In March, Dominicans for Justice and Peace organised two events in Peru as part of our efforts to advance climate change and human rights education within the country’s educational system and to launch our new project on Climate Change and Human Rights Education for Youth in the Amazon Region.
The first event, held on 3 March at the Santo Domingo Convent in Lima, was organised in collaboration with Dominican partners in Peru under the theme “Climate Change and Human Rights Awareness in Basic Education in Peru.” The event brought together more than 50 participants, including teachers from Dominican schools, and featured representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Education, UNESCO, the Consortium of Catholic Schools in Peru, and Fe y Alegría. Discussions focused on strengthening the integration of climate change and human rights awareness into educational policies and school curricula.
On 6 March in Puerto Maldonado a second event was held to officially launch the project in the Peruvian Amazon. Organised in collaboration with the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Maldonado, the event convened representatives of the Dominican Family, local authorities, civil society organisations, and more than 120 teachers from Dominican schools, including educators from Indigenous communities. Participants exchanged experiences and perspectives on the challenges posed by climate change in the Amazon region and explored the role of education in promoting human rights, environmental stewardship, and community resilience.
Mons. David Martínez de Aguirre Guinea, O.P., Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Maldonado delivered the keynote adress, in which he underscored the importance of faith-based collaboration in advancing climate and human rights education. Together, the two events built the foundation for the project’s implementation by fostering dialogue among key stakeholders and building a network of educators committed to empowering young people to address climate-related challenges in their communities.