This project funded within by the British Academy through the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy via the Global Challenges Research Fund from March 2020 to December 2021 seeks to create a detailed understanding of the infrastructure, engagement, resources and policies required to educationally transform a community in order to contribute to reducing the negative impacts of drug-related violence and crime. It aims to investigate the circumstances, policies and practices through which Medellin (Colombia) was able to develop and implement an inclusive, lifelong, learning strategy that contributed to the successful reduction in drug-related violence and crime and, through participative methods, to transfer that learning to Acapulco (Mexico). By working alongside politicians, community members, young people and stakeholders in both Medellin and Acapulco, recommendations for responding to crises of violence will be developed. The innovative, participatory methodology will focus on informal education, producing an educational peacebuilding model and index for transferability, trialing concepts in the creation of a vision for ‘The Acapulco we want’, along with an implementation framework to create future positive learning opportunities.

PI: Prof Evelyn Arizpe and Co-I Dr Sinead Gormally, University of Glasgow

Co-I: Mr Jerónimo Castillo, Organization Fundación Ideas por la Paz, Colombia

Co-I: Dr Nohora Niño Vega, Institution Colegio de Sonora, México  

Funding: £357,915

YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/VbfwC_u7wto

Twitter: @EdPeaceCities

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