial projects.

“I am very pleased to be in Llano Grande and I see first-hand the achievements of peace,” Mr. Guterres while visiting the town’s tailoring workshop.

There, he spoke with worker Monica Astrid Oquendo, who recently told UN News  that the Peace Agreement had brought with it initiatives that have greatly helped their community.

Mr. Guterres also spoke with other workers about their labour and discussed the importance of women’s leadership in the peace process.

A new brand of coffee

Meanwhile, a group of former combatants took advantage of the UN Chief’s visit to launch Trópicos, a new coffee brand created by a cooperative with 1,200 members.

Mr. Guterres was very interested in the cultivation process of the plant and the different types of coffee that are produced in Colombia.

“Trópicos [Spanish for ‘tropics regions’] is a brand whose geography offers special characteristics. The ‘rebellion’ of the tropics makes this coffee special because it comes from the community, and from people in the process of reincorporation. It not only has a social background but also quality standards. We have carefully selected each grain to be able to achieve high quality and to offer ‘Trópicos’ to the world,” explained Frey Gustavo de Maté, one of its creators.

The Secretary-General also learned of other projects such as a town school, an arepas (Colombian cornmeal cakes) factory, and a soap factory.

Later, in a brief address to the community on the town’s soccer field, Mr. Guterres congratulated everyone for “their enthusiasm and dedication” to these projects, which, he added, have the support of the Government and the international community.

He also acknowledged that the projects have been hampered by financial difficulties and stressed that as such, it will be necessary to redouble efforts to guarantee their sustainability, as well as to involve the private sector to help find solutions.

The UN chief recognized the work of the community in the entire municipality of Dabeiba, of which Llano Grande is part, and in other nearby municipalities, which he praised “as an example of integration and reconciliation for receiving ex-combatants with open arms and normalizing democratic life”.

“This shows true human qualities of teamwork, generosity, hope and courage to build a better future,” he added.

(Click here for a Spanish version of this article.)

Questions related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

Peace does not come overnight

After hearing from many more members of the community, Mr. Guterres said they know better than anyone that peace does not come overnight.

“It costs work to build it, take care of it, sustain it…There is a paradox: the objective of peace is a society with no enemies, but unfortunately there are enemies of peace,” he said expressing his solidarity with the victims and their families.

Since 2017, there have been 30 homicides and four disappearances, mostly men, only in the Department of Antioquia, according to UN reports.

Moreover, throughout the country, more than 300 former combatants have been murdered, with some 25 disappearances. Almost 500 human rights defenders and civic leaders have also lost their lives in violent attacks.

Mr. Guterres said he admired “the tenacity and commitment” of the people who “continue to bet on building peace in Colombia on a day-to-day basis”. He also warned that “ensuring their security is vital to consolidating peace”.

United Nations remains committed

The Secretary-General reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations to support the peace process and assured that he will discuss with the Government both the issue of security and housing. “We are all going to take advantage of this meeting to enhance our work,” he said.

However, he said that he recognized “with humility” that the Organization’s work is secondary and that the essential work in the construction of lasting peace belongs to Colombians.

“If this were a film, we would not be candidates for the Oscar for Best Actor, but for the best Supporting Actor,” he concluded

Joining Mr. Guterres in Llano Grande was the ex-commander of the FARC-EP, Rodrigo Londoño, who stressed that even though some 300 signatories to the peace deal had been killed, “we remain committed”.

The visit of the Secretary General, he said, “shows that we have made progress and that this is not a failed process.” It also “refutes the assertions of those who do not believe in this process.”

Mr. Londoño also expressed gratitude to Colombian President, Iván Duque, saying that the leader’s presence in Llano Grande “is encouraging” and a hopeful sign that the Colombian people must continue travelling the path of peace.

In his remarks, President Duque stated that the progress underway in Llano Grande showed the will of his Government to support efforts to build lasting peace.

“I think the most important thing that we see today is the rejection of violence … We value those who have made the decision to categorically reject the violence that was once justified,” the President said, and added: “This implies that there is no cause or ideology …that justifies murder, kidnapping or any other form of violence that threatens our freedom.”

Marking five years of peace

From Llano Grande, Mr. Guterres and President Duque flew by helicopter to Apartadó, in the Urabá region, a province dedicated to the cultivation of bananas and where the Government chose to hold a regional commemorative event to mark the fifth anniversary of the peace accord.

Ahead of that event, they visited the region’s Territorial Development Programme, which seeks to  improve the collaboration of different territorial agencies to achieve more effective sustainable development. With the Government’s backing these programmes are supporting a range of reconciliation projects, including the building of a school that will be inaugurated soon.

The celebration event was held in a park and was attended by a large audience comprised of members of the municipality and the national government.

For his part, the Secretary-General highlighted the role of women in the peace process and stressed that their participation “can help generate more inclusion.”

He went on to express concern about the fact that several regions continue to face increasing insecurity.

“The actions of the illegal armed actors diminish the hopes of local communities, as well as jeopardize the prospects for sustainable development,” said the Secretary-General.

He concluded that “peace requires facing the suffering of the past” and “reconciliation is the only way to a stable and lasting peace.”

Tomorrow on his last day in Colombia, Mr. Guterres will participate in the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Final Peace Agreement in the capital, Bogotá. He will also attend the ‘La Paz es Productiva’ fair.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America, United Nations,

Brasilia: Meeting to debate culture of peace in the public sector

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

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)

Questions for 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.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Petrópolis, Brazil : III International Restorative Justice Week will open next Monday

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

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)

Discussion question

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.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America