Universities jointly form a symposium “educate for democracy”
The rectors of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana of Colombia, the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and Chile will meet this Thursday and Friday in Lima with the aim of generating a collaborative instance that promotes education in democratic principles and sustainability, as well as care of the “common house”.
A permanent symposium to “educate for democracy” will soon be established in Lima by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the Pontifical Javeriana University of Colombia and the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru . The initiative’s main purpose is to generate reflection and promote democratic and sustainability principles and care for our common home through education. Through biannual meetings that will be held by the representatives of the three higher education institutions and the formation of an advisory committee, the challenges faced by the countries in these issues will be analyzed and it will also seek to contribute to the public debate and the formation of citizenship.
The rectors of the three houses of study -Ignacio Sánchez (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), Carlos Garatea (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú) and Father Luis Fernando Múnera Congote (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana)- will meet this Thursday and Friday in Lima to hold the first meeting of the Advisory Committee, on which occasion they will be accompanied by representatives chosen by each university. In the case of the UC, Patricio Bernedo, academic from the Institute of History and director of the Center for Dialogue and Peace , and Valeria Palanza, dean of the Faculty of History, Geography and Political Science , will be participating .
“It is very important that universities get involved in issues related to human rights, peace, reconciliation, national coexistence and democracy, because they are very present today throughout Latin America. Each country has its different realities and we can learn from each other in a collaborative way, and this is what leads us to work together with the Javeriana University of Colombia and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú”, said rector Ignacio Sánchez.
He added that “at UC we have the Center for Dialogue and Peace, which has allowed us to reflect on the encyclical Pacem in Terris, the broken national coexistence in 1973 and the repercussions of the dictatorship in Chile, as well as other issues related to human rights and respect for the dignity of people”. In this sense, he stressed that “all these issues are at the heart of the mission and identity of our university, which is why we accept this invitation from Chancellor Garatea and we are very honored to be able to participate in this meeting.”
“It is very important that universities get involved in issues related to human rights, peace, reconciliation, national coexistence and democracy, because they are very present today throughout Latin America. Each country has its different realities and we can learn from each other collaboratively” – UC Rector Ignacio Sánchez
Currently, the three countries from which the universities participating in the symposium come have experienced political processes that raise questions and reflections on the role of democracy, national coexistence, among other issues. This is how Chile is currently defining a new political constitution. Meanwhile, Peru experienced a failed self-coup by former president Pedro Castillo some time ago and in December Dina Boluarte, who has faced a wave of protests, took office (in the next few hours her detractors will organize the “Great National March”). Colombia has also witnessed various challenges. Lately, the reform process promoted by President Gustavo Petro has been strained by a scandal of illegal wiretapping,
The rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Carlos Garatea, referred to the important role played by higher education institutions in this matter. “Our role is key in the formation of committed citizens. We are generational, intercultural and knowledge meeting spaces, where critical thinking is encouraged, respect for the diversity of ideas and concrete actions are promoted,” he said.
“Our role is key in the formation of committed citizens. We are spaces for generational, intercultural and knowledge encounters, where critical thinking is encouraged, respect for the diversity of ideas and concrete actions are promoted” – Carlos Garatea, rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru
For his part, Father Luis Fernando Múnera Congote, rector of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, affirmed that “this initiative seeks to strengthen the democratic culture and global citizenship based on a fact that is verified in global higher education: the need that universities are temples of democracy, places where critical citizens are formed”.
He added that “the proposal is to enhance the civic dimension of each person in the university communities, pointing out that the development of citizenship competencies and the strengthening of democratic culture point to the search for the common good to find meaning in public life.” , to the deepening and expansion of the democracy that today is threatened”.
“This initiative seeks to strengthen the democratic culture and global citizenship based on a fact that is verified in global higher education: the need for universities to be temples of democracy, places where critical citizens are formed” – father Luis Fernando Múnera Congote, rector of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
According to the rector of the Colombian house of studies, “it is necessary then, from our educational projects, to strengthen democracies by overcoming these great risks that are presented to us today. Generate deep roots of conscience and democratic values as an option to search for the flourishing of societies. Let us commit ourselves convinced that democracy seeks the development of individuals and the development of societies in solidarity”.
Through the biannual meetings that will be held, the initiatives to be implemented at each stage will be defined, in which meetings, seminars, conferences, publications, audiovisual pieces, among others, could be considered. Operational execution will rotate among the three institutions. Likewise, the information and knowledge that is developed will be incorporated into a repository, so that it can be used in teaching and analyzed from multiple perspectives.