“United Nations University
– Institute for Advanced Studies 'RCE RECOGNITION AWARD ' Granted to the Flagship Project: “The Semi-Residential
Diploma in Biodiversity and Intercultural Knowledge” Created by the Regional
Center of Expertise (RCE) Lima - Callao” Along with Ricardo Palma University’s Edgar
Morin Complex Thinking Institute (IPCEM)”
By
Giorgio Piacenza
QUESTION: Is not only an intercultural dialogue
but an EFFECTIVE TRANSCULTURAL, INTEGRATIVE, EDUCATIONAL PROJECT possible by finding common
integrative principles between primarily modern and pre-modern societies?
The Regional Center of Expertise (RCE) Lima - Callao, received the RCE Recognition Award for an Outstanding
Flagship Project granted by UNU –
IAS (United Nations University – Institute for Advanced Studies). The Edgar Morin Complex Thinking Institute
(IPCEM) (an institute from Ricardo
Palma University in Lima, Perú) was a fundamental organizer of this
project.
In November, 2014 the UNU-IAS – Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) director (and
Japan’s former Minister of the Environment) Kazuiko Takemoto granted this award to RCE Lima – Callao represented by IPCEM’s Executive Director and RCE
Lima – Callao Executive Director, Mg. Teresa
Salinas Gamero during the Ninth Global RCE Conference in Okayama,
Japan.
Mg. Salinas Gamero also offered a presentation on the “Semi - Residential Diploma in Biodiversity
and Intercultural Knowledge” (Diplomado Semi Presencial en Biodiversidad y
Saberes Interculturales) and on the work done in conjunction with the Quechua – Lamas community of Morillos, a
traditional indigenous community located between the Andes and the Amazon Basin.
The link is http://rce-network.org/portal/sites/default/files/Award%20pdfs/Group3/Diploma%20Course.pdf
Further recognitions to everyone involved
(including the spiritual and practical community elder Mr. Palermo Piña Sangama and two other community leaders) were
given on April 16, 2015 at the Ricardo
Palma University, Ccori Wasi Cultural Center in Miraflores, Lima, Perú.
The diploma is considered a “world-interest flagship project” and
it developed an on-site, participatory university credit course as part of the “Semi Residential Diploma in Biodiversity
and Intercultural Knowledge” (Diplomado Semi Presencial en Biodiversidad y
Saberes Interculturales). The course took place in September, 2012 and was
organized with the aim of learning from, intellectually sharing with and
promoting the recognition of the ways and wisdom of a representative Andean-Amazonian community still practicing its time-tested
traditions as per their vital
relationship with nature. That
community was also open to learn from a modern approach and technological
innovation. Once again, that community (located between the Andes and the
Amazon Basin) was the Quechua – Lamas community
of Morillos, located in the Lamas Province of the San Martin Region in Perú.
The course included in the diploma consisted of
the equal participation of modern-educated university Professors as well as local
“apus” or traditional community leaders. It offered a semi- attendance modality at the Andean-Amazonian community, in
farms, the forest, water sources and classrooms. The course was meant to
promote an intercultural dialogue,
recognition of traditional wisdom, trans - epistemological thinking and was
also meant to advance the Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD). The Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH – German Cooperation
– also contributed in the effort as it also promotes sustainable development in
Perú since 1965. Other important contributors were the Regional Government of San Martin the non-profit NGO Waman Wasi that promotes the
preservation of traditional culture, spirituality and biodiversity and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
The diploma was an innovative initiative in
Peruvian higher education and was meant to prepare students, technicians, professionals,
future teachers and community leaders under a more inclusive, transcultural, integrative,
“complex thought,” perspective promoting
the regeneration of biodiversity and its sustainable use, valuing both modern academic
and ancestral knowledge. Students from
the Quechua-Lamas community were also certified. Thus far, eight
sustainable development research projects were completed and 22 have been proposed
for further implementation. Based on the idea that our current world crisis (exclusively
imposing a modern Western-centric model) is largely due to “our lack of
knowledge about knowledge itself” the intercultural dialogue attempted to build
a local/global (trans) epistemic community.
Some traditional community inhabitants were deeply
upset and even cried not because of losing their traditional lands to others in
the encroaching modern world but because their beloved water (whom they raised
as a son is raised) was going to die. For this community water is a living and extremely
important family member. We should take care of water as water takes care of us
because also water takes care of the
forest and the forest takes care of water.
Much was learned from the Andean – Amazonian
cultural traditions regarding the concept of reciprocity, nourishment and respect toward the living eco systems.
What particularly comes to mind is the idea of raising, protecting and nourishing nature just as nature raises,
protects and nourishes us. Most notable was the community practice of
fostering the healthy availability of water sources, not only though rituals and
a direct recognition of spiritual intelligence, but through specific ancient
practices that produced effective results.
The diploma and course served as a space for
reflection and for re-thinking academic development. It was also developed with the assistance of Professor Jorge Ishizawa, director of PRATEC (Andean Project of Peasant
technologies) and highly knowledgeable on traditional Andean technologies and
traditions.
One aspect of the course and diploma inquired into
“Proyecto AYNI” or the integration
of shared intercultural visions equally involving modern science, the economic
productive apparatus, traditional knowledge, and the educational system. Another
aspect of the course and diploma considered adopting modes of non-linear, complex
and transdisciplinary education, greater opening to uncertainty and reflection
upon who we are and how we think about the world, therefore attempting to
counteract the dominant, absolutist, reductionist and fragmented way of
thinking.
Edgar Morin’s “Complex Thought” was explored along with
the highly compatible traditional Andean Concept of “Living Well” (Sumak Kausay). The latter basically refers to live in
a healthy proportionate manner by actively loving nature’s offers and
requirements through reciprocity and solidarity.
Here’s a link to a short video on aspects of the
diploma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWY4NoE-6bs
This intercultural and transcultural educational
initiative by RCE Lima-Callao (in close collaboration with Ricardo Palma
University’s IPCEM) sets an excellent example in Education for Sustainable
Development and to re-think the epistemological basis of society. It should be well-publicized
and reproduced to re-educate and sensitize cultural and political leaders at all
levels of government since many of them are still embedded in modern, self-serving,
competitive thinking patterns and in behaviors with a severe lack of empathy
and understanding causing havoc in nature and traditional communities.
From left to right: Magister Teresa Salinas Gamero, the Dean of Universidad Ricardo Palma's Dr. Ivan Rodriguez Chavez, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) representative, Quechua - Lamas - Morillos community leader Mr. Abilio Piña Sangama.
