Tag Archives: Latin America

Councils, commissions and some initiatives of culture of peace in Brazil

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article by Myrian Castello, Fábrica dos Sonhos

Through initiatives and projects, some cities in Brazil have been promoting a culture of peace. The Culture of Peace, as opposed to the culture of war, aims to promote education for peace, human rights, sustainable and equitable development, participatory democracy, gender equality, free flow of information, tolerance and solidarity as a means of achieving and building peace.

Research about initiatives, commissions and councils made for this article found activities including interviews, forums, trainings, talk wheels and courses, in the cities of Londrina, Curitiba, Itapecerica da Serra, Santos and Recife.

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Questions for this article:

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

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In Londrina there is Compaz, a council that works to develop the culture of peace and non-violence and the Peace Media that is the media vehicle to spread the news of this culture in the region. More information can be found at this link.

In Itapecerica da Serra, there was a Peace Walk in honor of women.

In São José dos Campos through the education secretary, in the axis of Human Rights Education, activities were promoted for a culture of peace, including a Festival of Circular Dances and Culture of Peace.

Santos officially has an active Peace Commission and recently promoted the 1st Peace and Non-Violence Forum within the schedule of Education Week. The city has the potential to become a reference to the world on a culture of peace.

In Recife, the Community Center of Peace, COMPAZ Eduardo Campos, offers various services and activities with the purpose of guaranteeing social inclusion and community strengthening. More information can be found on their Web site and Facebook page.

Actions and initiatives like these and others are important to promote a culture of peace, which is necessary and urgent to change the culture of war in which we are inserted.

(Click here for the original article in Portuguese.)

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

El Salvador: Workshop for municipalities to strengthen their role in prevention of violence

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from La Prensa Grafica

About 25 municipalities, belonging to the departments of San Vicente, Cuscatlán and Cabañas, participated in a training workshop organized by the Corporations of the Republic of El Salvador (COMURES) in Cojutepeque (Cuscatlán), with the objective of strengthening the role of municipal governments in the prevention of violence and their capacities to respond to the problems that are currently affecting the country.

The activity, which is part of the national day that COMURES develops from July 18 to August 29, 2017, at the scale of the 14 Departmental Councils of Municipalities (CDA), is carried out in coordination with the Secretariat of Governance of the Presidency, with the participation of the Legislative Assembly and the accompaniment of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

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Questions for this article:

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

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The purpose is to facilitate coordination between municipalities with various instances, such as public security, mainly to carry out actions and initiatives to prevent violence and crime in the territory.

Carlos Roberto Pinto Guardado, executive director of COMURES, explained that because of their impact on economic and social development, citizen security and violence prevention are issues that have been prioritized by municipal governments in the National Congresses of Municipalities, and incorporated In the permanent agenda promoted by the corporation.

“The approach of the theme seeks to strengthen a strategy that allows strengthening the leadership and role of municipal governments, for the construction of a sustained culture of peace with the participation of communities,” COMURES said in a statement.

“This is important,” said Pinto Guardado, “since municipal councils, as the first state authority in the municipalities, know the most sensitive needs and problems of the population, invest resources and implement policies and actions that are coordinated, organized and planned to reduce the factors that generate social violence in the territory.

Along these lines, COMURES with the support of cooperation agencies has created different instruments and tools.

(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Puebla, Mexico: Cultural tourism needs more spaces and collectivity

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Angula 7 (translated by CPNN)

In Puebla, the culture for tourism is concentrated in specific points such as the Historic Center. It is “worrisome” that this serves economic interests, rather than promoting general development. This was pointed out by Arturo Villaseñor García, spokesman of Colectivos Estación Cero, in an interview at the first “National Colloquium on Living and Community Culture”. He added that these cultural policies do not take into account the problems of living in communities and neighborhoods.

“We are concerned that this exercise of centralizing or concentrating culture and having a bias to culture towards a particular type of art, or artistic expression, fails to take advantage of the knowledge of our peoples,” he said.

He referred to the “privatization” of the public space. Certain spaces are dedicated to former rulers, for example, the International Baroque Museum (MIB), instead of dedicating places to the culture of the communities .

In Angelópolis, he said, cultural tourism focuses on the first picture of the city and a few spaces in the surrounding urban region, but these are very limited, while in other areas of the interior of the state as the Mixteca Poblana there are no workshops or activities. As for San Martín Texmelucan, there are no museums, no resources, no support for groups that focus on cultural issues.

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(Click here for the Spanish version)

Question related to this article:

How can tourism promote a culture of peace?

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“Decentralizing the cultural offer”

In that vein, he argued that past state administrations, instead of building the MIB or the Puebla Star that had “a high cost,” could have used the money to open spaces in which young people could develop their creativities.

“In the Historic Center there is a focus on tourism. This is OK, but only a part of what is needed. There is not much for the citizens. We need to decentralize the cultural offer and involve the communities, in order to generate collectivity, recreation and art as a motor of development and a culture of peace, “he said.

Villaseñor García added that, in addition to this, there is the problem that resources for culture have been reduced. This a problem because because there is little money, and groups are forced to compete for limited resources.

He pointed out that what is needed in Puebla is to open spaces and begin to develop public policy in general, since it is not only culture that is needed, but also theater, painting, dance, and other artistic expressions.

Finally, he indicated that these problems will be addressed in the national colloquium to be held in October in Mexico City, attended by groups from other states where their concerns will be raised, in order to elaborate a policy to promote a diversity of cultural and artistic expressions, to develop strategies and to promote a national agenda on the subject.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Colombia: Tourism in post-conflict zones, another contribution to peace

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Aleteia (translated by CPNN)

The Colombian government is launching a call for tour operators to set up travel packages in postconflict areas.

Visiting them can be an unforgettable adventure. For example, located in the Colombian department of Magdalena, in the north of the country, in the Sierra Nevada area of ​​Santa Marta, Ciudad Perdida, also known as Teyuna, is an extremely attractive place by nature with crystalline waters and indigenous peoples.

Considered one of the main archaeological sites of Colombia, rediscovered by a team of local researchers in the 70’s and a reference area at the political level in its time, this place is positioned as a tourist destination that seeks to be enhanced.

But Ciudad Perdida has also been affected by the Colombian conflict, hence a place that has known much suffering.

Along with this Colombian locality other places like Sierra de La Macarena in the department of Meta, or Golfo Urabá – Darién (Chocó, Antioquia) have become part of a pilot plan of the Colombian government denominated “Tourism, Peace and Coexistence”.

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(Click here for the Spanish version)

Question related to this article:

How can tourism promote a culture of peace?

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This is precisely one of the goals of the Colombian government – through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism – to make a clear commitment to tourism in post-conflict zones. In that sense, a strong call for travel agents was recently launched to include these areas in their packages and proposals. In March of this year, a set of actions in favor of work among the various communities involved had also been submitted to the government for consideration, among other things.

Is it possible to build peace from tourism?

“If entrepreneurs do not sell, do not package, do not work hand in hand with post-conflict regions to generate development, peace will not be lasting. So it is important to take tourism companies to those regions that previously did not allow any type of development because of violence, “said Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, María Claudia Lacouture, reproduces El País.

As early as 2014, when the work on the post-conflict zones strategy was announced, tourism was considered “an important development factor that generates territories of peace”. “Tourism is a tool for the territories in the process of transformation towards a culture of peace. It is a sector that contributes to sustainable development, to the empowerment of communities in their territories, and it can generate other industries”, according to the strategy developed at that time.

One of the objectives visualized at that time was “the construction of the social fabric and a culture around tourism and peace”.

The scenario has now changed and indeed Colombia has now entered the post-conflict period. The challenge is before us and now it is the operators who have in their hands the possibility of giving more space to these proposals.

That is what it is about now, the development of these areas that have suffered in the past – for the best possible future for its inhabitants and sustainability guidelines for a better care of nature.

Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Mexico: With alternative justice, hope advances in Chiapas

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article from Cuarto Poder (translated by CPNN)

Judge Rutilio Escandón Cadenas, president of the Superior Court of Justice and the Judiciary Council, considers that justice in Chiapas is now perceived in terms of transparency, promptness, sensitivity and impartiality thanks to the new judicial system throughout the country.

In the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, the presiding magistrate spoke about the commitment of the Judicial Power to alternative means of conflict resolution which allows greater flexibility through the use of mediation, arbitration and conciliation, a new culture for security and justice.

Rutilio Escandón considers that there is no time for confrontations and discord, which should not be part of the human condition and environment in which we live; instead, it is time to adopt more fertile paths, with consistent and rational contributions that give a better vision of what we want for Chiapas.

With this new way of imparting justice, said the magistrate, the state is consolidating a culture of peace that can unite all peoples and communities. Through dialogue we can construct a system of justice that that is transformative and uplifts human rights .

“I invite everyone to take advantage of the State Center of Alternative Justice, instead of using the old judicial system. In this way, we can live in harmony, which is possible as long as we have the enthusiasm to work for unity among all of us and the conviction that we can achieve it”, concluded Rutilio Escandón.

(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

Discussion question
DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Latin America

Dominican Republic: Mayor praises successful congress for peace in Southern region

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Nuevo Diario (translated by CPNN)

Yaguate, San Cristóbal.- The mayor Rosa Peña de Lluberes described as successful the First Congress of Youth in the Southern Region for a culture of peace in this city that involved hundreds of young leaders.


Mayor Rosa Peña

The municipal executive thanked the Public Ministry for having chosen this municipality as the venue for the celebration of this great and significant event and she welcomed each of the delegates of the different provinces and all the authorities present.

The speakers of the event were Angel Gomera Peralta, with the theme youth, conflict resolution and a culture of peace; José Armando, Tavarez, with the theme of vocational guidance; José Monegro with the topic of Assertive Communication; Marcos Díaz, with effective leadership; and Danissa Cruz, who addressed the issue of human rights for peace.

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(Click here for the original Spanish article)

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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Liyana Pavón also addressed the issue of gender violence; Luis Verges the handling of the emotions; Pavel de Camps presented the subject of computer security and Tobias Crespo road safety for peace.

The attorney general of the Court of Appeal of San Cristóbal, Celeste Reyes, congratulated all those present and stressed the great importance of the event at a time when all sectors must fight for citizen security and peaceful coexistence.

Dr. Héctor Bienvenido Soto Valdez of the legal department of the local city council was responsible for the organization of the activity, and Patria Rodríguez, of the department of youth, was in charge of the words of welcome.

The artistic part was in charge of the male inmates of the correctional center Najayo, and the queen of the patrons of Yaguate was Miss Naomi Villar.

The closing words were spoken by Milciades Ventura Lembert, youth mediation coordinator (SINAREC), of the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic.

The congress was held at the José Francisco Peña Gómez sports center in this town.

Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Seminar on Violence and Peace: Diagnoses and Proposals for Mexico

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Program of the website of Violencia y Paz, Colegio de México

Seminar on Violence and Peace: Diagnoses and Proposals for Mexico. With the support of the National Commission for Human Rights (CNDH) and the Belisario Domínguez Institute (IBD) of the Senate of the Republic, we invite you to participate in this forum for three days of dialogue and reflection, on 7, 8 and 9 August.

On August 7, all activities will take place in the house of Xicoténcatl (Former seat of the Senate of the Republic).

On August 8 and 9, all activities will take place in the auditorium Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada in Donceles # 14. The entrance to the panels in both locations is free and it is not necessary to register in advance.

Program of the 7 of August of 2017.

10:00 Welcome, opening and initial ideas.

Silvia Giorguli, President of The Colegio de Mexico, Luis Raúl González Pérez, President of the National Commission on Human Rights, Miguel Barbosa Huerta, President of the Belisario Domínguez Institute of the Senate, Sara Irene Herrerías, Subprocurador for Human Rights, Crime Prevention and Community Services of the PGR [General Prosecutor of the Republic] and Sergio Aguayo, Coordinator of the Seminar on Violence and Peace of El Colegio de México.

11:00 – Panel 1. Northwest Region

Moderator: Laura Flamand (The Colegio de México)

Lecturers:

Sonora: Manuel Perez Aguirre (The Colegio de México).

Sinaloa: Yani Limberopulos (The Colegio de México).

Chihuahua: César Alarcón (UNAM) and Othón Partido (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México – UNAM).

Baja California: Carolina Robledo (Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social – CIESAS).

Commentators: Carlos Echarri (El Colegio de México) and Alejandro Vélez Salas ([Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México – ITAM)

15:30 – Panel 2. South Region

Moderator: Arturo Alvarado Mendoza (The Colegio de México).

Lecturers:

Michoacán: Edgar Guerra, (Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas – CIDE).

Guerrero: Juan Camilo Pantoja G. (The Colegio de México).

Oaxaca: Rogelio Salgado (CIDE)

Commentators: Mónica Serrano (El Colegio de México) and Ina Zoon (Open Society)

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Program of August 8, 2017.

11:00 a.m. – Panel 3. Northeast Region

Moderator: Ana Covarrubias (The Colegio de México).

Lecturers:

Coahuila: Mario Pavel Díaz Román (The Colegio de México)

Nuevo León: Zulia Orozco (Universidad Autónoma de Baja California)

Tamaulipas: Pedro Iniesta (The Colegio de México).

Commentators: Eduardo Guerrero (Lantia) and Gabriela Capó (Insyde)

15:30 hrs.- Transverse approaches on violence and crime in Mexico

Moderator: Lorenzo Meyer (The Colegio de México).

Lecturers:

Corruption: Fernando Nieto (The Colegio de México).

Economy: David Ramírez de Garay (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey – ITESM).

Practices and territory: Natalia Mendoza Rockwell (Fordham University).

Commentators: Alejandro Hope and Elena Azaola (CIESAS)

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(Click here for the original program in Spanish)

Question related to this article:

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

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18:00 hrs. – Office of the Special Rapporteur.

Moderator: Sinaia Urrusti Frenk (The Colegio de México).

Rapporteurship: Raúl Zepeda Gil (Seminar on Violence and Peace)

Comments: Froylán Enciso (CIDE) and Luis Astorga (IIS-UNAM)

19:00 hrs Closing.

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Program of the 9 of August of 2017.

9:30 a.m.- Welcome and general presentation of the forum

Miguel Barbosa Huerta, President of the Belisario Domínguez Institute of the Senate. Silvia Giorguli, President of El Colegio de México. Luis Raúl González Pérez, President of the National Human Rights Commission. Javier Velázquez Moctezuma, Director of the Neuroscience Area, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. Sergio Aguayo, Coordinator of the Seminar on Violence and Peace of El Colegio de México.

10:00 a.m. – Conference: United Nations Program of Action for a Culture of Peace

Lecturer: David Adams (Culture of Peace News Network)

Commentator: Cristina Ávila-Zesatti (Peace Correspondent)

Presenter: José Luis Díaz Gómez (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México – UNAM).

11:30 hrs – Table 1.- Culture of Peace and Environment

Lecturer: Fernando Díaz-Barriga (Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí)

Commentators: Prisco Manuel Gutiérrez (Commission of Indigenous Peoples of the National Association of Mayors) Natalia Mendoza Rockwell (Fordham University).

Moderator: Juan Carlos Sánchez Olmos (Environmental and scientific adviser, Senate of the Republic)

13:30 hrs- Table 2: Freedom of Expression, Human Rights and the Right to Information

Lecturers: Sara Mendiola (Civic Proposal) and Ana Cristina Ruelas (Art.19)

Commentators: Patricia Colchero Aragonés (Secretaría de Gobernación – SEGOB) and Ricardo Sánchez Pérez del Pozo (PGR)

Moderator: Angélica de la Peña (Human Rights Commission of the Senate of the Republic)

16:00 hrs. – Table 3: Intervention for mental health of victims of violence

Lecturer: Diana Hernández and Elena Estrada (Doctor Without Borders-Mexico)

Commentators: Luciana Ramos Lira (National Institute of Psychiatry) and Miriam Camacho Valladares (Universidad Iberoamericana)

Moderator: Carlos Galindo (Instituto Belisario Domínguez)

17:30 hrs. – Conference: Peace is scientifically possible

Lecturer: Jesús Martín Ramírez (Complutense University of Madrid)

Commentator: Javier Velázquez-Moctezuma (Metropolitan Autonomous University)

Presenter: Roberto E. Mercadillo (CONACYT-Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana)

18:30 pm

Rapporteur General: Roberto E. Mercadillo (CONACYT-Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana)

Commentators: Raúl Zepeda (Instituto Belisario Domínguez) and Froylán Enciso (CIDE).

Moderator: Sinaia Urrusti-Frenk (The Colegio de México)

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Santos, Brazil: Forum on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence

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Program received at CPNN

Forum on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence organized by the Peace Commission of Santos – COMPAZ

With the support of the Restorative Justice Program of Santos, the Secretary of Education of Santos, the Secretariat of Institutional Relations and Citizenship, Santos City Hall, ABrasOFFA and OAB [Brazilian Bar Association].

On August 16 all activities will be held at the Municipal Theater of Santos
Av .: Senador Pinheiro Machado, No. 48.

On August 17 and 18, all activities will be held at the Paulista University of Santos (Unip) Av .: Rangel Pestana, s / nº Auditorium, Block 07, 1st floor.

Program directors:

Liliane Claro de Rezende / Restorative Justice Program / Seduc-PMS
Selma M. S. R. de Lara / Restorative Justice Program / Seduc-PMS
Helena Lourenço / ABrasOFFA – Unip
Diego Duarte / Seges- PMS

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Program of 16 August 2017.

Evening session (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)

Theme: A trajectory of success for peace.

Speaker: Dr. David Adams

Summary: Presentation of the important trajectory and successful outcome by the director of the International Year for the Culture of Peace – Unesco (2000).

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Program of 17 August 2017.

Morning session (9am to noon)

Theme: The importance of the Culture of Peace: the Force of Example in Education.

Speaker: José Antonio Oliveira de Rezende

Summary: Peace, to be lived, has to be built, day by day, in small acts, from which germinate the great transformations. Peace is to be realized, not only idealized. Peace is done, not given.

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(Click here for the original program in Portuguese)

Question related to this article:

Latin America, has it taken the lead in the struggle for a culture of peace?

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Afternoon session (2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Theme: Contributions to a multicultural reflection on human rights.

Speaker: Raphael da Rocha Rodrigues Ferreira

Summary: Presentation of Human Rights not only in its expression of universal rights, but also as a multicultural right. Discussion on multiculturalism as a perspective that presents Human Rights as a common resource of humanity, open to the contributions of all civilizations.

Evening session: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Theme: Culture of Peace and Human Rights as Public Policy of the New Millennium.

Participants of the roundtable: Dr. Cahuê Talarico, Dr. David Adams, Dr. Evandro Renato Pereira.

Importance of the inclusion of the new paradigm of the “Culture of Peace” as an urgent and necessary public policy, in its various developments, based on Human Rights.

* * * * * * * * *
Program of 18 August 2017.

Morning session: 9am to 12 a.m.

Theme: School of value – significance for life and for the art of educating

Speaker: Maria Helena Marques

Summary: Presentation on the possibility of reflecting on human values ​​and their implications in educational practice, in order to found a more ethical school space conducive to the exercise of citizenship.

Afternoon session: 2 to 5 pm

Topic: What is peace? How can we want something if we do not know what it is?

Speaker: Herbert Santos de Lima

Summary: Discussion of the difficulties of understanding the theme and how to make people aware of what to do.

Evening session: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Theme: Changing Paradigms: The Path begins with Education.

Participants of the roundtable: Prof.Dr. David Adams, Profa. Dr. Selma M. S. R. de Lara, Profa. Ma. Liliane Claro de Rezende

Summary: At the present time, in the world we live in, we are seeing a series of changes in all fields of society, which also leads us to paradigmatic changes, responsible for a new approach in classifying and interpreting the facts. The path of change is at the same time a challenge and an urgent need in education. Education should set principles for this new path, ethical principles that will guide not only the behavior of professionals, but the principles that will guide man’s relationship with nature, of man with other men, and also the principles that will guide the construction of a more just and more humane nation.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Colombia’s FARC disarmament confirmed by United Nations

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An article from Deutsche Welle

One of Latin America’s longest-lived and most powerful rebel groups, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), has turned in all its previously registered weapons under a milestone peace deal signed last year, the United Nations has confirmed.

UN monitors said on Monday [June 26] they had “the entirety of the FARC’s registered individual arms stored away,” apart from some that were exempted for transitional security at demobilization camps until August 1.


See video on Deutsche Welle.

The group’s 6,800 fighters handed in the 7,132 weapons in three phases this month in a disarmament process supervised by the UN. Monitors are, however, still collecting and destroying other weapons and munitions stored in remote caches that FARC have identified to the UN.

An official ceremony to mark the completion of disarmament is scheduled for 1500 UTC Tuesday in a camp near the central town of Mesetas in the department of Meta.

The ceremony is to be attended by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who received last year’s Nobel Peace prize for his efforts to reach a peace deal, along with FARC leader Rodrigo Londono, aka Timochenko, and UN representatives.

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Question related to this article:

What is happening in Colombia, Is peace possible?

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Too lenient?

FARC will now transform into a political party under the landmark deal, which also includes rural reforms, cooperation on combating drug trafficking and the creation of a system of transitional justice.

Critics of the deal, who include former conservative President Alvaro Uribe, have called it too lenient on FARC members, some of whom will be amnestied or given reduced sentences for crimes committed during the conflict.

But Londono called his group’s disarmament “a historic moment for Colombia,” describing it on Twitter as “an act of will, courage and hope.”

Colombia’s internal conflict broke out in 1964 over land rights issues and pitted FARC and other left-wing rebels against the military, police and right-wing paramilitary groups. It left 260,000 people confirmed dead, more than 60,000 missing and 7 million displaced.

President Santos says he now wants to achieve “complete peace” in the country by obtaining a deal with the last major rebel group still active in Colombia, the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN).

Although the ELN started talks with the government in February, it and other fringe groups have been blamed for ongoing violence over the past months.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America, United Nations,

Mexico: UNICEF carries out Culture of Peace Pilot Program

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Radio Formula (translated by CPNN)

The representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Mexico, Christian Skoog, reports that a pilot project in childhood education is being carried out in Guerrero to promote a culture of peace in homes, schools, communities and institutions.

“We have worked on various themes of education in childhood and social policies in general, and now we need to talk about violence and promote a culture of peace in schools, communities and family. We know that children live in a situation of violence, and that there are different types of violence, with the strongest being homicides,” he said.

“We are supporting the state to see how we can promote another culture, to resolve conflicts, and to discipline your children without violence. We have a pilot project in a municipality (of which he could not remember the name), in an effort to see how we can best change the way people act “.

In the interview, Christian Skoog said that the results will be evaluated in July and August, but so far have been “good” indicators, so that in the last months of 2017 the project will be applied in other municipalities of Guerrero.

“We have very good indicators of change in the way people interact at home and at school, and we are very happy about that, although we know that the situation in Guerrero is complex not only for children but for the entire population. However, we see a great willingness on the part of several actors as well as instances of government and civil society to unite efforts,” he said.

He also indicated that it is expected that in the medium term this pilot program will be implemented at the national level. “For this reason, we are working with the National Security Commission at the federal level.”

On other issues, the UNICEF representative said that the lack of opportunities, poor educational quality, and lack of respect and dignity for human rights have led to more and more young people and children entering criminal groups.

“Many times it has to do with having opportunities. If you have opportunities and you see that education counts, which parents should promote with their children, but if there is no quality of education and a decent job then there is another alternative that Is not good. In general, we need to promote how to act in life with respect and dignity and resolve conflicts in a peaceful way,” he concluded.

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

Question for this article:
EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America, United Nations,