PUCPR participates in the organization of a congress on Compact on Education and Human Rights

Held entirely online, the International Congress on Compact on Education and Human Rights took place on June 29 and 30, 2023 and had as its theme ‘Reflections in times of crisis: democracy, society and nature‘. The initiative was organized by the Silva Henríquez Catholic University (Chile), the University of Notre Dame (USA) and the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (Brazil), three institutions that make up the scientific committee of the Global Compact on Education with the Dicastery for Culture and Education.

The main objective of the Congress was to promote the sharing of knowledge and academic experiences on Human Rights, but also to revive among researchers and institutions what had been advocated in the Apostolic Constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae: “Every Catholic University, as a university, is an academic community which, in a rigorous and critical fashion, assists in the protection and advancement of human dignity and of a cultural heritage through research, teaching and various services offered to the local, national and international communities” (Ex Corde Ecclesiae, 12). In fact, the theme of dignity and human rights emerges as one of the five pillars that underpin the idea of university from the perspective of the Global Education Pact.

The event had 300 registrants and 76 communications from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Spain and Italy. In the program, the thematic axes included 1) People-based education with a focus on human rights; 2) Youth, politics and society; 3) Gender, intersectionality and violence: studies and/or experiences on the impact of gender-based violence; 4) Indigenous peoples, environment and climate crisis and 5) Human rights and memory.

Initially conceived by three universities from different countries, the event became even more diverse and dynamic by bringing together people from many other institutions and nationalities.

At the end of the event, the creation of an international network of researchers in Education and Human Rights was announced, with the aim of ensuring permanent dialog on the subject and promoting cooperation between people and institutions. More than 30 signatories are already part of the initiative.