Jesuit Mobile School for Peace and Co-Existence
The Escuela de Paz y Convivencia, or School for Peace and Co-Existence Program, is widely recognized as one of Colombia's most innovative grassroots peace efforts. The program was founded by Caritas Colombia and the Jesuit Program for Peace in 1996. Each school program includes a defined and certified curriculum and methodology that is adjusted and adapted to the cultural realities of each county in which it is implemented. The certification is granted by the Javeriana University, which provides a diploma for school participants.
Parishioners and community leaders take part in the mobile school peace building training in Bogota.
Said one participant about the program, "The projection of the School of Peace and Co-Existence at the vicariate and parochial levels has been based on the community reality where it is applied. Because of the novelty of the spiritual focus, the thematic approach and feelings of encouragement, the people are very willing to participate. From the perspective of the community, the school has also worked with people from other faiths with a lot of success. Also, with displaced persons the thematic approach has been well received, especially with respect to conflict management and spirituality."
About The Project
Since 1996, the School for Peace and Co-Existence has provided 12,800 community leaders with a deeper understanding of the 40-year old armed conflict in Colombia and of their personal role in addressing its consequences at the community level. The program has received recognition for the quality of its curriculum, as well as for its innovative methodology that brings Catholic religious leaders and laity together to reflect and respond to the needs and problems related to the building of peace at the community level.
As the Colombian crisis deepens and becomes more complex, this program, too, must adapt its activities and its scope. As such, CRS has initiated activities in the Caribbean region, an area increasingly affected by the Colombian armed conflict. Through 2007, the School For Peace and Co-Existence will provide religious and lay leaders with tools to construct non-violent responses and encourage a culture of peace and reconciliation at the local level.
Through an innovative outreach methodology called the "multiplier effect", 480 volunteers and community leaders in the Caribbean will be trained as "peace agents". In this role, they'll serve as community mediators, reaching out and training at least ten additional community members in how to analyze conflicts and equipping them with practical strategies for conflict resolution through participation, dialogue, and negotiation. This methodology has proven highly successful and cost-effective in reaching large numbers of individuals.
