2 June 2021: IAMCR's Clearinghouse on Public Statements issued the following statement in solidarity with Colombian academic colleagues committed to building peace
The International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) emphatically rejects threats that unknown persons have made publicly in Barranquilla, Colombia to various individuals and their families committed to building peace and coexistence, and working with students, teachers, journalists, cultural managers, social leaders and communities to reach social agreements and promote the development of their city and region.
They include long-time members of IAMCR from the Universidad del Norte and the director of the Gabo Foundation, who were involved in organising the very successful celebration of IAMCR’s 60th Annual Conference in Cartagena de Indias in July 2017. This landmark event brought 1,400 academics from 67 countries to Colombia and offered unique opportunities, highly valued by all participants, to meet with local and national groups and discuss areas of shared concern.
IAMCR is seriously concerned about the wave of violence that Colombia is currently experiencing and the risks that teachers, academics, students, journalists, communicators, intellectuals and other active groups in society are running when they engage in the peace building process.
The Peace Agreements reached with the FARC guerrillas have been implemented with the support of universities, communication faculties, journalists, peace managers and local media and citizens. They must continue to be protected by all parties-governments, academic institutions, civic organisations and the business sector - as agreed in 2016.
IAMCR calls upon universities, faculties and communication programmes, their professors, students and communicators and other social groups to pursue every opportunity to strengthen public forums and engage in conversation, dialogue and negotiation to identify common interests that can form the basis for responses to environmental, technological, political, cultural and social challenges that advance the society for the benefit of all.
IAMCR stands in solidarity with colleagues and the wider community in Colombia in its efforts to ensure a just and equitable peace and in the hope that together we will all move forward toward a very much better tomorrow.
This text of this statement was drafted by the Clearinghouse for Public Statements and approved by IAMCR president, Nico Carpentier. The Clearinghouse processes statements and/or manages the process of signing statements generated by others, that are principally concerned with issues relating to media/communications and where IAMCR members have substantive scientific expertise that provides a basis for seeking to influence discursive or material practice.
En solidaridad con los y las colegas de la academia colombiana comprometidos/as con la promoción de la paz
La asociación internacional de estudios en comunicación social (IAMCR/AIECS) rechaza enfáticamente las amenazas públicas hechas por desconocidos a diversas personas (y a sus familias) en Barranquilla, Colombia, que expresan su compromiso con la promoción de la paz y la coexistencia por medio de su trabajo con estudiantes, docentes, periodistas, gestores culturales, líderes sociales y comunidades, destinado a lograr acuerdos sociales y promover el desarrollo de su ciudad y su región.
Las personas amenazadas incluyen a integrantes de larga data de AIECS de la Universidad del Norte y al director de la Fundación Gabo, quienes participaron en la organización de la sexagésima Conferencia Anual de AIECS, celebrada con gran éxito en Cartagena de Indias en julio de 2017. Dicho evento histórico convocó a 1.400 participantes de 67 países y les proprocionó oportunidades únicas, altamente valoradas, para reunirse con grupos locales y nacionales y discutir preocupaciones compartidas.
IAMCR/AIECS expresa su grave preocupación por la ola de violencia que Colombia experimenta en la actualidad y por los riesgos que docentes, académicos/as, esudiantes, periodistas, comunicadores, intelectuales y otros grupos activos en la sociedad corren al involucrarse en el proceso de construcción de paz.
Los Acuerdos de Paz alcanzados con las guerrillas de las FARC se han implementado con el apoyo de universidades, facultades de comunicación, periodistas, gestores/as de paz, medios de comunicación locales y la ciudadanía, y deben seguir siendo protegidos por todas las partes -gobiernos, instituciones académicas, organizaciones civiles y sector empresarial- tal como se acordara en 2016.
IAMCR/AIECS llama a las universidades, facultades y programas de comunicación, docentes, estudiantes, comunicadores /as y otros grupos sociales a aprovechar toda oportunidad para fortalecer los foros públicos y para participar en conversaciones, diálogos y negociaciones a fin de identificar intereses comunes que den fundamento a respuestas a los desafíos ambientales, tecnológicos, políticos, culturales y sociales que promuevan el avance de la sociedad en beneficio de toda la ciudadanía.
IAMCR/AIECS se solidariza con los y las colegas en Colombia, y con la comunidad en general, en sus esfuerzos por garantizar una paz justa y equitativa, con la esperanza de que pueda avanzarse en conjunto hacia un futuro mucho mejor.
This text of this statement was drafted by the Clearinghouse for Public Statements and approved by IAMCR president, Nico Carpentier. The Clearinghouse processes statements and/or manages the process of signing statements generated by others, that are principally concerned with issues relating to media/communications and where IAMCR members have substantive scientific expertise that provides a basis for seeking to influence discursive or material practice.