Between the 21st and 24th of September, the 2nd International Congress of Communication for Peace took place in at the University of Santo Tomás, Bogota, with the objective of contributing to the construction of peace through communication. 400 communicators from Colombia and other countries of the region took part.

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Pressenza, Bogotá, 2009-09-16

Can communication be an effective vehicle for peace? How does communication construct peace in a conflict scenario? and What are the new scenarios of communication?, were only some of the questions that were trying to be answered at the 2nd International Congress of Communication for Peace “Communication as a Dynamic of Social Transformation” Towards a culture of peace and participatory democracy, which took place from September 21 to 24 at the University of Bogota-Colombia.

With the presence of international guests such as Jan Servaes from Belgium, considered one of the main authorities in Social Change and Communication, Leonard Witt, one of the founders of Public Journalism, and Gerardo Reyes, who marked the rise of Research Journalism in South America among others, assistants had the opportunity of getting to know different points of view, from an expert’s look, of what is and will be the role of communication in the following years.

The University of Santo Tomás’ Faculty of Social Communication for Peace has proposed itself since its creation, to generate alternatives and proposals such that Communication in all areas, from community to global, can be a strategy for the construction of Peace.

The celebration of the International Day for Peace on September 21 was the starting point to open a space for reflection and dialogue, among diverse knowledge, and thus enrich and widen a scope that allows us to understand the complexities, expressions and challenges of communication and its relation with peace.

(Translated by Ramiro Pozzo)

Pressenza IPA