EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Rock al Parque (translation by CPNN)

More than 350,000 people attended this year’s version of the Rock in the Park Festival which has become an institution in Bogotá. It has evolved and changed with the city, moving from generation to generation because it is alive and in this 21st edition it looks straight into the twenty-first century. This new edition of Rock in the Park, which closes after three great successful days of music, holiday, coexistence and diversity, was dedicated to the culture of peace.

This version of the most iconic rock festival of the continent left with sound, and music in the air from 74 national, local and international bands that came to the stage of the Metropolitan Simon Bolivar Park and the Media Torta, providing all the power of their talent to the thousands of spectators who showed once again that the Colombia is a rocker capital.

The Rock in the Park that we know today is the result of a conscious policy of the transformative power of art and culture in contemporary societies, as Mayor Gustavo Petro said in 2014, during the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of festival

Rock in the Park has made and continues to make it possible for thousands of young people to love music and reflect on a city that has tried collectively to build a public good as now recognized nationally and internationally. As explained by Santiago Trujillo Escobar,director general of the District Institute of Arts, Idartes, “Rock in the Park is the space to exercise creative freedom to be and to let be and to celebrate life. It makes us realize that if we commit the will and energy of our bodies and conscience, we can transform this country into a more humane and just society. ”

According to Santiago, “Rock in the Park has become the place where conflicting and sometimes extreme expressions of diversity can coexist and be respected and enhanced. From the point of view of Idartes, we value and foster debate. For us criticism is always welcome. Thanks to this we have a more pluralistic and representative festival, a festival that looks straight into the XXI century”

The closing of the third day of Rock al Parque was in the hands of three international bands, Café Tacvba, Ill Nino y Adrenaline Mob. They gave memorable moments to thousands of spectators full of emotions and euphoria and voice to the demand for social change and actions for peace.

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(click here for the Spanish version of this article.)

What place does music have in the peace movement?

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An example of this was when members of the Che Sudaka band decided to share the stage with David Jaramillo of Doctor Krápula to chant a rock “bambuco” dedicated to the peasants and indigenous people who resist the occupation of their land, reject transgenic seeds and claim peace ” once and for all!”. Another example was when the vocalist Jota decided to run into the arms of the public, in an unforgettable moment that adds to the many who remain in the collective memory of a rock concert that Bogota renews year after year.

Because, as noted by Bertha Quintero, Deputy Director of Arts at Idartes and protagonist of this story from the beginning: “Today the festival is at the height of the great festivals of the world.” According to her, one of its main features has been the behavior of respect and coexistence of the public who has appropriated this space.

This is supported by the Subcomandante Metropolitan Police of Bogota, Col. Aurelio Ordonez who highlighted the exemplary behavior of the citizens who ensured complete tranquility during the three day event.

But besides being exemplary, Rock in the Park has served as a platform for groups that today have a national and international scope; since 2011 the festival has presented on its stage 134 district, 75 national and 169 international bands.

It should be noted that this year, the musical palette was based on gender diversity that resulted from the programming led by Chucky Garcia, according to Santiago Trujillo.

This year, in addition to presenting bands from around the country, the festival brought talent from countries including Chile, Jamaica, South Africa, Portugal, United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Germany, Venezuela, Spain, Ecuador, Italy, Japan, Argentina, France, Costa Rica, England, Poland, Brazil and Bosnia, among others.

In addition Rock in the Park serves as a showcase for companies and entrepreneurs in the sector. They find here a stage for their products and a space in which participants can access a variety of cuisines and collectible articles.

The festival includes more than what is on the stage. There is an academic component that includes lectures, workshops and panels that enhance dialogue and strengthen musical practice that grows every year. This year, for example during the three days of the festival more than 140 thousand people visited the corporate site of Rock in the Park. Not to ignore those who who follow the festival through the live broadcasts by Channel Capital which also reached over 450,000 Internet users, according to the data offered by the operating director of Channel Capital, Favio Fandiño.

In sum, the 21st festival has been worthy of its century, able to project into the future with the certainty of its institutional maturity and allow thousands of young people and adults to enjoy a complete selection of the best of the rocker scene, a memorable journey through the sounds and colors the rock music from around the world

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from La Tribuna de Honduras (translation by CPNN)

The Judiciary of Honduras, along with the team implementing the National Service of Judicial Facilitators (SNFJ) will present a report on the progress of this service during the National Judicial Facilitators meeting today [August 8] with Secretary of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro Lemes.

Luis Almagro Lemes, Secretary of the Organization of American States (OAS)

The authorities of this branch of government will inform the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro Lemes, about the progress, achievements and implementation of the work of this important service that already concerns 12 departments.

The SNFJ national meeting will be attended by President of the Judiciary, Jorge Alberto Rivera Avilés; President of the Republic, Juan Orlando Hernández, Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro Lemes, and Pedro Buscovitz, regional coordinator of the Inter-American Judicial Facilitators Program of the OAS.

The judiciary through its National Facilitators Service meets objective number 4 of its law, by involving the population in this program.

Since 2012 this program has sworn in a total of 1,644 judicial facilitators in the 12 departments where their work contributes to the country’s system of administration of justice.

The judicial facilitators are community leaders appointed and elected by the community. They serve as a support to the magistrates in each municipality, which saves time and money for the society and contributes to building a culture of peace.

The tasks performed by Judicial Facilitators are: reconciliation, accompaniments, lectures and advice, under supervision by the judiciary and national laws.

Already this year there has been a total of 492 reconciliations. This yields a saving for the State by avoiding that these cases come to trial. It lowers the judicial backlog while providing access to justice

(click here for the Spanish version of this article.)

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Escribiendo Cine

Organised by the Nueva Mirada Association, under the slogan “Buentrato: For a culture of peace”, the Festival, unique in its subject in the country, has been declared to be of interest fr Cultural and National Education by the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate of the Nation, the Legislature of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of National Education.

The festival will officially open on Thursday August 27 in Room INCAA Km.0 at 14 pm with the screening of the animated feature Shaun, the lamb. The film is based on the television series of the same name and was written and directed by Richard Starzak and Mark Burton.

As in past festivals, Nueva Mirada present high quality films that have been made by recognized professionals, but that have not been distributed in the commercial film and television circuits. Films will be shown from several countries, including Germany, Italy, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Cuba, UK, Netherlands, Switzerland, Iran and Mexico. In addition, the Festival will feature prominent guests, such as Jan-Willem Bult from the Netherlands, who will participate as an Official in the Jury and who will conduct the Television Production Workshop with children. The short films in this workshop will be exhibited at the close of the Festival and will be disseminated through the Internet and other circuits.

The “Panoramic” section (fiction) of the Official Competition for Feature Films will include: Life According to Nino, by Simone van Dusseldorp; Shana, the Swiss Nino by Jacusso; Lola, the German by Thomas Heinemann; The bike of my father and I, by Fayaz Mousavi; Teaching how to live, by Giuseppe Piccioni; and beautiful horizon by Stefan Jäger.

Among the films confirmed to compete in the animation section are: Pim and Pom, the great adventure, by Gioia Smid; The legend of the mummies of Guanajuato, by Alberto Rodriguez; Pinky finger, by Ernesto Pradón; Worms, by Paolo Conti;, and Beyond the beyond, by Esben Toft Jacobsen. Various other animated short films and fiction, selected for the viewer’s age ,will also be shown.

In addition, a Retrospective Tribute will take place for Juan Pablo Zaramella, one of Argentina’s most creative independent filmmakers of animation. His films have won the Silver Condor Best Short Film three times, while all his short films have won awards worldwide. In 2010, the International Animation Festival of Annecy presented a retrospective of his work. His latest short film, Luminaris, was shortlisted for an Oscar category of Best Animated Short Films, and he has already received over 300 international awards, including the Audience Award and the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at Annecy in 2011.

The venues of the Festival New Look, confirmed so far are Space INCAA Km 0 -Gaumont- Rivadavia Av 1635, Leonardo Favio (Library of Congress), Alsina 1835..; Bicentennial National House, Riobamba 985; Bernasconi Institute, Catullus Castillo 2750; Julian Centeya Cultural Center, San Juan 3255; Casa de la Cultura Villa 21, 3500 Iriarte Av.; Cultural Space Carlos Gardel, Olleros 3640.

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(Click here for the original Spanish version.)

Film festivals that Promote a culture of peace, Do you know of others?

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Among the parallel activities, on 28 and 29 August: the International Seminar “critical eye. Audiovisual, Transmediality and Education in the XXI century “in the headquarters of the OEI (Organization of Ibero-American States), Jorge Cavodeassi Falgari Auditorium, located in Paraguay 1583, 2nd floor, with leading domestic and foreign experts. Also in this space, the transmedia game “Kitchen Project” on Monday September 1, with the participation of entertainers, musicians, filmmakers, video game producers, and renowned specialists and representatives of TV channels of Latin America. Admission is free, as in all activities of Nueva Mirada, with registration at: Info@nuevamirada.com

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article by Henry A. Aira Gutiérrez, Correo del Sur (translation by CPNN)

Culture of peace and conflict resolution are new phrases that Bolivians can use to avoid going to court. With the implementation of the new moral codes as of August 6, it is also the expression of the mediators, whose job is to reduce the caseload in the courts for civil and commercial matters. After selection by the Judicial Council, the mediators train for a period of 20 days.

Courses in which mediators learn how to solve conflicts.

In four classrooms at Casa Tréveris, over 150 mediators receive theoretical training and practice in the functions that will serve beginning next month.

“The intensive course is organized into four modules: the first related to justice and human rights, the second dedicated to the culture of peace, conflict theory as a basis for negotiation and conciliation; the third communication and conciliation; and the fourth refers to the process of reconciliation taking into account the principles, models and phases of the facilitative model,” according to Antonio Aramayo, executive director of the UNIR Foundation, the institution in charge of the mediation training.

The new officers are trained in the instruments that will need to apply when they are to reconcile conflicts when the new Codes Morales take effect in August.

The Judiciary Act indicates that the mediation is “the means of conflict resolution and immediate direct access to justice as well as the first procedural action”. In other words, the judicial mediation aims not only to expand access to justice but to introduce the culture of peace and peaceful methods of settling conflicts to shared solutions.

“The culture of peace is a breakthrough in the country and now we are implementing the new codes in practice for the resolution of disputes through conciliation. This is good, creating a culture of peace and a country not of confrontation, but of rapid resolution of conflicts,” said Patricia Yufra, from the mediation district of Quillacollo (Cochabamba).

“We are learning how to reconcile, to look beyond the law, to analyze problems so that they (people in conflict) can resolve their conflicts and disputes peacefully and maintain their human relationships,” said Erick Suarez, Santa Cruz conciliator.

These two professional lawyers are, like many others, being trained and expected to return to their districts on August 7 to start their work.

(click here for the French version) of this article or here for the Spanish version

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

Un blog de Ernesto Amézquita en Cronica del Quindio (translated by CPNN)

According to law 1732, adopted in 2014, the national government has issued the decree “by which the teaching of Peace is regulated in all educational institutions of the country”.

Click on photo to enlarge

It is foreseen in article number 2 that “to meet the constitutional mandate enshrined in the articles 22 and 41 of the Constitution, the teaching of Peace is compulsory.” It is so decreed that “the teaching will aim to create and consolidate a space for learning, reflection and dialogue on culture of peace and sustainable development which should contribute to the general welfare and improve the quality of life of the population.”

Historically it has been shown that it is much more productive, civilized and proactive to invest in peace instead of the criminal business of arms dealers, mercenaries and beneficiaries of war.

For Colombia, more than 60 years of violence, about 300,000 dead, millions displaced, thousands missing, wounded and false positives, massacres, millions of orphans; should be more than enough to say enough to the ignorance of death, the peace of the grave and yes to life, to peaceful coexistence, the rule of justice, concord and respect for difference.

As such, these new standards are a good contribution to teaching in the school, family, college; accompanied by administrative bodies, judicial, ecclesiastical, military, police, social, business, etc., to begin to fully implement the rejection of the warmongering, bullying, and all violent, aggressive or armed way of solving problems. Today we have alternative means, justice, both formal and informal, as specific mechanisms for he solution of conflicts.

The central of this law are the culture of peace and sustainable development to be implemented in the academic syllabus that must be incorporated before December 31, 2015, in the areas of social sciences, history, geography, politics and democracy constitution, life sciences, environmental education, ethics, human values ​​and principles.

It is clear that the teachers responsible for this initiative must be qualified, skilled and experienced in those academic areas, because otherwise the effort would be counterproductive. We don’t ask Satan to teach the Bible.

So, we must ask: When will the schools of Quindio and the rest of the country, both public and private, begin to incorporate into their academic programs, this officially mandated teaching? When will we Colombians begin to disarm our own spirits, and when will the communication media become truly objective, truthful and impartial?

With this in mind, let us welcome the teaching of peace, principles and values ​​that we have missed in these 60 years of war and fratricidal violence between brother and brother.

(click here for the original Spanish version of this article)

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Peace Studies in School Curricula, What would it take to make it happen around the world?

What is happening in Colombia? Is peace possible?

This discussion question applies to the following articles:

Children as Peacemakers
Peace Education Center in Ghana
Asian Educators Symposium and Exchange Program: Creating a Culture of Peace through Education
Life-Link Program Promotes a Culture of Peace
Education for Peace: Le projet intégré prend tout son sens
‘Education for peace’ wins the Youth Excellence Award 2011 in Mauritius.
Convivencia y Protección Escolar: Bogotá, Colombia
Coexistence and School Protection: Student Project in Bogota Colombia
Convivencia y Protección Escolar: Red de Educadores en Bogotá
Coexistence and School Protection: Teachers Network in Bogota Colombia
Premios a la Promoción de la Cultura de Paz y la Convivencia Escolar.
Prizes for the Promotion of Culture of Peace and School Coexistence
Hawaii Teachers Impact NEA National Assembly – 3 Million Members to Support Peace Day
Gambia: Teachers Trained On Peace Building
Málaga destaca por fomentar la convivencia y la cultura de paz, según la Junta de Andalucía (Espagne)
The Junta of Andalucia (Spain): Malaga promotes coexistence and culture of peace
Cultura de Paz nas escolas do Norte de Minas, Brasil
Culture of Peace in the schools of Norte de Minas, Brasil
Formation des enseignants à la résolution non-violente des conflits (France)
Teacher training in nonviolent conflict resolution (France)
Álvarez Rodríguez firmará un acuerdo para aplicar “Cultura de Paz, Gestión de Paz” en las escuelas
Álvarez Rodríguez to sign agreement for “Culture of Peace, Managing Peace” in schools
Gambia: PS Bouy Launches WANEP Peace Education Implementation Guide
Culture de paix et de non-violence dans les écoles : Le réseau ouest-africain pour l’édification de la paix lance son guide
The West African Network for Peacebuilding publishes its guide for culture of peace and non-violence in the schools
Prefeitura de São Luís e Unesco firmam parceria pela cultura de paz nas escolas (Brasil)
City of São Luís and UNESCO sign partnership for the culture of peace in schools (Brazil)
México: Urgente incorporar la cultura de paz a la educación formal
Mexico: Urgent to incorporate culture of peace in formal education
France: 12e Forum « La non-violence à l’école »
France: 12th Forum “Non-Violence in Schools”
Ghana: WANEP trains 150 peace Ambassadors in Tamale Schools