A diverse group of members of the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) from Chile, Colombia and Ecuador participated in an introductory workshop on the Learning to Live Together Programme.

The workshop was held online between 5 and 8 August 2021, gathering 37 educators as well as religious leaders, theologists, social workers, psychologists, and other stakeholders working with children and youth. During the three-day workshop, the participants got familiar with the main concepts of the Learning to Live Together Programme, its methodologies and its educational framework.

The participants were invited to reflect on the incidence of violence against children in all three countries and shared their own experiences in facing these issues. They discussed the critical role of ethics education to prevent violence against children in formal and informal educational settings, as well as domestic violence and the structural violence that affects children in Latinamerica.

“I really liked that the focus was always on empowering children and helping them become agents of change,” stated one of the participants. “The most important learning is to understand the relevance of respecting children’s right to develop their spirituality, as it is not a widely disseminated right in today’s societies at a global level,” highlighted another one.

By the end of the workshop, the participants gained the knowledge and skills to carry out an educational program based on Learning to Live Together and to customize it to their local needs. They also got acquainted with monitoring and evaluation tools to help them implement the program and measure its results.

The workshop was carried out by Learning to Live Together Trainers, Ms. Mónica Bernal and Mr. Marco Laguatasi, the Coordinator of GNRC – Ecuador, and Ms. Vera Leal, Senior Program Officer on Ethics Education at Arigatou International Geneva.

“I keep the importance of strengthening critical thinking in children, in reflection, in creativity, in listening and the role of diversity at all times, together with respect, care and empathy,” said one of the participants.

We thank the GNRC for collaborating with us in this introductory workshop and the facilitators and participants for their commitment and enthusiasm.

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