Category Archives: Latin America

UNAM, Mexico: Establishment of Commission to Develop Content on a Culture of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from Gaceta UNAM

An Academic Working Commission has been established at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) with the aim of contributing to and supporting high school education through the development of educational courses on a culture of peace for students and faculty,

This commission is comprised of the University Program on a Culture of Peace and the Eradication of Violence (PUCPAZ), the general directorates of the National Preparatory School and the National School of Sciences and Humanities, the High School Academic Council, the General Directorate of Incorporation and Revalidation of Studies (DGIRE), and the Institute of Legal Research.

Leticia Cano Soriano, head of PUCPAZ, led a ceremony held at the Program’s offices in the Engineering Tower. She explained that the design, development, and integration of an elective course and a training course are part of the University’s strategy to disseminate a culture of peace across all levels of education, beginning in secondary school and later being integrated into higher education.

The Master of Social Work commented that it is important to develop this elective course and training program to offer students and faculty tools that allow them to incorporate a culture of peace and violence prevention into academic activities, with an emphasis on human rights, interculturality, and community social fabric. She also emphasized integrating these themes with other subjects in the high school curriculum.

Sergio Abraham Reyes Pantoja, Academic Secretary of PUCPAZ, explained that, based on the University Program’s Founding Agreement, one of the program’s objectives is the development of its own educational content on a culture of peace. In addition to advising institutions on mainstreaming these topics into their curricula, the commission also promotes the development of human resources for teaching. The aim is to establish plans and strategies at the high school level for disseminating a culture of peace and implementing specific actions to eradicate violence in university environments.

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(Click here for a Spanish version of this article)

Question related to this article:

How can we develop the institutional framework for a culture of peace?

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

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During the meeting, Consuelo Arce Ortiz, secretary of the Academic Council of the UNAM High School, stated that it is essential to begin with an understanding of the regulations, specifically the General Regulations for the Presentation and Approval of Study Plans and Programs. This will provide greater academic validation, and the need to address a culture of peace has already been raised, calling the University to action.

Arce Ortiz added that the commission’s intention is to place the dignity of individuals at the center of education, fostering positive attitudes and positively impacting the lives of the school and teaching community.

Restorative Approach

Mara Hernández Estrada, from the Institute of Legal Research, mentioned that collaborative work is crucial to ensure the classroom becomes a suitable pedagogical environment for fostering a culture of peace, especially in conflict management, and with a restorative approach.

She emphasized the importance of addressing students’ needs to prevent negative impacts in the classroom, aligning with the ethics of care, and raising awareness about violence.

Speaking next, Alejandro Benítez Jiménez, Continuing Education Coordinator at the DGIRE (General Directorate of Educational Research), shared that the affiliated system serves more than 17,000 students in 28 states across Mexico, who follow 263 different curricula, and that they will now be able to incorporate these courses to promote a culture of peace.

In developing new courses, she noted, it is essential to consider the needs of affiliated schools both in Mexico City and throughout the country. She added that the new courses for students and faculty will be an important opportunity to convey not only the message of fostering a culture of peace, but also the teaching strategies to achieve it.

Finally, Jacqueline Leyva Chávez, coordinator of the Institutional Tutoring Program at the General Directorate of the College of Sciences and Humanities, emphasized that the course topics are particularly relevant because students face diverse challenges, and the training must include specific strategies to effectively support and guide them.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America

Dominican Republic: Violence Reduction and Peace Culture Promotion Program in Schools

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Erasmo Lara Peña in Acento

Promoting a culture of peace in schools is a strategic priority for the Dominican education system. Within this framework, schools are recognized as a privileged space for the formation of citizens capable of living together respectfully, valuing diversity, and managing conflicts constructively.

After retiring from the United Nations in 2005 and subsequently serving as the Dominican Republic’s ambassador to the United Nations in 2009, I have dedicated myself to projects related to promoting a culture of peace, community mediation, conflict resolution, and international negotiations, primarily within public institutions and civil society organizations in our country.

I have carried out much of this work through the Dominican Center for Peace, a private, public-service institution that I founded in 2006. One of the most significant projects has been the establishment of peace clubs in schools throughout the Dominican Republic through the Violence Reduction and Peace Culture Promotion Program in Schools.

I would like to document the process of creating, developing, consolidating, and institutionalizing the Peace Clubs program in the Dominican Republic, highlighting the main achievements, the partnerships forged, and the impact generated within the educational community during the years of implementation.

The program originally emerged in 2017 as a pilot initiative. Subsequently, during the 2022-2023 school year, it became part of the activities of the Vice Ministry of Preventive Security in Provincial Governments of the Ministry of the Interior and Police, in collaboration with the Directorate of Guidance and Psychology (DOP) of the Ministry of Education.

By the end of the 2025-2026 school year, the main achievements included the implementation of the program in 500 schools, the training of more than 12,000 student peace promoters, the training of 700 counselors and psychologists, as well as 48 regional and district technicians. The program also has a presence in seven regional education offices and forty-one school districts.

It is important to mention that the standardization of teaching practices was also achieved through the production of printed, audiovisual, and digital materials to support the various training activities. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, the program became an integral part of Presidential Goal 21 on a Culture of Peace, incorporated into the action plan of the Directorate of Guidance and Psychology until 2028. The objective is to incorporate approximately 800 new schools.

Among the main challenges faced during the program’s implementation were inter-institutional coordination, territorial expansion, and the sustainability of the training activities. However, the commitment of the regional and district technical teams, counselors, psychologists, and students allowed for the consolidation of a high-impact experience for school coexistence.

The Peace Clubs operate in schools identified by the Ministry of Education and located in priority areas within the Comprehensive Citizen Security Strategy, “My Safe Country.” Currently, the program operates in all school districts of San Cristóbal, Santo Domingo Este, the National District, Santiago, La Vega, San Francisco de Macorís, Moca, Bonao, and Piedra Blanca.

Promoting a culture of peace in schools is a strategic priority for the Dominican education system. Within this framework, schools are recognized as a privileged space for developing citizens capable of living together respectfully, valuing diversity, and managing conflicts constructively. Presidential Goal 21 on a Culture of Peace reinforces this commitment by promoting safe, participatory, and violence-free school environments.

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(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Question for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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Peace Clubs are organized spaces within schools, led by and for students, with the support of counselors and school psychologists.

Their main objectives are:

• To contribute to the development of a culture of peace in schools.

• To prevent and reduce violence in schools.

• To empower students to act as peace promoters.

To strengthen students’ civic education.

Through these clubs, students develop key social-emotional skills, such as empathy, assertive communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork.

The program is implemented through three fundamental actions:

1. Training of counselors, psychologists, and students.

2. Organization of the club within the school.

3. Awareness-raising activities aimed at the entire school community.

These actions ensure that a culture of peace is not just content, but a daily practice.

To support the program, a series of printed and audiovisual materials have been designed that frame the facilitation of standardized educational content and practices on topics such as conflict, youth violence, coexistence, communication and active listening, peer mediation, and restorative practices, among others.

The Peace Club is a space run by and for students. In it, young people become agents of positive change, learning and promoting social skills such as empathy, assertive communication, peaceful conflict resolution, and teamwork.

We seek to improve the school climate and develop students committed to social peace, fostering a sense of responsibility toward their environment and contributing to the strengthening of peaceful coexistence and safety in schools.

One of the program’s main focuses has been empowering students with strategies for promoting peace and the constructive resolution of conflicts. Likewise, spaces have been created for them to construct their own knowledge and actively contribute to promoting peaceful coexistence from their own perspectives.

The enthusiastic work of counselors and psychologists involved in the program, along with the commitment and empowerment of the students, has significantly contributed to the acceptance and legitimacy it enjoys today. This 2025-2026 school year has marked a transition for the program, transferring it from the Ministry of the Interior and Police to the Ministry of Education, for implementation by the Directorate of Guidance and Psychology (DOP), which is taking the necessary steps to ensure its consolidation as a national program. These include its integration into Presidential Goal 21 on a Culture of Peace, the appointment of a national specialist to oversee it, its incorporation into the Annual Operating Plan (AOP), and the necessary budget allocation.

I feel that my seven years of work have yielded the expected results, as this effort has become a national program under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education.

I wish to express my gratitude to Engineer Ángela Jáquez, Vice Minister of the Interior and Police; to Dr. Ancell Scheker, Vice Minister of Education; to Mario Frías and Esther Custodio, two extraordinary facilitators of the hundreds of workshops given to counselors, psychologists, and thousands of student members of the club network; and, in a very special way, to Divina García, Director of Guidance and Psychology, on whose shoulders now rests the continuity and strengthening of this initiative.

Beyond the figures and the results achieved, the greatest achievement of the Peace Clubs Program has been to demonstrate that students can become active agents of social transformation when they are given the right tools to promote coexistence, dialogue and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Haiti: National Conference : Commitments of religious leaders, joint declaration

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Ici Haiti

On Friday, May 29, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs held the closing ceremony of the National Conference of Religious Leaders for Peace, Stability, and Civic Engagement. Following the workshops, the religious leaders adopted a Declaration reaffirming their collective commitment to peace, social cohesion, civic education, support for vulnerable populations, and the effective integration of young people.

Commitments of the Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders :

1 – We commit to promoting, within our religious communities, concrete initiatives for violence prevention, civic education, and support for vulnerable populations, and to working to raise awareness among our Haitian brothers and sisters of the values of peace, tolerance, civic responsibility, and living together, particularly through community activities, mediation efforts, awareness campaigns, and youth programs;

We also commit to strengthening, within our communities, mechanisms for violence prevention, spaces for dialogue, listening, and community mediation, as well as initiatives that promote the mentoring, training, and reintegration of vulnerable youth;

2 – We call for a national mobilization around peace, civic responsibility, and the effective integration and/or reintegration of young people, particularly those from vulnerable communities and those affected by violence;

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(Click here for a French article on this subject.)

Question related to this article:
 
How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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3 – We call upon the State, religious leaders, those of ancestral traditions, as well as spiritual and philosophical guides, the private sector, and civil society to unite their efforts to strengthen social cohesion, promote civic education, and build a culture of peace, stability, and civic responsibility;

4 – We reaffirm our commitment to supporting victims of violence and assisting young people through training, mentoring, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual support initiatives, as well as the development of concrete alternatives to violence and crime;

5 – We recommend that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs promote the protection of places of worship and support religious leaders, those of ancestral traditions, as well as spiritual and philosophical guides in initiatives that foster interreligious dialogue, social cohesion, and the promotion of civic responsibility for peace, stability, and the strengthening of the Haitian social fabric;

• We urge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs to establish a National Council for Interreligious Consultation (CNCI) to foster ongoing dialogue among all religious sectors, ancestral traditions, and spiritual and philosophical leaders to promote peace, security, and social cohesion in Haiti;

• We also urge the Government to declare May 28th “National Day of Religious Leaders, Ancestral Traditions, and Spiritual and Philosophical Leaders” to ensure the sustainability of this initiative, which involves groups from this sector in matters of national interest;

• We reaffirm our commitment to promoting responsible religious discourse that fosters hope, unity, fraternity, solidarity, and reconciliation in the best interests of the Haitian nation;

• Finally, we reaffirm our commitment to working alongside the Haitian State, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, and civil society, to implement strategic plans to give concrete form to this Declaration.

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Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Mouvement de la Paix: For Peace in the Caribbean; Stop the Blockade Against Cuba !

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

A press release from Mouvement de la Paix

The Mouvement de la Paix demands the immediate end to the illegal and inhumane blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba for the past 60 years and respect for the sovereignty of Cuba and all Caribbean states.


In recent statements, the President of the United States announced his intention to “deal with Cuba,” stating that “Cuba will be next on the list” because “Cuba continues to pose an extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security. Following the pressure exerted on several Latin American countries and the military aggression against Venezuela, Cuba is once again being targeted, even though it poses no threat to the United States.

Let’s think about this together! The facts speak for themselves: The USA is a country of 390 million inhabitants (43 times the population of Cuba—a small country of 9 million inhabitants), it is the world’s largest military power with approximately $900 billion in annual military spending; it has 1.8 million soldiers (active and reservists) compared to only a few tens of thousands of soldiers in Cuba. The USA has 7,500 nuclear warheads, while Cuba possesses no nuclear weapons and is determinedly fighting for the total elimination of nuclear weapons and practicing a policy of peace and cooperation, as seen in the medical field. It is not Cuba that has a military base in the USA, but the USA that maintains, against Cuba’s will, a military base at Guantanamo, infamous as a detention and torture center, particularly during the illegal US war in Iraq.

For more than sixty years, the Cuban people have suffered a blockade condemned every year by the United Nations General Assembly (1). This blockade causes serious human suffering by preventing normal access to essential products; it is an obstacle to the country’s economic development and to international cooperation since any person or economic entity (banks, various organizations) who would like to cooperate with Cuba are systematically subject to sanctions.Les nouvelles sanctions décidées par les États-Unis contre Cuba et contre les pays apportant leur aide à Cuba (ordre exécutif  du 1 mai 2026) (2)  constituent des violations supplémentaires du droit international. L’objectif  de ces sanctions  est quasiment  de ruiner l’économie du pays et de soumettre la population à des souffrances et des pénurie sources de souffrances et susceptibles  de mettre en cause la cohésion sociale du pays.

Beyond individual political opinions, the issue today is to defend the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law: respect for the national sovereignty of states, peaceful and political resolution of disputes and conflicts, and the rejection of the use or threat of force in international relations. The rule of law must prevail over the use of force.

(Click here for the original press release in French.)

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Question related to this article:
 
How can we best express solidarity with Cuba?

How can war crimes be documented, stopped, punished and prevented?

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France, present in this region of the world through Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and other territories, has regularly condemned the blockade at UN General Assemblies. Faced with the strengthening of the blockade, France must make its voice heard at the Security Council and the UN General Assembly. It must exert all necessary energy to ensure that the regular and near-unanimous condemnation by the UN General Assembly translates into concrete measures of economic and financial aid for Cuba. France cannot remain silent in the face of the measures dictated by the USA to the national and international banking system. It must take steps to remove the obstacles preventing French charitable and humanitarian organizations from transferring their aid to the Cuban people; it must speak out against the militarization of the Caribbean and against illegal U.S.A. military interventions in the region, whether carried out directly by the U.S.A. or by private militias or military or paramilitary organizations, all of which increase tensions and threaten regional peace.

We call upon the French government, parliamentarians, local elected officials, trade unions, associations, and citizens’ organizations to take action to achieve:

° The immediate end of the blockade against Cuba, as demanded by the United Nations General Assembly (1);

° Respect for the sovereignty of Cuba and all Caribbean states;

° Respect for international law and the Charter of the United Nations;

° The establishment of a zone of peace and cooperation throughout the Caribbean and Latin America region.

The Cuban people and all Caribbean peoples have the right to live in peace, to cooperate freely, and to build their future in mutual respect and solidarity, as enshrined in the Charter of CELAC (3), which aims to build peace in Latin America and the Caribbean through the development of a culture of peace as defined by the UN and UNESCO. Long live peace and friendship among peoples.

Le Mouvement de la Paix – 16 mai 2026

1- Excerpts from the UN website, October 2025: “It has now become a UN tradition, almost a ritual on the diplomatic calendar. As it has every year for the past 33 years, the United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution calling for the lifting of the blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States.”

2- Le Monde – AFP, May 1: Donald Trump announces strengthened sanctions against Cuba: In an executive order, the US president imposes sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the energy sector. “US President Donald Trump announced on Friday, May 1, a strengthening of US sanctions against Cuba, which ‘continues to pose an extraordinary threat’ to US national security.”

3- The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CACAC) is an intergovernmental mechanism for dialogue and political agreement link.

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Europe, Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY,

Cuba Is Not a Failed State – It Is a Besieged State. We Need to Build a Unified Resistance

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

A email message received at CPNN from the United National Antiwar Coalition

The statement below is a response to the ongoing blockade against Cuba and the propaganda derived from it.   We hope you will endorse this statement, but we also hope you will commit to emergency actions if the Trump Administration follows through with their threats to invade Cuba.



Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel lead mass march against US blockade

Sign On  to  “Cuba is Not a Failed State – It Is a Besieged State”
Register  your Emergency  Actions

At this critical junction in world history when the Cuban Revolution is being threatened by US hegemon, it is essential to come to its defense. Cuba is the hope of humanity.

We defend Cuba by combating the intentionally negative stereotyping of a failed state. The problems Cuba faces under blockade conditions should not be portrayed in such alarmist ways that it reinforces Washington’s propaganda. We need to combat this defeatist approach.
Cuba is being sanctioned for the crime of being a good example.

That Washington continues to intensify its six-decade campaign against the Cuban Revolution testifies to the island’s resilience and strength.

Washington’s regime-change campaign has taken a heavy toll. Responsible Statecraft describes US policy as “bent on breaking the island.” The Guardian reports “an epidemic of flies, rats, waste and foul odors.”

These accounts portray Cuban hardship but intentionally overlook Cuban social achievements. Even statements from Congressional leaders advocating for an end to the blockade by focusing on the crisis it has created, can feed into Washington’s self-serving narrative that Cuba is a “failed nation.”

When descriptions of the humanitarian crisis caused by the escalated blockade do not question the ideological assumption that accepts capitalism as the natural state of humanity, they can be used to depict socialism as an abortive failed experiment.

This is why solidarity activists must take special care to highlight the incredible achievements of Cuba, even under blockade conditions, all while waging an active campaign against the sanctions and gathering supplies to take to the island in solidarity.

Doing so much with so little

The Center for Economic and Policy Research documents a dramatic increase in infant mortality from 4.9, now rising to 9.9 per 1,000 live births, attributable to deteriorating living conditions caused by the US economic war.

Yet, even under this intentional strangulation, Cuba’s infant mortality rate remains among the lowest in the region. Cuba has free public, personalized healthcare for every Cuban from birth and throughout life.

Surrounding countries that are not facing any U.S. sanctions but are forced to survive under capitalist relations have consistently higher infant mortality rates. Panama (11), Dominican Republic (16), El Salvador (12), Honduras (15), Guatemala (20), Jamaica (12), Haiti (45-50).

Most stunning is that Cuba’s infant mortality figures under a ruthless blockade are still lower than for African Americans in the U.S. (10.9).

This reflects the demonstrated success of Cuba’s social medicine model, even under the most challenging of circumstances.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can we best express solidarity with Cuba?

How can war crimes be documented, stopped, punished and prevented?

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Using Cuba’s example of people-centered healthcare, Nicaragua dramatically reduced their infant mortality from 29 deaths per thousand in 2005 under a right-wing, pro U.S. government to 9 under the Sandinistas and with the assistance of Cuban doctors.

This is why the Trump administration is determined to block Cuban medical staff from providing medical care in the Caribbean. A dozen countries have acquiesced to demands from the U.S. to end medical agreements with Cuba.

Cuba’s medical staff focuses heavily on underserved areas in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. They provide more doctors and medical staff than the World Health Organization and most western nations combined. The United States calls Cuba’s medical internationalism “human trafficking” – but it’s really an internationalist lifeline for the Global South.

Cuba is not alone, as it receives significant solidarity aid from allied states. China, for example, is helping address Cuba’s fossil fuel dependency by supplying 49 solar farms (20% of all its energy needs) and fleets of electric buses, cars, and scooters. Our solidarity movement should highlight and encourage such international cooperation.

Among Cuba’s public health achievements are its international medical brigades, excellence in advanced research, response to the pandemic, service to underserved populations, south-south cooperation initiatives, and the world’s highest doctor-to-patient ratios.

The Cuban socialist model has also produced notable successes in sports and public education.

Writing from Cuba, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio defended the country’s accomplishments over the past decade despite the “intense economic war,” including:

° sustaining the national electrical system while expanding renewable energy

° strengthening telecommunications and expanding internet access

° supporting vulnerable populations through food cultivation

° improving water infrastructure in underserved communities

° developing COVID vaccines and other medicines
expanding domestic industry including the assembly of electric vehicles

For a small, natural resource-poor island, Cuba has achieved so much with so little and under such extraordinarily adverse conditions. The nation asks only that the jackboot of imperialism be lifted so that it may truly flourish.

International people’s solidarity must not allow these incredible achievements to be overlooked as we advocate for relief from the cruel blockade. We should describe this crisis the same way that the Cuban leadership describes it – acknowledging the harms of US imperialism, but always stressing the achievements of the Cuban revolution and the power of solidarity and cooperation.

¡Venceremos!

Leading Organizers from the Following Organizations support this Cuba statement and the Call to Action.

United National Antiwar Coalition, Cuba Si NY/NJ, International US-Cuba Normalization Conference, Venezuela Solidarity Network, US Peace Council, Alliance for Global Justice, SanctionsKill! Campaign, Resist U.S. Led War Movement, Black Alliance for Peace, International League of Peoples Struggles, Americas Without Sanctions, Chicago ALBA Solidarity, Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition, Task Force on the Americas, International Action Center, Veterans For Peace, Code Pink NY, National Lawyers Guild, Anti War Action Network, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Socialist Action, Bronx Antiwar, Compas de la Diaspora, Struggle for Socialism Party, Alberto Lovera Bolivarian Circle, Diaspora Pa’lante Collective, Workers World Party,

(This statement was initiated by the SanctionsKill Campaign.)

Add your support and help to circulate this statement.

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Latin America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Colombia: Conference on the Transition Beyond Fossil Fuels concludes with five key outcomes

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Minambiente, Colombia (translation by CPNN)

– April 29: In Santa Marta, Colombia, 57 countries met with 13 stakeholder groups, totaling more than 1,500 participants. The discussions focused on three key themes: reducing economic dependence on fossil fuels, transforming supply and demand, and advancing international cooperation.

The main conclusion of the conference is clear: this momentum must be sustained and efforts must be organized on a larger scale. This conference delivers five key outcomes that create a practical platform for working together and supporting one another to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels:

1. The second conference on transitioning beyond fossil fuels was announced, to be held in early 2027. It will be co-chaired by Ireland and Vanuatu.

2. A coordination group will be established to ensure continuity to the second and future conferences, strengthen links between initiatives, and avoid duplication. This group will bring together countries leading key transition efforts—such as the United Kingdom, Denmark, Brazil, France, and the Marshall Islands—along with the co-host countries Colombia, the Netherlands, Tuvalu, and Ireland, and will be advised by the COP30 Activation Group.

3. The results will be shared with the COP30 Presidency to inform its roadmap. They will also be aligned with the COP31 roadmap and Action Agenda, and will contribute to the second Global Stocktake.

4. Three lines of work have been established to identify concrete ways to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and strengthen cooperation. Their structure will be defined between the first and second conferences. They will remain open and flexible, allowing countries to join or lead, with the support of existing initiatives and experts from the Santa Marta process.

5. The Scientific Panel on the Global Energy Transition (SPGET) was launched to support countries in moving beyond fossil fuels. This panel will contribute to the development of roadmaps aligned with the 1.5°C target and will address legal, financial, and policy barriers.

(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

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Question for this article:

Despite the vested interests of companies and governments, Can we make progress toward sustainable development?

Sustainable Development Summits of States, What are the results?

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“We succeeded in bringing the world together. We decided not to resign ourselves to an economy built on the destruction of life; we decided that the transition beyond fossil fuels can no longer remain a slogan, but must become a concrete, political, and collective effort. When people look back in the future, they will not only remember this conference. They will remember whether or not we rose to the challenge of our time,” stated the acting Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, Irene Vélez Torres.

For her part, the Netherlands’ Minister for Climate and Green Growth, Stientje van Veldhoven, stated: “I can confidently say that, in recent days, we have laid the groundwork for concrete action to move away from fossil fuels. With such a broad coalition of countries and representatives from the private sector, civil society, and beyond, this is a group capable of making a significant impact. The countries convened in Colombia represent approximately 30% of global energy demand and nearly 20% of global energy supply. Together, we have begun to organize on a large scale to meet this challenge, committing ourselves to sustained, long-term participation. This transition will require navigating a complex set of economic, social, and technical challenges. The message for addressing these was clear: let’s get to work and support each other throughout the process.”

Final list of participating countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Luxembourg, Malawi, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City – Holy See.

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(Editor’s note: According to Greenpeace, “The landmark Santa Marta conference for the transition away from fossil fuels represents an important milestone on the road to long-term climate and energy stability.” According to the World Wildlife Fund, “Santa Marta tackled the toughest climate hurdle – turning ambition into action, while bringing all stakeholders into the conversation”. And according to Bill Mckibben, founder of 350.org, “Santa Marta Leads the World Into the Energy Future, while the US Clings to the Past.”

(Editor’s note 2: At last year’s COP30 in Belém, a group of 80 countries called for the design of a global roadmap to phase out coal, oil and gas, but it was blocked by large oil producers and consumers like Saudi Arabia, Russia, India and China.

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global, Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,

State of Mexico: more than a thousand School Mediators strengthen a culture of peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Edomex Quadratin (translated by CPNN)

In the State of Mexico (EMX), 1,114 primary, secondary and upper secondary level teachers have been certified as School Mediators by the Judicial Branch of the State of Mexico, a strategy that has allowed to strengthen the culture of peace and improve coexistence within educational institutions.

Mario Alberto Montaño Delgado , Toluca regional director of the Public Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (MASC), explained that this figure allows schools to have trained personnel to detect, address and channel conflicts before they escalate to more serious situations.

He explained that School Mediators have tools to intervene in problems involving students, teaching staff and mothers or fathers, promoting dialogue and the peaceful resolution of differences.

They address school conflicts

“The greatest achievement is that today they have the largest and broadest structure, institutionally speaking, of certified facilitators,” Montaño Delgado noted, highlighting the growth of this support network in the educational field.

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(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Question for this article:

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

(Continued from left column)

He indicated that each certified teacher acquires a different vision about conflicts and becomes a promoter of a philosophy focused on building peace within school communities.

He added that this strategy is being developed in a coordinated manner with institutions such as the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of the State of Mexico, the State Human Rights Commission and the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMéx).

Bullying, the main problem

The official explained that School Mediators represent the first filter to prevent conflicts from reaching jurisdictional instances , with bullying being one of the main problems they face within schools.

He explained that when cases exceed the capacity for mediation, the Judicial Branch intervenes , through the Public Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms , headed by Magistrate Blanca Colmenares Sánchez.

In these cases, situations related to physical or material damages are addressed , as well as legal obligations arising from school conflicts.

Montaño Delgado explained that to obtain certification as a School Mediator , teachers must complete 120 hours of training, pass theoretical and practical evaluations, and subsequently renew their accreditation every five years before the Judicial Power of the State of Mexico (PJEdomex) .

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

National Autonomous University of Mexico: Academics suggest intensifying the construction of a culture of peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Impulso Informativo (translation by CPNN)

Peace requires a perspective that transcends geographical, symbolic, linguistic, and material borders, since they have often been spaces of exclusion and violation of human rights, said Fiorella Mancini, Academic Secretary of the Humanities Coordination at UNAM.

“In light of this, we are challenged us to rethink these limits and to analyze the possibilities of common forces,” he said at the opening of the International Seminar “Transnationalization of the Culture of Peace in North America.” The seminar took place In the Mónica Verea room of the Center for Research on North America (CISAN).

The academic meeting promotes dialogue between specialists from diverse contexts, for example, from the University of Notre Dame – which has developed models applied in more than 100 countries to promote programs in this field in higher education institutions – as well as the analysis of universal principles and local realities.

The meeting proposes a different and complementary perspective on the current geopolitical reality where democracy is backsliding and we are losing rights that were thought to have been won. We want to consider what is possible: resolutions, dialogue, and the challenges of integrating differences, Fiorella Mancini pointed out.

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(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Question for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

University campus peace centers, What is happening on your campus?

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New dimension

According to Juan Carlos Barrón Pastor, director of CISAN, this university entity works in conjunction with UNAM’s campuses in the United States (Chicago, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Tucson, Boston, and Seattle). This serves as the initial point of contact for addressing all types of violence and conflict experienced on both sides of the border. He said that the lines of research we develop take on a new dimension when viewed in light of building a culture of peace, since this is a way to reverse the growing violence in Mexico.

According to Leticia Cano Soriano, head of the University Program on Culture of Peace and Eradication of Violence (PUCPAZ), university efforts to achieve this way of life involve creating community, interweaving actions, knowledge and commitments, in order to propose alternatives for the formation of a culture of peace. (See CPNN article from April 12)

According to Anel Pérez Martínez, director of the Center for Foreign Studies at the National University, we must combat hate speech which is a powerful form of aggression. We cannot imagine a culture of peace without inclusive language, which contributes to critical thinking, she emphasized.

George Lopez, professor emeritus at the University of Notre Dame and founder of the Krok Institute for International Peace Studies at this institution, contributes to this academic activity a model that consists of exchanges of American students with those from war zones or conflict zones.

He explained that his focus is on building a strategic peace where there is training in mediation, social resolution and community work.

The Seminar was organized by the Humanities Coordination; CISAN; Institute of Social Research; Faculty of Psychology; National School of Social Work; Center for Mexican Studies of the UNAM in Chicago and the University of Notre Dame (based in Indiana, United States).

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America, North America,

Caruaru, Brazil: The Conflict Mediation Program: Promoting a Culture of Peace

. EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Blog of Alberto Alves (translation by CPNN)

In Caruaru, the Government of the State of Pernambuco, in partnership with the company Coonsult and under the coordination of the Secretariat of Justice and Human Rights and Violence Prevention, is pleased to present the Itinerant Conflict Mediation Program, a revolutionary initiative aimed at promoting a culture of peace.

The Conflict Mediation Program is available to the public, completely free of charge. If you are facing problems with neighbors, disagreements at home or with your family, at work, at school, or even in consumer situations, know that we are here to help you find solutions.

(article continued in right column)

(Click here for the original article in Portuguese)

Discussion question

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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Our team of specialized mediators is ready to listen to all parties involved, and to facilitate a constructive dialogue that can resolve these conflicts peacefully, fairly, and out of court. Our goal is to promote peace in your community through mutual understanding and the building of more harmonious relationships.

Remember: dialogue is the key to conflict resolution. Don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here for you. Together, we can build a more peaceful and welcoming environment for everyone.

The Conflict Mediation Program is on your side.

Contact us today and take the first step towards a more peaceful and happy future. We are located at Avenida Amazonas N° 168, Caruaru-PE. Contact numbers: 81 9 9306-6418 / 81 9 9477-9425

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Lifetime premieres Peace Peace Now Now, a documentary series about women’s resistance in Latin America

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from Prensario (translated by CPNN)

The production, which consists of four episodes filmed in Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico with Daniela Vega, Yalitza Aparicio, Shirley Manson, and Ester Expósito. The premiere is scheduled for Sunday, March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.


Interview with protagonists of Peace Peace Now Now

The pay television channel Lifetime presented the documentary miniseries Peace Peace Now Now, a work that compiles testimonies from women who survived armed conflicts and situations of structural violence in Latin America. The production uses a narrative format where figures from film and music introduce stories of resistance and processes of seeking justice in the region.

The series is divided into four episodes, each focused on a country and a specific social issue:

Chile: Hosted by singer Shirley Manson, the episode addresses the story of La Cueca Sola. The story describes the organization of women who, after the disappearance of their relatives during the military dictatorship, transformed the national dance into a tool for public denunciation and remembrance.

(Click here for the original article in Spanish)

Questions related to this article:
 
Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?

(article continued from left column)

Colombia: Actress Daniela Vega, who also serves as executive producer, presents the story of La Ciudad de las Mujeres (The City of Women) in Turbaco. This segment details the founding of a community built by women displaced by the conflict between guerrillas and paramilitary groups.

Guatemala: Guided by Yalitza Aparicio, the episode focuses on the Grandmothers of Sepur Zarco. The content documents the journey of Indigenous women survivors of slavery and sexual violence during the civil war, who initiated legal processes to obtain historical reparations.

Mexico: Actress Ester Expósito accompanies journalist Lydia Cacho. The episode explores the consequences of her investigations into child trafficking networks and the persecution that led to her exile.

The episodes were directed by an all-female team comprised of Javiera García Huidobro (Chile), Ignacia Matus (Colombia), Pepa San Martín (Guatemala), and Isabel Coixet (Mexico). The production was a global success, handled by BlackStar and Alto Andes Films. Regarding distribution on content platforms, the network confirmed the following schedule:

Episodes 1 and 2 are available on VOD systems starting March 1.

Episodes 3 and 4 will be available on the same platform starting March 8.

The series will remain in On Demand catalogs until April 30.

Following its linear broadcast, the production will be added to History’s official YouTube channel.

This technical and editorial initiative by Lifetime seeks to document collective responses to contexts of oppression and inequality, using television as a record of human rights in the Americas.

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Latin America, WOMEN'S EQUALITY