Loes van Wiligen, founder and Honorary President of ISHHR, suggested arranging in this time of crisis a series of webinars, alternating between English and Spanish. These “Conversations on the way to Medellin” could prepare the ground for our planned capacity-building and the International Conference in Medellín, Colombia in 2022 in cooperation with Colombian partners. Facilitators and front-workers from Colombia and around the world could share perspectives on their work with the final beneficiaries: women and men in Colombia and other post-conflict countries – tools for coping and healing.
Webinar #1: ReConectando and Territorio Sagrado
Webinar #1 is available on video here: https://fb.watch/9CZAnWTsK-/
After the success of the first webinar with Hector Aristizabal (in Spanish) on his work with survivors for the Truth Commission in the Territorio Sagrado, vimeo.com/552604812#at=16
Webinar #2: Learning in Times of Crisis: Ending Violence, Healing Trauma, Building Peace
…ISHHR was proud to present Webinar #2, this time in English, with noted speakers:
Nora Sveaass,
professor emerita from the University of Oslo, served on the UN Committee against Torture, decorated by HM King Harald for her work with Human Rights.
Theme: Supporting survivors of sexual and gender based violence in conflict and their helpers – A brief presentation of a training manual on mental health in the context of SGBV
Hector Aristizabal,
psychologist, human rights defender, and performance artist from Medellin, and leader of <http://www.reconectando.org/>, has worked with the Colombian Truth and Reconciliation Commission since 2016
Theme: the Sacred Territory – using the methodologies of eco-dialog to open minds to the interrelation and interdependency of nature and humanity
Boris Drozdek,
psychiatrist and psychotherapist at De Hemisfeer, NL, editor and author of acclaimed books synthesizing insights from psychiatry, social psychology, and anthropology in a framework for a culturally informed therapy.
Theme: A Developmental, Time and Context-Sensitive Perspective on Stress and Resilience
Dr Cécile Rousseau,
Professor, Division of Social and Cultural Psychiatry, McGill University, currently working with refugee children and adolescents from Southeast Asia, Central America, and Somalia.
Theme: The pandemic context and its consequences for social inequities, social conflicts and human rights.
David Danto,
Head of Psychology at the University of Guelph-Humber and Chair of the Canadian Psychological Association Standing Committee on Reconciliation.
Theme: “Allyship, Indigenous Knowledge and Mental Health”- about being supportive of Indigenous approaches to healing that are already in the community.
The speakers addressed and invited to discussion on issues of interest for all who work with post-conflict survivors.
Webinar #2 is available on video: https://fb.watch/9M735iOeMl/
Webinar #3: Mental Health Post Conflict
On December 6, 2021, an exciting group of scholars, women and men from Colombia, Chile/Peru /De and Brasil /Pt addressed themes related to Post-Conflict Mental Health in a live-streamed webinar – in Spanish.
At the 3rd webinar, the speakers approached post-conflict mental health from their professional perspectives. Here are their brief profiles and topics:
Steven Orozco Arcila (Colombia),
Professor at the National School of Public Health – Universidad de Antioquia. Coordinator Doctorate in Public Health.
Theme: Effects of the Colombian conflict on mental health
Tatiana Moura (Brasil / Pt.),
Researcher at the Center for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra and Coordinator of the Masculinities Platform.
Theme: Gender, Masculinities and Conflicts
Juan David Villa Gomez (Colombia),
Associate Professor, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Boliviarana, Medellín.
Theme: Psychosocial trauma, polarization and psychosocial barriers for the construction of peace – the case of Colombia
Anamaria Silva Saavedra (Peru / De),
PhD, Psychologist and licensed psychotherapist.
Theme: About resources and expectations. A personal reflection. Lessons learned during field-work in post-conflict Peru
Sofía Colorado Valencia, (psychologist, ISHHR Councilmember, and native of Medellín) presented the speakers.
Hector Aritizabal of www.reconectando.org connected us all virtually to Medellín.
Webinar #3 is available on video here: https://fb.watch/9M6CWsklTu/