Tag Archives: Latin America

Latin America and the Caribbean: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

A survey by CPNN

The following 59 actions in 19 Latin American and Caribbean countries include those listed in Google during the weeks of September 17-28 this year under the key words “International day of peace”, “Dia Internacional da Paz” and “Día Internacional de la Paz”


Costa Rica, Santa Ana

Here are excerpts from the articles.

ARGENTINA

BAHÍA BLANCA: For the first time, Bahía Blanca will be the setting for an international event that seeks to promote peace, within the framework of the International Day of Peace. This event has traveled to several capitals of the world. And this time it will be in Plaza Rivadavia. An initiative by renowned visual artist Martín Bonadeo, based in Barcelona, ​​who has worked for years on this project, which has been presented both at the United Nations and to Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. Both gave their consent for it to be carried out in different cities around the world, and Bahía Blanca was selected because it had not previously hosted the event.

BELGRANO In the framework of the International Day of Peace, the mayor of San Salvador de Jujuy, Raúl “Chuli” Jorge, led the central commemoration event that took place in Parque Gral, Belgrano, in the space that the city has dedicated to the location of the Peace Arch, a world symbol that decorates squares in different localities of the country and the world.

BUENOS AIRES: Here’s the many actions in Buenos Aires, Argentina: City of Peace and the home of Mil Milenios de Paz Fundación, to celebrate and contemplate the United Nations’ International DAY of Peace, September 21st each year.

COLÓN: On September 21 , the city of Colón will join in the celebration of the International Day of Peace with the first edition of the “Municipal Day of Peace .” The activities will begin with a bike ride that will start from Plaza Artigas and end at the Rugby Club Colón , where various activities will be held focused on raising awareness and promoting peace. The event, organized by the Municipality of Colón in collaboration with several local institutions, will include the planting of an olive tree as a symbol of peace, a talk on the importance of peace in society and various recreational activities. In addition, there will be artistic and cultural presentations, such as songs and readings by the Senior Citizens Choir and the writer María Magdalena Lener, who will present her work.

CORRIENTES: The Rotary Club Río Paraná Corrientes is pleased to invite the community to participate in the Commemoration of the World Day of Peace, which will take place on September 21, 2024 at the prestigious Amado Bonpland Museum of Natural Sciences. This meeting seeks to promote reflection and dialogue on the importance of world peace, offering a space for the active participation of all attendees. The day will feature various activities designed to foster awareness and commitment to peace in our society.

ESQUEL: School No. 179 ‘Sofia Kraiselburd’ commemorated the International Day of Peace with various educational activities. In collaboration with the Salesian School, the educational community promoted values of respect and harmony. . . Students and their families actively participated in decorating the “Snowman” and “La Trochita”. “We are writing messages of peace that will be placed on the doll and in the Peace Square. We have also prepared gifts and souvenirs made by the children and families.”

MALARGÜE: The 2nd Sculptors’ Meeting began on Monday in Malargüe, an activity supported by the Rotary Club and conceived and organized by local sculptor Christian Pietkiewicz. For two weeks, sculptors from different provinces will be creating works in our city. In addition to the creation of sculptures, different activities are carried out, such as dance, music, photography and talks open to the public, designed to encourage exchange between artists and the community. These events seek to bring art closer to the people of Malargüinos and generate spaces for learning and dialogue. The event will end on September 20 with a formal ceremony to commemorate the International Day of Peace, during which the finished works will be presented.

MAR DEL PLATA: Picnic in Primavesi Park to celebrate World Peace Day. The proposal comes from the Collective for Nonviolence and the community is invited to participate in different activities this Saturday, September 21 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will be yoga, biodance, meditation, talks, activities for children and open radio. . . At the close of the Picnic, there will be a march with flags and banners in support of the upcoming World March for Peace and Nonviolence that will travel across the five continents and begin on October 2 in San José, Costa Rica.

MENDOZA: Today is the International Day of Peace. In its honor, the Traveling Workshop on Writing for Peace will be held in Mendoza at the Book Fair. . . The workshop is coordinated by writers and teachers Fabiana Mastrangelo (President of Argentina Society of Writers (SADE) Godoy Cruz and leader of SADE Central, Buenos Aires), Zulma Calderón (President of SADE Mendoza) and Marta Ibáñez (Taller Lápiz Creativo).

PUERTO MADRYN: On September 21, Puerto Madryn joins in the commemoration of the International Day of Peace. Following the raising of the flag, a special talk will be given on the meaning of this day and how each of us can be an active part of building a more peaceful world. . . on September 24 at 7 p.m. a training entitled “Sport as a tool to promote peaceful and inclusive societies” will be held , aimed at teachers, physical education teachers and sports institutions.

RECOLETA (BUENOS AIRES): Video of children of Sunrise Montessori school joining with Montessori schools around the world singing for peace.

RESISTENCIA: The Lions Club of Resistencia together with the Leo Club Yaponagá, planted white flowers as a symbol of World Peace. The activity took place on the “Malvinas Veterans’ Path of Honour”, located in the Ejército Resistencia Garrison, and the action was carried out in conjunction with the Malvinas Veterans’ Centre and personnel from the Third Monte Brigade Command. . . The president of the Club, Leon Claudia Kovaluk, said that “it is a day of great emotion, today we are caught up in the feelings of seeing those who were protagonists of war, together with their loved ones demanding Peace.”

SAN GERONIMO AND EL TRAPICHE: Activities to celebrate the day of peace within the framework of the celebrations planned by the Mediation Centers and Rooms of the province to commemorate the International Day of Peace.

SAN JUAN: On world peace day, this September 21st, with a special concert at the Juan Victoria Auditorium, Mozarteum Argentino San Juan will delight us with a night full of rhythm and elegance: the Pianoforte Orchestra in “Jazz Big Band” format . This is an independent orchestra from Mendoza, founded by Leonardo Pittella along with a team, and is made up of some of the most renowned musicians in the region. The repertoire will include works by composers such as Glenn Miller and Benny Golson, with the star piece of the evening being George Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue.

SANTA FE: From Lalcec Reconquista we want to tell you that together with COLORES POR LA PAZ we will be holding “PintaReconquista” on the International Day of Peace, within the framework of PintaArgentina. . . Once again we will carry out this wonderful activity in our “Nilda Tanino de Enz” merry-go-round, located in Plaza 25 de Mayo, starting at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 21 , where children between 4 and 10 years old, who come to take their traditional ride, will be able to leave us their allegorical drawings. In addition, we will enjoy live painting by the artist Alberto Pucheta, and other surprises.

USHUAIA: The International Day of Peace was commemorated in Ushuaia. Municipal officials accompanied the ceremony held at the Plaza ‘Campana de la Paz’. The Secretary of Parliamentary Relations, Omar Becerra, said that “this global celebration invites us to reflect so that, through small actions, we can all build a more just and equitable society.”

BERMUDA

SOMERSFIELD ACADEMY: Slideshow of photographs from International Day of Peace Ceremony.

BOLIVIA

LA PAZ: On Friday, September 20 at 10:00 am, the Interreligious Meeting for Peace was held, celebrating the International Day of Peace at a meeting center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on Av. 20 de Octubre in La Paz, Bolivia. The event was attended by representatives of various religious traditions, including Zen Buddhism, the Catholic Church, the Islamic Community, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, among others. . . The meeting concluded with the reading of an Interreligious Declaration for the International Day of Peace, by Brother Hugo De La Fuente on behalf of the Bolivian Interreligious Dialogue, in which the importance of interreligious dialogue was underlined as a pillar for the construction of a more cohesive and peaceful society.

BRAZIL

GUARAPARI: EcoPaz holds walk in celebration of International Peace Day, in Guarapari. Event takes place on September 29th with walk and ecumenical service open to the public. The ecumenical service will be held in Praça da Paz and will bring together, at the end of the walk, representatives of some religious denominations such as the Baptist Church, the Catholic Church and Spiritism, thus demonstrating respect for all beliefs.

UEMA: The Language of Peace in Teaching project at the Timon Campus of the State University of Maranhão (Uema) promotes a workshop on the theme “Non-Violent Communication”. The action begins this Friday (September 20) at the Justiniano Guedes Vasconcelos School, located in the Tamanduá Village, and continues until tomorrow (September 21), in allusion to the International Day of Peace, at the Luiz Falcão School, located in the Estiva community.

CANTO PELO PAZ: A manifesto for life. This is “Canto pela Paz (Let’s Get Along)”, the new single by artist, activist and researcher Victor Kinjo, which will be released on September 20th on the main digital platforms by YB Music, Lyra Noise label. With a strong and current message, in a world marked by wars and climate change, the song is an urgent call for peace and unity between peoples.

COLUMBIA

BOGOTA RADIO: This weekend, prepare for an emotional and revealing journey in honor of the International Day of Peace. Starting Saturday, September 21, Canal Capital’s programming presents a series of documentaries that explore the paths to reconciliation in Colombia , offering moving testimonies and evocative visuals of social and personal transformation.

BOGOTA, LA CANDELARIA: “La Candelaria, the heart of Bogotá, is also the heart of peace and reconciliation. That is why we are inviting you to enjoy the photographic exhibition that we will have in the mayor’s office until September 21. It is a peace event that, together with the Reencuentros Humanitarian Corporation, we want to show and make visible that all people deserve to be searched for and deserve to be found,” said Mayor Angélica María Angarita Serrano.

MEDELLIN: For four days, from September 18 to 21 in Medellin, Columbia University (USA), the GettIn Up Corporation and a large group of allied organizations have coordinated to open a first version of this broad dialogue on Urban Peace and its multiple dimensions. . . Through keynote lectures, thematic panels, presentations and discussion panels, topics such as the geographies and ecologies of peace, institutional architecture for peace, youth reintegration, transitional justice models with multi-crime organizations and others will be addressed. . . On Day 4 there will be a celebration of the International Day of Peace in the Antioquia neighborhood.

MEDELLIN: 
In the framework of the commemoration of the International Day of Peace , the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, the Civil Society Peace Month Board and the UN Verification Mission in Colombia will hold a symbolic event on September 21, starting at 10 AM, in San Antonio Park, in the center of the city, next to the work “El Pájaro” by the master Fernando Botero.

COSTA RICA

ALAJUELA: The Juan Santamaría Cultural History Museum will host Peace Week, from September 16 to 21, 2024. The program includes a conversation, a film and a concert, as part of the Art for Transformation and Peace exhibition. Immersive Poetry for Peace 2024.

HEREDIA: Approximately 637 students from the Academic Day School and the Technical Professional College in Guararí in Heredia walked nearly a kilometer and a half for peace this Friday as part of the activities commemorating the International Day of Peace. . . Students displayed banners and posters with positive messages such as “Let us be people of peace” or “It is not enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it and work to achieve it.”

SANTA ANA: More than 200 high school students from different parts of the world will commemorate the International Day of Peace at the United World College. . . The students come from 70 countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Brazil, to name a few.

CUBA

REGLA (HAVANA): TogetherForPeace Workshop.,,This is an art workshop to collectively build a representation of Peace. It is held on September 20th on the occasion of the International Day for Peace within the framework of the project Revitalizing the Sociocultural Fabric of the Municipality of Regla, co-financed by the European Union. Children from the Fernando Chenard Piña primary school participate, with whom origami doves will be made with messages in favor of peaceful coexistence and a life free of violence.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

ADASEC ASSOCIATION: The Dominican Association for Social, Ecological and Cultural Aid (Adasec) carried out an emotional march in celebration of World Peace Day , with the aim of raising awareness among the population about the importance of achieving inner peace and promoting peaceful coexistence. . . The walk, which brought together citizens of all ages, took place in a festive and reflective atmosphere. Participants spoke inspiring phrases, emphasizing the value of peace in society.

SANTO DOMINGO: Students from the República de Costa Rica Elementary School together with the Prof. Germán Martínez Tavares High School in the Los Ríos sector marched through several streets of this community in search of promoting peace.

“Long live peace”; “No to violence”; “Long live peace”; “No to war”; “Long live peace”; “Peace is love”; “Peace is freedom”; “Peace is humility”; “Long live teachers”; “Long live children”, shouted the students and teachers at the top of their voices during the night.

Question for this article

What has happened this year (2024) for the International Day of Peace?


Kingston High School Drummers at the launch of the Peace Gardens in Jamaica

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ECUADOR

MALECÓN:
Video of children painting with colored handprints for peace in the initiative the initiative “Hands United for Peace” together with @mov_arteporlapaz_ecuador . Hemicycle of the Roundabout, Malecon 2000 on Saturday 21 September (09h00 – 18h00)

QUITO: In the last decade, peace justice has allowed more than 18,000 cases to be resolved nationwide. Through it, the right of citizens to access alternative mechanisms for conflict resolution and to have a system closer to the reality of the communities has been guaranteed. This was recalled by the President of the Council of the Judiciary (CJ), Mario Godoy, during the Solemn Session for the International Day of Peace and the 10 years of the establishment of the Peace Justice System in Ecuador. . . As part of the event, the Judicial Council presented credentials to the justices of the peace, thereby accrediting the work they do in their communities.

TUMBACO: Video of school children celebrating the International Day of Peace at Colegio Cervantes_ofc.

GUADALOUPE

BASSE TERRE (97): The Freedom Butterflies association celebrated the International Day of Peace this Saturday, September 21, by organizing a symbolic march of children for Peace around the Champ d’Arnaud. On the theme “In the footsteps of our children, dreams of a world in peace resonate”, the leaders of Freedom Butterflies welcomed a hundred young people aged 6 to 15 for a symbolic march around the Champ d’Arbaud. Equipped with signs and panels, these children and a few adults took a route through the capital, chanting the slogan: “I am a messenger of peace.”

HAITI

PORT-AU-PRINCE: On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the organization Haitian Diaspora Resources World Wide issued a statement calling on Haitian citizens to be active promoters of peace in their homes and communities. The organization’s president, Marina Gourgue, encourages Haitians to reflect on their roles in spreading the values of respect, solidarity and love.

HONDURAS

TEGUCIGALPA: The Undersecretary of Cooperation and International Promotion, Cindy Rodríguez, participated in the Forum called “Cultivating a Culture of Peace”, organized by the United Nations (UN) in Honduras. . . She highlighted the importance of holding these spaces, which strengthen collaboration in favor of a culture of peace. . . For her part, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Honduras, Alice Shackelford, said: “One of the main messages today is that peace requires daily work, every moment, every week, every month, an effort in dialogue, in understanding, in cooperation, this is a culture of peace” Representatives of government institutions, civil society, academia and members of the diplomatic corps accredited in the country participated in the event

JAMAICA

KINGSTON: On the International Day of Peace, Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Youth and other partners, launched Peace Gardens and drumming activities in schools across Jamaica to foster peace and environmental stewardship. The launch took place on Friday at Kingston High School.

MEXICO

ANÁHUEC: Invitation to the celebration of the International Day of Peace on September 18 at the Joseph Ratzinger Auditorium.

CAJEME: On the occasion of the International Day of Peace , the municipality of Cajeme and the Technological Institute of Sonora (Itson) have joined forces to carry out the event “Together for Peace” , which seeks to promote a culture of peace within the community. This set of activities, organized by the Municipal Institute of Culture ( Imcca ), began on September 18 and will conclude on the 21st, with various artistic and informative proposals.

CHIAUTEMPAN: In the framework of the International Day of Peace and in an effort to strengthen a Municipal Government that promotes and guarantees full respect for Human Rights, this morning the City Council of Chiautempan signed a collaboration and training agreement with the State Commission on Human Rights (CEDH), thus becoming the first municipality to establish it. . . In addition, during the event, a training course entitled “Human Rights and Culture of Peace in Public Service” was given by Ordóñez Brasdefer.

COLIMA: This Saturday, September 21, starting at 6:00 p.m., the International Day of Peace Festival will be held at Piedra Lisa, as part of the State Government’s activities to promote peace and healthy coexistence among citizens. There will be an exchange module for the campaign, Let’s Play Without Violence, so that children can exchange their war toys for recreational and educational toys.

CUERNEVACA: The UAEM Faculty of Accounting, Administration and Informatics commemorates the International Day of Peace with various conferences. . . During this event, lectures were given by Tomoko Alkawa, ambassador of La Paz; Rubén Gómez , expert in peace experiences from Montevideo, Uruguay; José Acevedo, who spoke about the monument of the Dove of La Paz; as well as the keynote lecture by Dr. Úrsula Oswald Spring on expanded peace and security of CRIM UNAM.

CULIACÁN: In the framework of the International Day of Peace , various civil organizations, groups and citizens gathered this morning in the center of Culiacán to make an urgent call for unity and action in the face of the violence that plagues the capital of Sinaloa. The meeting brought together representatives from more than 30 groups, including the National Union of Parents, Building Spaces for Peace, Culiacán Participa, COPARMEX and SUMATE AC, who joined together under the question ” What is the Culiacán that we want to live in? ” During the demonstration, citizens called on people not to normalize or accept the conditions of violence and fear that persist in the city, which have left more than 60 murders and more than 70 forced disappearances. The organisations demanded that an environment be created where families can walk without fear and where young people can go to school without risk.

GUANAJUATO: The University of Guanajuato, through its Mediation and Conciliation Unit, invites the university community and the general public to take part in the activities that will commemorate the International Day of Peace, to be held next Wednesday, September 11 of this year, starting at 11:00 a.m. in the General Auditorium of the UG Central Building. . . As part of the commemorative program, the UG invites you to participate in the Grand Conference  Restorative Justice and the Re-signification of Harm as Elements for the Construction of Peace. . . The program also includes the Interdisciplinary Discussion  Deconstruction and Collaborative Transformation of Conflicts.

HUNUCMÁ, YUCATÁN: In the framework of the International Day of Peace and with the objective of promoting healthy coexistence, respect, inclusion to strengthen healthy educational spaces free of violence, more than 450 students from the “Emiliano Zapata” Secondary School accompanied by their families participated in the first “Peace to the Voice” race organized by the Secretariat of Education of the Government of the State of Yucatán. Patricia Sosa Díaz, head of the Coordination for the Prevention of Violence in Basic Education of the Segey, highlighted the importance of sport as a tool to prevent violence and to strengthen camaraderie among students through actions that promote inclusion, empathy and peace among our students.

JALISCO: “Bohemia for Peace” organized in commemoration of the International Day of Peace. Now it’s the turn of Master Carlos Palafox, who shares with us the following information: I’m the Mtro. Carlos Alberto Palafox Luna, high school teacher, lawyer and activist for Peace. Currently I preside the Collective of “Teachers for Peace” which has been working for more than 4 years in favor of the culture of peace and non-violence in schools.

JUAREZ: Students from the Municipal Nursery School celebrate the International Day of Peace. . . The children’s hands were painted with different colors, to later capture it on a canvas, even the teaching staff joined in the dynamic, which was very fun and supportive. Since the color white is representative of peace, everyone attended school dressed in denim clothes combined with either a white blouse or shirt.

MÉRIDA, YUCATÁN: Every September 21, at the initiative of the United Nations, the International Day of Peace is celebrated, and in the midst of this commemoration the Summit for Peace Societies, Ch’abajel, was held in Mérida, Yucatán. The event, which will feature more than 40 speakers, 100 organizations and representatives from 50 governments at all levels, was opened on Thursday by state authorities, organizers and special guests. . . Eunice Rendón, director of Red Viral and Agenda Migrante, as well as curator of the summit, highlighted that over the two days of the summit, peacebuilding will be discussed and insecurity and its causes will be analyzed, since difficult contexts are often the “true enemy” to building a more peaceful society. He also mentioned that even in peaceful territories there are problems that need to be addressed, such as violence against women or addictions among young people.

MEXICO CITY: On the eve of the International Day of Peace, which is commemorated on September 21, the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) launched the campaign Arm yourself with courage for a Culture of Peace! Get informed, learn and act. The Secretary General of the SNTE, teacher Alfonso Cepeda Salas, called for participation in the campaign, which aims to promote values of respect, equality, solidarity, tolerance and empathy; in addition to the daily practice of dialogue, negotiation, peaceful conflict resolution, harmonious coexistence and inclusion . . During the launch of the strategy, a message was transmitted by the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez, who recognized the commitment of teachers in favor of the Culture of Peace, under the leadership of teacher Alfonso Cepeda. She invited education workers to continue collaborating so that schools continue to be safe places.

NUEVA LEON The State Government confirmed the attendance of 18 Nobel Peace Prize winners to participate in the World Summit to be held in Nuevo León from September 18 to 21. Former presidents such as Lech Walesa of Poland, José Manuel Ramos-Horta of East Timor and Oscar Arias Sánchez of Costa Rica will participate in the meeting, said the Secretary General of Government, Javier Navarro Velasco, who assured that the laureates will meet with union leaders in different areas to share their success stories. . . On September 21, the date on which the International Day of Peace is commemorated, a march will take place that will start at the Marco Museum and end at the Government Palace. . . . For the World Summit, 1,200 young people from more than 70 universities across the country will participate in 50 free workshops over three days, as well as panels with all the personalities who will attend. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureates World Summit is an annual event that brings together Nobel Peace Prize winners, global leaders, organizations, activists, and young people committed to promoting peace, human rights, and conflict resolution. 

QUERÉTARO: The International Forum of Culture and Education for Peace (FICYEP) was held on September 19 and 20 at the Autonomous University of Querétaro, with the theme ‘Cultivating peace through diversity’, in order to raise awareness of the problem of inclusion of diverse groups in society, such as the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities and people with indigenous cultures. The aim was to raise awareness among participants to reconceptualize peace through diversity for the generation of cultural projects in adverse contexts. . . Conferences, talks and remote discussions are included, with prominent people in peace work from other countries, such as Argentina, Peru, Brazil and Chile. 

REYNOSA: In the framework of the International Day of Peace, students and teaching staff from school institutions in the municipality met to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the promotion of peace worldwide. This celebration was attended by authorities from the Regional Center for Educational Development, led by teacher Dina Maybe Castillo Enríquez, as well as representatives of the parents’ association, chaired by Sarahí Garza and Ileana Guerrero.

ZACATECAS: “Peace is not only the absence of conflict, but a state in which respect, justice and solidarity are fundamental pillars of our society,” said the head of the Doctorate Program in Humanities with a specialty in Heritage and Culture for Peace, Lucía Muñoz Castañón, within the framework of the commemoration of the International Day of Peace – September 21. . . The program for this commemoration included the conference “Peace, as the primary objective of human rights,” given by the president of the Human Rights Commission of the State of Zacatecas, Maricela Dimas Reveles. The presidium was made up of the general secretary of the Autonomous University of Zacatecas, Ángel Román Gutiérrez, the Ambassador of Peace in Zacatecas and Research Professor of the UAZ, Laura Gema Flores García, as well as the training director of the Human Rights Commission, Luis Manuel Gallardo -who also participated in the Human Rights Conference-.

PANAMA

UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA: Ministry of Social Development of Panama. Acting Minister Ricardo Landero participated in an enriching discussion at the National University of Panama, commemorating the International Day of Peace.

PERU

PIURA: Universal Peace Federation ((UPF) Peru and UPF Piura branch celebrate the International Day of Peace. The hall of the Municipality of Piura gathered Ambassadors for Peace, students, personalities of the region, the Peru National Police and guests in general. . . The program included the presentation of the girl Ayko Yamile Zapata Castro who recited the Poetry titled: “Inner peace is the calm to my anguish”. The presentation of Singer Ambassador Wilfredo Mendoza Castillo who delights with his songs to the attending audience.

SANTA LUCIA

OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITE: On 21 September, Saint Lucia joins the rest of the world in observance of International Day of Peace.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

SOUTHWEST TOBAGO: The Rotary Club of Southwest Tobago has joined the world in observing International Day of Peace. As part of this observance, the Rotary Club erected peace poles at Signal Hill Secondary and Scarborough Secondary Schools in Tobago.

VENEZUELA

VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: During the ordinary session of the Ordinary Session today, Tuesday, September 24, 2024, the  National Assembly  (AN) unanimously approved the  Draft Agreement for the International Day of Peace . In accordance with the provisions of Article 111 of the Internal Regulations and Debates of the National Assembly, the First Vice President,  Pedro Infante, highlighted the importance of maintaining peace in the country.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America,

Uruguay: The book Culture of Peace

. EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from ANEP, Dirección General de Educación Inicial y Primaria (translation by CPNN)

Next Friday, August 9, in the Amphitheater of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, starting at 6:00 p.m., the book Culture of Peace will be presented, a work of support for teachers, educators, students and citizens who promote Human Rights.

Download the book here

The present edition of this book is a modest contribution from the Movement of Educators for Peace for the daily work of teachers, educators and student teachers.

(Click here for the original Spanish version).

Question for this article:

Culture of peace curricula: what are some good examples?

Promoting a culture of peace requires a set of knowledge and supportive attitudes and behaviors depends upon this basis. It is a collective construction that develops in the dynamic relationship between theory and practice in which the student and the educator are conceived as subjects of learning and teaching integrated within an educational community.

The different forms of violence that permeate our society are also expressed in institutions, but we have the opportunity to select and reproduce those that contribute to a culture of peace.

The educational institution that is based on the principles of a culture of peace constitutes the best environment for balanced and respectful personal relationships.

Learning and teaching in these conditions become a rewarding and productive effort that allows the integral development of the student and the educator. Therefore, educating in a culture of peace is not an additional effort that is demanded of educators but rather an aid to facilitate and make their pedagogical work more consistent.

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

UNAOC Hosts Capacity-Building Workshop for the 7th edition of its Young Peacebuilders programme in Cáceres, Spain

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

Aspiring leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean convened in Cáceres, Spain for a transformative capacity-building workshop as part of their participation in the 7th edition of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Young Peacebuilders programme.

The in-person workshop took place from 24 to 28 June, following an extensive online training phase throughout the year. The Young Peacebuilders participated in a series of interactive sessions guided by facilitators, and were challenged to implement their newly gained knowledge by diving deeper into peacebuilding concepts and relevant skills. The participants are expected to leverage their newly acquired insights to implement the peace projects they designed during the workshop to address pressing challenges in their respective communities. These initiatives, which are an integral output of their participation in the programme, will aim to build bridges between diverse cultures and communities upon returning home from the workshop.

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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The 7th edition of the UNAOC peace education initiative brings together young civil society leaders from Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela as well as local peacebuilders from Spain. The participants were selected following a rigorous and competitive process through which they demonstrated their commitment to peacebuilding and sustainable development.

About the programme


The UNAOC Young Peacebuilders programme is a flagship peace education initiative dedicated to nurturing the next generation of peacebuilders. The programme aims to enhance the positive role of youth in issues of peace and security and in preventing violent conflict by equipping young leaders with the necessary tools and knowledge to do so. The 7th edition, focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, is implemented with the generous financial support of the Agencia Extremeña De Cooperación Internacional Para El Desarrollo (AEXCID) of Junta de Extremadura.

For more information about the Young Peacebuilders programme, please click here.

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Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY, United Nations,

Mexico: UAA inaugurates the CONEICC 2024 Meeting “Communicating for a culture of peace”

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article May 16 from the Universidad autónoma de Aguascalientes (translation by CPNN)

The Autonomous University of Aguascalientes, through the Center for Social Sciences and Humanities and in coordination with the National Council for Research in Communication Sciences (CONEICC), carried out the inauguration of the National Meeting for Communication Students 2024 “Communicate for a culture of peace”, an important communication event that brings together around 700 students from 15 different universities in the country.

Within the framework of the inauguration of this event, Dr. Sandra Yesenia Pinzón Castro, rector of the UAA, referred to the theme of this year’s edition. She pointed out that peace, although the most verbally collective goal, longed for in history, is an issue quickly forgotten, whether in domestic, public, or political contexts, both nationally and internationally.

In that sense, Dr. Pinzón recognized that, to achieve organic and lasting peace at all levels and contexts, it is first necessary to carry out an individual self-criticism examination. In the family context or in the case of each profession and activities such as students, teachers, administrators, managers, or specifically as journalists, one must be careful how information is disseminated, in order to avoid. actions such as offenses, omissions or distorted information that harm individuals and the social fabric itself.

(Article continued in right column)

(click here for the original version in Spanish).

Questions for this article:

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

(Article continued from left column)

The rector expressed that regarding the slogan of “communicating for a culture of peace”, the meeting provides a favorable space to talk directly and indirectly about this topic, with the various perspectives of over forty specialists in communication, culture for non-violence and equity.

Dr. Sandra Yesenia recognized that the Autonomous University is fortunate to be the venue and co-organizer of this National Meeting of Communication Students, because it represents an invaluable opportunity to add reviews, proposals and commitments, in order to get closer to that still distant, but very, very longed for culture of peace and non-violence.

In the opening event, Dr. Ana María Navarro Casillas, head of the Communication Department of the UAA, expressed that these days of work should contribute to nurturing and continuing the academic professionalization of the university community of the UAA and of other institutions in the country.

Mr. Francisco Javier Pérez Rodríguez, president of the National Council for Teaching and Research in Communication Sciences (CONEICC), added that these meetings reaffirm the commitment as an organization and Higher Education Institutions to continue providing spaces for discussion and reflection for teaching. of communication and reinforce the work of innovation and research in communicators.

The event also had the presence of Mtra. María Zapopan Tejeda Caldera, dean of the Center for Social Sciences and Humanities (CCSyH); Dr. Rossana Reguillo Cruz, Researcher, activist and person in charge of the Inaugural Conference; teachers, students, graduates and communicators; as well as members of the University Executive Commission, CCSyH commission, speakers and students from public and private universities that make up the CONEICC.

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Colombia: The first meeting is held in Cali to weave a network of peace initiatives in the territories

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from the Ministry of Culture of Colombia

Between April 3 and April 5, the first national meeting took place for territorial networks for a culture of peace, an initiative of the Culture of Peace Strategy of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Knowledge.

The beginninf of the space was marked by the voices of the Cantaoras de Pogue (Bojayá) who evoked the pain of their history; an echo to leave war and seek peace.

The song invited the 25 artistic and cultural organizations from the municipalities of Antioquia, Nariño, Chocó, Putumayo, Caribe and Bogotá, attending the event, to reflect on the transformative power of unity, mutual protection and trust in the ability of the territories to forge peace.

Space for mutual recognition of organizations. Photo: Paula Beltrán.

The objective of this meeting is to recognize the artistic and cultural organizations strengthened by the Culture of Peace Strategy of the Ministry of Cultures and promote their exchange of experiences, methodologies and processes.

“In the arts you show us that other country that some have called ‘the geography of hope.’ We must move from resistance to guarantees of rights, so that we can advance beyond war and everything that has harmed us,” said Adriana Molano, Vice Minister of Heritage, Memories and Cultural Governance.

(continued in right column)

(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Question for this article:

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

(continued from left column)

It is expected that during the three days of the meeting, these organizations will connect experiences, create peace networks and share their territorial processes, commitments and methodologies around the creation of a culture of peace.

For the Culture of Peace Strategy, these initiatives are platforms that, from the territories, make it possible to address daily violence, long-term violence and the factors of persistence of armed conflict.

The main purpose of the strategy is to enhance the political and transformative nature of culture in the care of all forms of life, as well as in the understanding and processing of conflicts.

“We work with children and young people, so that through culture they are part of a new world. I think that this meeting invites us to learn about the initiatives of the other groups, to know how we are all working for that long-awaited peace,” said Fernanda Tenorio Quiñones, who comes from Tumaco and is a member of the Pacific Folklore School Foundation.

A culture of peace for what?

Since 2023, Minculturas has been accompanying and supporting territorial peace culture initiatives. It does so with processes to strengthen its management capabilities, training spaces and guaranteeing the visibility of its actions. This is in line with the commitment to recognize that peace is forged from the territories and that the cultural efforts coming from the communities are decisive for the transformation of the stories of war into new imaginaries of the nation.

The proposal of a Culture of Peace is to strengthen political participation and territorial transformation, promote the sensitivity that art contains towards daily life, dignify life, process mourning and repair damage. To build, together, new stories of the nation.

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Speech by Brazil President Lula at the opening of the 37th African Union Summit

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

A report from the Government of Brazil on February 17

It is with great joy that I return to Africa for the twenty-first time, once again as President of Brazil, to address the leaders of the African Union. I come to reaffirm the partnership and bond between our country and our people and the sister continent.


Lula and Africa

The African struggle has a lot in common with the challenges faced by Brazil. More than half of the 200 million Brazilian citizens recognize themselves as Afro-descendants. We, Africans and Brazilians, must chart our own paths within the emerging world order.

We must create a new global governance that is capable of facing the challenges of our time.

Minimal State theories are no longer applicable. Planning agricultural and industrial development has once again become part of public policies in all sectors.

Energy and digital transitions require government leverage and guidance.

Attempts to restore a global system based on ideological blocs are not applicable in the real world. Multipolarity is an inexorable and welcome component in the 21st century. Consolidation of BRICS as the world’s most important arena for the articulation of emerging countries is an undeniable advance.

Without the participation of developing countries, it will not be possible to open any new cycle of global expansion — combining growth, environmental preservation and reduced inequality and with increased freedoms.

The Global South is becoming an unavoidable part of the solution to the main crises that afflict this planet.

These crises arise from a model that concentrates wealth, and which mainly affects the poorest — and, among these, immigrants. The alternative to the ills of neoliberal globalization will not come from the racist and xenophobic far right. Development cannot be the privilege of a few.

Only an inclusive social project will allow us to establish prosperous, free, democratic, and sovereign societies. There will be no stability or democracy if hunger and unemployment remain.

The time is ripe to revive the best humanist traditions of the great leaders of African decolonization.

Being a humanist today means condemning the attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli civilians, and demanding the immediate release of all hostages. Being a humanist also demands rejecting Israel’s disproportionate response, which has killed almost 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza—the vast majority of them women and children—and caused the forced displacement of over 80% of the population.

The solution to this crisis will only last if we move quickly towards the creation of a Palestinian State that is also recognized as a full member of the United Nations—a strengthened UN that harbors a more representative Security Council, in which there are no countries with veto power, and which includes permanent members from Africa and Latin America. For two years now, the war in Ukraine has exposed the Council’s paralysis. Beyond the tragic loss of life, its consequences are also being felt around the world in food and fertilizer prices.

There will be no military solution to this conflict. The time has come for politics and diplomacy.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Africa—with its 1 billion 500 million inhabitants and its immense and rich territory—has enormous possibilities for the future. Brazil wants to grow alongside Africa, but never dictating any paths.

The Brazilian people are recovering their political and economic sovereignty. We are adopting an ecological transformation project which will allow us to take a historic leap forward. We are reviving our democracy and making it increasingly participatory.

Through Bolsa Família and other successful public policies, we will once again leave the hunger map and lift millions of Brazilians out of poverty.

Talking about “Inclusive Education”—this Summit’s main topic—is talking about the future. Around the world, almost 250 million children do not attend school. In Brazil we are implementing full-time schools, as well as granting a benefit to the poorest high school students as a way of reducing the number of school dropouts.

(Article continued in the column on the right)

(Click here for the Portuguese version of this article)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

I am proud to say that thousands of African citizens have concluded their studies in Brazil—but we are going to do even more. We are going to increase the number of scholarships we offer so as to welcome African students to our public higher education institutions.

We are willing to develop educational programs in Africa, and to promote intense exchange of teachers and researchers. Let us collaborate so that Africa may become independent in its food and clean energy production.

Africa harbors 400 million hectares spread across over 25 countries which have the potential to make this continent one of the great breadbaskets of the world, enabling policies to combat hunger and produce biofuels.

I also want to extend our partnership to the health sector. There is much to learn from both of our health strategies, and from the possibility of structuring robust and broad-reaching public systems.

We will work alongside the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to tackle neglected tropical diseases. We will aim to expand access to medicines, avoiding repetition of the vaccine “apartheid” that we saw in COVID-19.

Taking care of the health of the planet is also our priority. The imperative of protecting the world’s two largest tropical rainforests—in the Amazon and the Congo basins—makes us protagonists in the climate agenda.

Current international instruments are insufficient to effectively reward the protection of forests, their biodiversity and the people who live in them, take care of them, and depend on them.

By recovering degraded areas, we can create a true green belt to protect forests in the Global South. Alongside African partners, Brazil wants to develop and construct a family of satellites to monitor deforestation.

To carry all this out, we are going to create a cooperation outpost with the African Union in sectors such as agricultural research, health, education, environment, and science and technology.

Our diplomatic representation in Addis Ababa will soon include employees from government bodies such as the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, EMBRAPA and FIOCRUZ—our research and development bodies in agriculture and health.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Our paths will meet again at the G20 Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, and at COP 30, in Belém. The presence of the African Union as a full member of the G20 will be of great value—but including more countries from the continent as full members is still also necessary. We have common agendas to defend.

It is unacceptable that a world capable of generating wealth in the order of USD 100 trillion dollars per year still harbors the hunger of more than 735 million people. We are creating the Global Alliance against Hunger at the G20 so as to promote a set of public policies and mobilize resources to finance them.

Around 60 countries—many of them in Africa—are coming close to financial insolvency, allocating more resources to paying external debt than to education or health. This reflects the obsolete nature of financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank, which often worsen crises that they should be resolving.

Solutions to transform unfair and unpayable debts into concrete assets—such as highways, railways, hydroelectric plants, wind and solar energy parks, green hydrogen production and energy transmission networks—must be sought after. We need to follow the evolution of new technologies step by step.

Artificial Intelligence cannot be monopolized by a few countries and companies—and may also become fertile ground for hate speech and misinformation, as well as cause unemployment and reinforce racial and gender biases which accentuate injustice and discrimination.

Brazil is going to promote G20 interaction with the High-Level Panel created by the UN Secretary-General to support discussions on the Global Digital Compact.

In this way, we hope to contribute to effective and multilateral governance in Artificial Intelligence that fully incorporates the interests of the Global South.

My friends,
I want to close by saying that there is no Global South without Africa.

Resuming Brazil’s rapprochement with Africa means recovering historical ties and contributing to the construction of a new, more just and supportive world order. Above all, it allows us to join forces in overcoming the challenges that lie ahead.

Thank you very much.

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Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America,

International Women’s Day: The Americas

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

A press survey by CPNN

In order to gather photos from the celebration of International Women’s Day, we put the following phrases into the google search engine:
° women’s day photos 2024
° Photos “Journée internationale de la femme” 2024
° Fotos”Día Internacional de la Mujer” 2024
° Fotos “Dia Internacional da Mulher” 2024

Here are the results from the Americas.

ARGENTINA


The center of Buenos Aires on Friday evening during the celebration of International Women’s Day. JUAN IGNACIO RONCORONI (EFE) (from El País)

BERMUDA

The Government kicked of its celebration of International Women’s Day [IWD] with the Public Service IWD Wellness Walk around Hamilton earlier this week, with a number of female Public Service employees taking part, including the Governor, Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors and Head of the Public Service Cherie Whitter. The Government has prepared a series of activities throughout the week aimed at recognizing and celebrating the contributions of women in the public service under the theme #InspireInclusion. (from Bernews)

BOLIVIA

Women shouts slogans against gender-based violence during an International Women’s Day march in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, March 8, 2024. AP Photo/Juan Karita (from APNews)

BRAZIL

People take part in a march in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil March 8. A banner reads “Stop to femicide. Legalization of abortion.” REUTERS/Tita Barros (From Reuters)


PETERBOROUGH, CANADA

Kawartha World Issues Centre and Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre rallied and marched in Downtown Peterborough for International Women’s Day from Peterborough Square to City Hall on Friday afternoon. Photo by David Tuan Bui. (from PTBO Canada)

VANCOUVER, CANADA

Various groups gather outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday March 3, 2024 for speeches followed by a march for International Women’s Day. (CityNews Image) (from Vancouver City News)

CHILE


Protesters march in groups in the commemoration of International Women’s Day in Santiago. SOFIA YANJARI. (from El País)

COLOMBIA

A woman attends an International Women’s Day event with a red handprint across her mouth, a symbolic representation of murdered and missing Indigenous women, in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) (from APNews)

ECUADOR


People take part in a march in Quito, Ecuador, March 8. REUTERS/Karen Toro (From Reuters)

GUATEMALA


Young people in Guatemala City release green smoke in the Plaza de la Constitución. DAVID TORO (EFE). (from El País)

HONDURAS

Tegucigalpa, Honduras. International Women’s Day was marked with street actions Fot: Gustavo Amado/EPA (from Renascença)

Question related to this article:
 
Prospects for progress in women’s equality, what are the short and long term prospects?

MEXICO


More than 180,000 protesters marched through Mexico City demanding access to justice and freedom from violence and fear. Some carried photos of people they were accusing of rape or violence. Other banners demanded that girls grow up without violence and drew attention to missing and murdered women. [Lexie Harrison-Cripps/Al Jazeera] (From Al Jazeera)

PANAMA


Women participate during marches in commemoration of International Women’s Day in Panama City, Panama, 08 March 2024. (from EPA Images)

PERU


Protesters dance during the protest in Lima (Peru). ANGELA PONCE (REUTERS)Argentina. (from El País)



PUERTO RICO


Shouting: “Vivas nos queremos”, “Nosotras parimos, nosotras decidimos” o “¡Qué viva la lucha feminista!” (“We love each other alive”, “We give birth, we decide” or “Long live the feminist struggle!”), two marches toured the streets of the capital of Puerto Rico, this March 8. RICARDO ARDUENGO (REUTERS). (from El País)

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK

Address by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN, on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2024. (frame from video of UN television)


CHICAGO, UNITED STATES

In Chicago, the day before International Women’s Day, CODEPINK, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and Chicago Area Peace Action dropped a banner over the Chicago river that read: Feminists Say No to War with accompanying signs demanding negotiations in Ukraine and cooperation with China. (from Codepink)


SEATTLE, UNITED STATES

People chant as they walk down John Street on Capitol Hill during a march for International Working Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, in Seattle. Speeches portrayed Palestinian liberation as a “feminist imperative.” (Jennifer Buchanan / The Seattle Times) (from the Seattle Times)

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES

On March 8th, 2023, peace activists in DC made a large human peace sign in the rotunda, a banner demanding “Peace NOW” was unfurled from an upper level. The group in the rotunda formed a human peace sign donned with pink parasols and peacefully sang “Give Peace A Chance.” The human peace sign and the “Peace NOW” banner were followed up by office visits to Congresswomen who initially signed the Progressive Caucus letter to Biden demanding he pursue a path to negotiations to end the Russia/Ukraine War. (from Codepink)


Women march in Montevideo (Uruguay), this March 8. MARIANA GREIF (REUTERS). (from El País)

VENEZUELA


Women participate in a demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela, March 8. REUTERS/Gaby Oraa. (from Reuters)

Latin America, North America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY,

Art for peace in Mexico City

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article by Azaneth Cruz in El Heraldo de México

“Cracks and fissures. Where peace appears” exhibits the work of 12 artists from different neighborhoods of the capital and the State of Mexico and reflects on violence

For the artist Carlos Amorales, the neighborhood is “more synonymous with community than with violence,” a reason that led him to join the mentoring of the artists who participated in the group exhibition Cracks and Fissures.


Credit: Fotos: Especial

The exhibition “Where peace appears,” continues until June of this year at the University Cultural Center (CCU) Tlatelolco. It is part of the Peace Laboratories, a project created in 2021 that seeks to contribute to cultural development, peace building and social transformation in territories affected by insecurity and violence through art.

From the portraits made by Esteban Viveros of the people who live in the Guerrero neighborhood; to the landscapes of Jessica Islas, who denounces the burning of the forests in Xochimilco; and the collective work of Atardecer Dwsk that demonstrates that art heals the hearts of those who feel loneliness and depression, the creators seek to question prejudices about the places they inhabit.

(continued in right column)

(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Question for this article:

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

(continued from left column)

“We have talked a lot about violence.

We have been talking about violence for 15 years, documenting it and experiencing it more and more closely, however, little is proposed to internalize peace, for this reason we establish different projects that are carried out in the laboratories. An example of this is this exhibition, in which 12 artists share and defend what the neighborhood means to them,” explained Paola Zavala, director of outreach at CCUTlatelolco.

He added that the exhibition: “is an invitation to the counterculture of drug trafficking, to the series, to the activities that incite violence and the objectification of women, to link young people to other successful roles that help us to the construction of communities of peace through art as a space for encounter, reflection, resistance and proposal.”

The exhibition is mentored by historian Alesha Mercado, actress and human rights defender Minerva Valenzuela, collector and architect Roberto Shimizu, curator Cuauhtémoc Medina and artists Eduardo Abaroa and Carlos Amorales.

DETAILS

Participating artists come from Xochimilco, La Merced, Iztapalapa, Magdalena Contreras and Chimalhuacán.

The CCU Tlatelolco Peace Laboratories were created in 2021.

12 artists participate.

The exhibition lasts 5 months.
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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Declaration of Cuban Culture institutions in support of artists from Argentina in the face of Javier Milei’s measures

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Cuba Information

Different cultural institutions in Cuba have expressed their concern about the Argentine government’s attempt to “ignore and mutilate the rich cultural life” and urged “a return to the urgency of recognizing that art and culture are a powerful tool to reconstruct the memory of the continent for its spirituality and the recognition of its diversity, to offer an “other” view of the historical-social reality, to decolonize knowledge and to stop the looting of our heritage and the aggression against our identities.

The declaration was promoted by the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry, the House of the Americas, the House of the Film Festival, the Foundation of New Latin American Cinema, the International Film School, the Ludwig Foundation of Cuba, the National Ballet of Cuba, the Hermanos Saiz Association and the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba.

(continued in right column)

(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Question for this article:

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?

(continued from left column)

“There are many challenges for artists faced with the government’s attempt to cut their support and to dismiss their role as guarantor of the national essence. The complex reality that Argentina is experiencing and the continuous messages that come to us from intellectuals and artists about the danger that the culture of that country faces under the government of Javier Milei, demands that we express our solidarity and most sincere support to those who fight to defend the achievements made by that nation. Their creative production is of great relevance , not only for its recognized quality, but for its positive impact in the Latin American and Caribbean region,” according to the declaration.

In the declaration, Cuban institutions from different artistic branches state that “culture is one of the most conflictual domains within Argentine political reality. Intellectuals and artists, especially filmmakers and performing artists, face a scenario in which their performances may be dramatically affected and, as a consequence, the reconstruction of collective memory and national and regional identity would be hindered. Argentine culture and cinematography have a prominent place on the continent. They must be defended as a space where ways of acting and thinking about the past and imagining the future are recombined. They provide a setting for the collective construction of symbolic universes, social practices and political agendas. Culture offers the most important possibilities of choice and freedom.”

(Note: The integral text of the declaration is available on the website. The declaration is still open for signatures at prensa@icaic.cu.)

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

A Working Class Victory on Colombia’s Horizon

… . HUMAN RIGHTS … .

An article by Omar Ocampo in Inequality.org (Content licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 License)

The Seventh Committee of the House of Representatives voted to approve 16 of the 98 articles of the landmark Labor Reform bill right before the start of winter recess. The bill will now advance to a second round of legislative debates that will resume next month.

This is great news for the workers movement: Labor reform represents one of the three flagship policy proposals of the Petro-Márquez administration that seeks to equitably transform society. The bill will not only restore the labor rights that were rescinded a little over twenty years ago by a far-right government — it will go a step further and expand these rights.

The road to reform thus far has not been easy. Since the bill was first introduced last March, it predictably encountered fierce opposition from the business community and its political representatives. Those corporate stakeholders argued that the bill distributes benefits to an already privileged class of formalized and unionized workers.

But as researcher Santiago Garcés Correa highlighted in an article for the magazine 100 Días, such depictions do not accurately portray the lived experiences of the Colombian working-class. Petro’s labor reform platform is a reflection of workers’ daily grievances and struggles.

Over the past few years, pro-reform advocates have organized sit-ins, work stoppages, and protests — both at a local and national level — against the increased prevalence of subcontracting, outsourcing, and anti-union corporate practices.

Palmosan S.A.S., a palm oil company in Santander, for example, fired 48 of its employees after its workforce formed a trade union, Sintrapalmosan, and voted to go on a strike when the company refused to negotiate a list of labor demands. The strike ended after six months with the signing of a collective agreement between both parties, but Palmosan only relented after the Ministry of Labor intervened in the dispute and a district court ruled in the union’s favor.

While all workers recognize the need for reform, some sectors felt differently about the solutions at hand. Despite such a difficult and unfavorable environment for organizing, workers in the digital platform sector initially expressed their disapproval of the Labor Reform bill.

Simón Borrero Posada, the CEO of the super-app Rappi — an on-demand delivery service popular in Colombia — gave a series of interviews rife with misleading statements. Posada asserted that the Labor Reform bill would force the company to hire digital platform workers full-time, thus eliminating the flexibility that so many rappitenderos currently enjoy. The problem with this statement? No such stipulation existed in the reform bill.

Still, five hundred Rappi employees organized a small protest in the capital city of Bogotá in March of 2023. Their principal demand was a rejection of a forced full-time contract. The corporate media took full advantage of the spectacle and pushed the narrative that workers and employers share an interest in rejecting the Labor Reform bill.

Right-wing opposition parties — led by Cambio Radical and el Centro Democrático — kept up the pressure and mobilized more than 90,000 of their supporters in street demonstrations to register their discontent with Petro’s entire reform agenda.

(Article continued in right column)

Question(s) related to this article:
 
The right to form and join trade unions, Is it being respected?

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

(Article continued from left column)

By the time the Labor Reform bill reached the Seventh Committee of the House of Representatives in June, it was dead on arrival. Lawmakers did not even get the opportunity to debate the bill since the committee failed to reach quorum. As a result, the Labor Reform bill was shelved, amounting to a major setback for the Petro-Márquez administration and allied reformers.

To the surprise of many, a slightly modified version of the Labor Reform bill was filed at the end of August and, when properly debated, it advanced to the next stage of the legislative process. 

The business community still objects to the increased labor costs attendant to the expansion of workers’ rights and claim this will hinder the formalization of the informal sector. In other words, it will discourage business owners from hiring workers who currently “operate outside of the regulatory and tax systems.” But formalization will not occur significantly unless dignified employment and social protection programs are offered. 

The 16 approved articles of the Labor Reform bill are substantive. Night shifts will now begin at 7:00 PM instead of 9:00 PM (Article 15). People who work on Sundays and holidays will now have their overtime pay rate increased (Article 19). 

Employers who discriminate on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, age, economic background, and health history will face drastic penalties (Article 21). Digital platform food delivery workers will receive social security through health and pension contributions by the platform companies for whom they work (Article 30). 

Colombia will offer new training programs for rural work (Article 37). And migrants will bear the same labor rights as citizens (Article 42). 

Right before the New Year, a scandal erupted at a tuna factory in Cartagena. Van Camp’s, a firm operated by Seatech International, was making women workers feel obligated to wear diapers on the job — bathroom breaks are tallied and deducted from their pay.  

The Labor Minister Gloria Inés Ramírez publicly denounced the multinational firm, which has denied the allegations and threatened legal action against the minister. Colombia’s right-wing opposition has rallied to the firm’s defense, but testimonies from employees seem to confirm the minister’s public declarations. 

Besaiga Raga, who has worked for Seatech International for 13 years, said that many of her colleagues are “choosing to put on a disposable diaper” because they “cannot afford to forfeit the little that they earn to the company” by taking a bathroom break.

“It is not easy to go to the restroom,” added Berky Arrieta Garcia. “There are not enough toilets for the number of women who work there. Sometimes it takes 20-25 minutes, even up to half an hour, because we have to form a queue to go to the toilet.”

The Van Camp’s diaper debacle — still playing out — exemplifies why higher labor standards are urgently needed in Colombia. The Labor Reform bill is a crucial means of improving the bargaining position and labor conditions of Colombian workers. And its advancement in Congress is an overdue victory that the Colombian working-class should achieve and celebrate in 2024.

The author, Omar Ocampo, is a researcher for the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies.

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HUMAN RIGHTS, Latin America