Education as a pathway to true peace

In the face of escalating warfare, defending public education is now a political, ethical, and social imperative. In the midst of the violence that is plaguing the southwestern region of the country where human rights are systematically violated, we reaffirm the importance of education and pedagogy as tools for upholding human dignity, rebuilding the social fabric, and opening up collective horizons beyond fear.

In this scenario, defending life also means safeguarding the conditions that make it possible, such as schools, universities, community spaces, free speech, and critical thinking. When war disrupts daily life in these areas, lives are lost, trust is eroded, and bonds are broken. A constant terror takes hold, which restricts political action, limits social organization, and weakens the potential for collective actions.

Our University, along with the Institutional Peace Program of the Universidad del Valle, the Peace Commission of the Universidad del Cauca, and the Center for Education for Peace, Memory, and Human Rights-UPN, is joining forces with the Universidad del Cauca and the social organizations mobilized in the department to raise a cry for peace. This call is a concrete demand. It holds the state accountable for its responsibility as a guarantor of human rights. It also calls on armed groups to cease their actions against communities. Furthermore, it calls on academia and society as a whole.

Peace is built from the ground up in people’s daily lives. In this context, public education plays an irreplaceable role in ensuring access to knowledge. It serves as a setting for ethical education, democratic deliberation, and developing shared goals.

It is imperative that solidarity with the victims, their families, and their communities be translated into sustained actions that acknowledge their anguish, honor their experiences, and support their recovery processes. This involves listening, raising awareness, and ensuring their safety. It also requires ensuring that violence is not perpetuated in future generations. Public universities are key in this regard. It is there that narratives can be challenged, the logic of hatred dismantled, and the principles of respect, coexistence, and social justice fostered.

In the midst of war, strengthening public education is a strategic commitment to life. In this context, it is crucial to uphold policies that guarantee rights without backtracking. Any weakening of these policies not only widens social divides but also undermines the possibility of building peace and democracy in these regions.

This requires investing in infrastructure, teacher well-being, and student access and retention. It also requires investing in educational content and practices that promote peaceful conflict resolution, historical memory, and recognition of diversity. These efforts must ensure that young people, schools, and communities are not caught up in war. In this sense, pedagogy is not neutral; it is a peacebuilding tool and an ethical project for the common good.

In times of war, education is resistance, and resistance through public education opens real paths toward peace, which is achieved by guaranteeing human and environmental rights.