RÍO DE JANEIRO, Brasil.
A National Seminar entitled “To educate in difficult times: school, memory and citizenship”, took place last August 18th at the Teresian School in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the participation of 94 persons coming from eleven cities of three Brazilian states and a representative from Spain.
The objectives of the Seminar were: to reflect on the marks left by the violence of the military dictatorship in the Brazilian society and its impact on education, and the process to build a democracy: to acknowledge the importance of the Commission on Truth and historical memory as an affirmation of citizenship and the promotion of human rights; to consider deeply the implications of a formation for a citizenship that is both critical and participative through socio/educational practices in the actual moment of the Brazilian society.
As part of a journey realized by the educators of various countries of America inspired by the socio/educational proposal facilitated by the Teresian Association, other national seminars, previously carried out, were recalled; likewise the cycle of debates about the program of formation carried out in the classroom. The publications that gather all these experiences and their virtual space in www.msebrasil.org were presented.
It was also brought to mind the Letter on the Principles of the Socio/educational Movement (MSE) and the steps and commitments required to participate as members.
In order to approach the topic of the Seminar, the documental “An unfinished history” by Miriam Leitao was projected. The participants sang the song “The drunkard and the acrobat” whose script alludes to the military dictatorship in Brazil.
The reflection was centered on some aspects of the recent history of Brazil, particularly on the period of the military dictatorship (1964-1985) with the perspective to reaffirm justice and democratic processes, elements of great importance for the promotion of an education committed to the formation of an active and participative citizenry.
Afterwards, the participants were distributed in groups that debated topics like: History and education for citizenship, language education and citizenship, citizenship and environmental education, artistic education and citizenship, school dynamics and citizenship, citizenship and the communitarian museum.
The closing of the Seminar consisted of a collective reading of a thought of Jacques Le Goff: “The memory, where history grows and at the same time feeds, intends to save the past at the service of the present and of the future. We ought to work so that the collective memory may serve the liberation and not the servitude of men”.
The importance of the “Commission on Truth and Memory” was acknowledged, appointed by the Brazilian Government to investigate the crimes against human rights committed by the State during the years of the military dictatorship, as an affirmation of the citizenry and the promotion of human rights.
The Socio/educational Movement in Brazil was started in the year 2008 and actually counts with 190 members.
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Maria da Consolação Lucinda
Translation: Guillermina de Damas