CINEP / Peace Program

CINEP / Peace Program

Abbreviation	CINEP/PPP
Established	1972 (1972)
Type	Multi-faceted program for peace & human development
Headquarters	Bogotá, Colombia
Director	Fernán E. González, SJ
Affiliations	Jesuits, Catholic Church
Website	CINEP

CINEP / Peace Program – Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular / Programa por la Paz (CINEP/PPP) – is a non-profit foundation created by the Society of Jesus in Colombia. The Center for Research and Popular Education was founded in 1972 for promoting equitable and sustainable human development. In 1987 the Program for Peace was added to work toward a just and lasting peace in the country.

History

The Center for Research and Popular Education (CINEP) was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1972 with the task of promoting integral and sustainable human development. In 1987, the Program for Peace (PPP) was added to contribute to the construction of just and lasting peace in Colombia. In 1988 CINEP/PPP along with the Conference of Religious of Colombia created the Human Rights and Political Violence Bank to preserve the memory of the victims of the civil war and to denounce serious violations of human rights.^[1] The work of CINEP/PPP now includes research, education, advocacy, and communication, along with support to social organisations.

Programs

CINEP/PPP's Peacebuilding and Development Program would contribute to the transformation of conflicts and the strengthening of alternative development proposals, through research and education on new ways of understanding conflict. The program also helps organizations to implement internal practices of respect for democracy and gender equality, to achieve a coherence between internal action and political advocacy.

The Advocacy and Communication Project is aimed at public opinion and the collective imagination, to change certain political practices.^[2]

CINEP/PPP offers its services to mediate social conflict in the country, involving excluded sectors in the interest of promoting development and national peace. In recent years, much of its work is reflected in the Magdalena Medio's Development and Peace Program,^[3] as well as in other regions of the country including Atrato, Putumayo, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Bogotá, and East Antioquia.^[4] CINEP works through local and regional agents of change, assisting with training and planning for sustainable human development.

CINEP/PPP maintains a specialized press archive, and databases on urban struggles, trade unions, peasants and forced migrations,^[5] and on collective actions for peace along with violations of human rights.^[6] It also has a geographic information system.^[7] From the database came its 4-volume work: Colombia Country of Regions.^[8]

CINEP / Peace Program partners with more than a dozen national^[9] and international^[10] peace networks,^[11] including those against torture^[12] and against the free trade agreement with the USA.^[13]

The Center's presentations cover a wide range of topics: National Day of Memory and Solidarity with Victims of Armed Conflict; Sewing of Memory, Reconciling through Art; political, civic, and environmental training; land access and women's rights;^[14] the justice of the Colombian peace process^[15] and the threat that paramilitary groups pose for it; the situation on the Colombian-Venezuelan border;^[16] and on Extractivisms and postconflict in Colombia: challenges for territorial peace.^[17] The Center has published more than two dozen titles^[18] and produces audio and video programs to support its educational efforts.^[19]

References

Coordinates: 4°37′12.27″N 74°3′54.22″W / 4.6200750°N 74.0650611°W / 4.6200750; -74.0650611