Comité Departamental de Cafeteros de Calda and Escuela Virtual
Caldas, Colombia

About the Comité Departamental de Cafeteros de Caldas and Escuela Virtual
The Comité Departamental de Cafeteros de Caldas is a regional organization of coffee producers whose mission includes promoting educational initiatives, research and regional development, the recovery and protection of the environment and the recognition of cultural and regional identity. The Comité has supported the participation of 11 rural schools in No War Zone as part of their larger involvement with the Escuela Virtual program, which integrates technology into the learning process. The Escuela Virtual aims to improve the quality of the education system in the rural region of Caldas to bridge the large gap between rural and urban development that exists in Colombia.

No War Zone in and beyond the classroom
Decades of war in Colombia have affected all aspects of life in Colombia, including the attitudes of youth and the educational environment. The No War Zone project aims to create a culture of peace in these rural areas of Colombia. Weekly workshops developed by students, teachers and community members use information and communication technology to enrich the learning experience.  Workshops focus on building self-esteem to empower youth to see themselves as important and active agents that can make a concrete difference in their families and communities. Workshop topics include gender, identity, conflict resolution, reconciliation and active citizenship. Imagination and creativity are very important to the development of these workshops, as students present artwork, poems and music representing their vision of self and how to create collective zones of peace.

Youth are participating in a peacebuilding initiative, Schools for Peace, that targets the root causes of conflict and provides examples and suggested activities for youth to build peace in their communities. A Peacebuilding Manual will incorporate the activities and ideas from youth around the world, and will be used in schools across Caldas- and hopefully the world- to train young people in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

Voices from Colombian Youth
“The members of Escuela Virtual are happy with No War Zone, because we get to make friends in other countries, we have someone to tell about the problems in our country, and we are able to learn about Canadian culture. With this project we are seeking peaceful solutions to the problems in our communities, to ensure that human rights are respected in our community, municipality, region, and country.”