2017 Conference

Liberating Hope within a Traumatized World

March 23-24, 2017 

…embracing the dream of a better world and adhering to it imply accepting the process of its creation. It is a process of struggle that must be deeply anchored in ethics. It is the process of struggle against all forms of violence—violence against the life of trees, of rivers, of fish, of mountains, of cities, against the physical marks of historic and cultural memories. It is also the process of struggle against violence toward the weak, the defenseless, the wounded minorities, violence toward those who are discriminated against for any reason. … That dream for a better world requires all these struggles, with only moments of disenchantment, but without ever losing hope. No matter what society we may be in, or what society we may belong to, it is urgent that we fight with hope and fearlessness. (FREIRE, 2004)

The theme of hope occupies a prominent place in Freire’s pedagogy. According to him, hope is a pre-requisite indispensable to a liberating education. It is the energy capable of activating and propelling emancipatory actions to generate structural, personal, and collective changes.

Inspired by Freire’s perspective, Cátedra Paulo Freire 2017 will explore the notion of hope from a variety of angles identifying where small seeds of hope are germinating and multiplying despite the current desolate and hardened soils of our communities and cities. In a world traumatized by practices of marginalization and violence against individuals, communities, and environment, participants will be invited to expand their horizons imagining new possibilities of living in solidarity with one another.