Live Webcast, February 18, 1999!

 
 
Jamila:

Now we have a question from Jeff in the state of Idaho. He wants to know in what project or work are you concentrating now and how can children help you and support you in this project?

Well, I believe that the biggest thing we are doing now is reconstructing Guatemala. We are relocating the refugees who were in Mexico, who are returning to Guatemala, we have built some houses, we have built some schools. Also, we are supporting the internal displaced, many people have been affected by the war and now they have to return with their lives. We are helping also to work out new educational reforms. We need to realize these educational reforms. We need to have a new constitution. The next few months we will also take part in a popular referendum so that the Constitutional Reforms will be made.

Our foundation has made various investigations concerning the weaknesses in education, about the reforms that should be made but also to create a new code of education that doesn't go against the culture of the indigenous people, an education based in the same educational experiences of these peoples. The foundation has, for this, an institute, which is making a new conceptualization of education. I have said also that we have taken some legal cases to the courts. We have accompanied the legal reforms so that there won't be impunity here in Guatemala. It's not easy because for many years the military was dictating the judicial system and they bought the judges, they bought the lawyers, so to change this situation is a very difficult job and many times it's not just a work of protesting, but we have to participate directly before the courts, which is especially what we are doing in the Xamán case. This is a court case that we are bringing against twenty-five military individuals who participated in the last massacre of the armed conflict in Guatemala.

But we are also working with UNESCO and perhaps what is more important is that you can support us in developing a vision of a culture of peace. We need to create a culture of peace. It's not only that people need to coexist peacefully but a measure so that peace is more integrated into our culture and not be a product of war. We don't need to have war first and then make peace. Instead it should be part of our education, our values, and part of our approach to resolving problems.

Therefore, young people have a lot to contribute. For instance, we could do exchanges, so that you could know more about our work. We can share with you our accomplishments and plans also.

I would like to remind you that, the United Nations, has declared the year 2000 to be the International Year For The Culture Of Peace, where young people and women ought to participate very actively. I think that the year 2000 will allow us to do a lot of exchanges. And I think we can start there.

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