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Peacebuilding en las Américas News
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Written by Margaret Lechner and Val Liveoak
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Margaret writes: Life
has so many contrasts and contradictions.
Wednesday Val and I went into San Salvador on a bus ride without
incident, in contrast to last week’s ride when the driver sped through a
stretch of road near San Martin, presumably concerned about the possibility of
an attack. Glancing at the newspaper, we saw headlines
about an attack at a swimming hole in a rural community in the Suchitoto
district. Six were killed and two
injured.
The days before and after there were
brutal killings in San Martin. The newspaper says “gangs.” Privately
I heard a peace activist wondering "social cleansing by paramilitary or
vigilante groups?” Whoever is doing the killing, the effect has been mothers
burying their sons, including sons they had been trying to keep away from gang
activities.
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AVP Facilitator Maty Escobar at Anti-Violence Demonstration
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A march against violence walked through Suchitoto Thursday
morning. I attended and walked with
Maty, our AVP co-facilitator. After the march arrived at the plaza there
were speeches. The first noted the
importance of not blaming youth for the violence, since they learn from their
elders and it is the responsibility of adults to address social issues. Sister Peggy used the town’s slogan
“Suchitoto, more than a city . . .” to remind
the audience that Suchitoto is also a region/district, and that the
people of the city need to be in solidarity with the people of the rural areas where
the killings are taking place.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 08 February 2010 )
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Peacebuilding en las Américas News
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Written by Margaret Lechner
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Today is a day of rest for us, after a wonderfully full AVP Training for Facilitators (T4F) here in Suchitoto, El Salvador. AVP was initiated in Suchitoto in September 2007. In 2008 Sylvia Cabrales (AVP Guatemala) and Kelly Orbik (AVP USA) conducted the first SuchitotoT4F. Maty Escobar participated in the 2008 T4F and subsequently facilitated Basics in 2008 and 2009, as well as an Advanced with the same participants. We were delighted to have Maty join us on the facilitators training team.
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T4F group in Suchitoto, El Salvador, January 2010 |
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This T4F included a component which was new to us – an introduction to the manual two days in advance of the beginning of the T4F. The review of sections, with highlights of essential pages, gave
participants who were tentative readers a head start on the workshop. We recommend this addition whenever a T4F includes individuals with limited literacy.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 08 February 2010 )
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Peacebuilding en las Américas News
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Written by Margaret Lechner
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Monday, January 18, Val and I traveled to Centro Arte para la Paz (Center of Art for Peace), where we will conduct an AVP (Alternatives to Violence Project) facilitator training at the end of the week. The Centro is PLA’s (Peacebuilding en las Américas) primary partner in Suchitoto. Their activities include art, music and photography projects for youth and adults, neighborhood celebrations, parent education, and a variety of workshop on cooperation and peace.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 23 January 2010 )
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Peacebuilding en las Américas News
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Written by Margaret Lechner and Val Liveoak
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Monday, January 18, 2010
The first 2010 PLA team, Val Liveoak and Margaret Lechner, arrived in Suchitoto, El Salvador. They traveled together from Florida to Guatemala, where they spent two days in Antigua team-building and laying the foundation for work with local facilitators, which will take place in March.
Margaret writes:
Since this is my first time on Friends Peace Teams, I am definitely following Val’s lead on day-to-day activities and planning. I have listened to her many phone calls, as she contacts FPT partners in Guatemala City and San Lucas Tolíman near Lake Atitlán. It turns out that none of them are available in January, so we will return to Guatemala in February or March to work with the active AVP communities.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 18 January 2010 )
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