Unravelling views: tools for a pedagogy of peace and social dialogue in Colombia.

Location: Colombia
Project Type: Small grant projects

The project will explore EdJAM's working area of Transitional Justice and Memory, seeking to understand the subjective meaning of the transitional processes in Colombia, through the voice of young people, boys and girls from urban settings, based on the creative mediation enabled by the textile narrative.  

The project aims to develop creative approaches to teaching and learning about the violent past and the transition after the signing of the peace agreement, on the basis of a proposal that combines the development and implementation of creative pedagogies. In particular, those energized through textile narratives, aimed at youngsters, boys, and girls in urban contexts. Advancements are expected in the development of new theoretical knowledge, especially in relation to the understanding of the social meanings of transitional processes for these social actors, as well as new methodological knowledge around the strategy of textile resonance as a mediation proposal for social dialogue in divided and unjust societies.

The project is relevant in this historical moment of post-agreement because it enables the new generations to participate in spaces of dialogue where it is possible to explore and bring dynamism to the social meanings of this historical moment, in order to strengthen the perspective of a brighter future.

The project will be developed by a team from the School of Nursing of the UdeA, together with the Fundación del Área Andina (Andean Area Foundation), and the Fundación Academia de Dibujo Profesional (Academy of Professional Drawing Foundation), with the supportive consultancy of Aberystwyth University. It is planned to develop this initiative in three urban centres of the country, namely: Medellín, Cali and Bogotá, whose direct beneficiaries will be the children and youngsters from these cities, and the indirect beneficiaries will be the educational institutions involved.

The projected outcomes will be:

Planning and preparation of at least one academic article, to be submitted to the Revista Cientifica (Scientific Magazine). Publication is expected before the closure of EdJAM in 2024, thus, a link to this paper will be included on the EdJAM website.
A Resource Guide for Communities and Groups (digital and printed). A link to this guide can be included on the EdJAM website.
Updating and complementing the digital platform Des-tejiendo Miradas (Unravelling Views), with the outcomes from the different pathways of this project. It will be possible to connect EdJAM to this platform, which is also bilingual (English/Spanish).
Three collective closing events involving a textile proposal for each city (exhibition, fashion show, product launch, video, podcast, etc.).
Enabling competence amongst two academic groups from two academic institutions in Bogotá and Cali, through liaison teachers.
Enabling competence amongst three groups of young trainees in three cities of Colombia.
Skill transfers to 6 groups of youngsters, boys and girls, in three cities of Colombia.
Theoretical and conceptual insights on caring, textile narratives, social dialogues, and their impact on training processes in the areas of health and fashion design. It is expected that the interdisciplinary participation proposed here, will generate collective insights to be included in future training programmes, and potential elective courses, or additional workshops.

"The project seeks to understand the subjective meaning of the transitional processes in Colombia through the voice of young people, boys and girls from urban settings, based on the creative mediation enabled by the textile narrative, to support dialogue on past violence, injustices, and future prospects. The aim is to advance in the development of new theoretical and methodological knowledge around the strategy of textile resonance, as a mediation proposal for social dialogue in divided and unjust societies. "