History
At the 50th Anniversary of the Bombing of Gernika, the 26th of abril 1987, three events mark the origin and mission of Gernika Gogoratuz.
- The Basque Parliament, on the basis of an unanimous decision, approves “To constitute a Peace Research Centre in Gernika, which allows to perpetuate the symbol and the remembrence of this historic fact”, on the 10th of April, 1987 (Oficial Bulletin of the Basque Country, on the 23rd of April, 1987)
- Petra K. Kelly, member of the German parliament
by the Green Party, deposits a bouquet of flowers at the Tree of Gernika,
in remembrence of the victims of the Bombing. Petra Kelly embraced
the significance that Gernika represented as a symbol for peace and
democratic freedom and as a gesture for reconciliation on behalf of
the Germans, she made a stand for establishing a Centre for Peace
and Reconciliation in Gernika, the 18th of April, 1987.
Gesto de reconciliación. - The founding of Gernika Gogoratuz Association. Its fundamental purpose is “to contribute by cientific research and reflection to the achievement of emancipatory and just peace on a word wide level and particulary in the Basque Country” (6th of November, 1987)
Mission
To enrich the symbol of Gernika in relation to the past and the future. In relation to the past by remembering and honouring its history, and concerning the future by contributing to generate a emancipatory, just and reconciliatory peace through action and reflection in both the Basque Country and the world.
Vision
To be a creative space and reference for research and action on peace, both on a local and global level, which agglutinates different approaches, in order to contribute to the generation of social change and transformation developping a Culture of Peace.
Philosophical keys
What do we mean by Peace
Peace means developing our human capacities in order to care about life, to satisfy our basic needs, both personal and collective, for well being, identy, and freedom. The understanding of Peace comes from one’s own cultural options in which the assumption of responsabilities in terms relationships based on equality, participation, solidarity and interdependance is cultivated in order to transform conflicts in a nonviolent and creative way.
Accordingly Peace is being proposed as an element which sets out on the human being in order to overcome the cycles of violence and it promotes the reconstruction of social fabric generating life in community with a vision of constructive social change that difies, effective and affectively, assymetries which marginalize, exclude and provoke violent action in any form.
Philosophical keys
- Simbology for peace and reconciliation
- The pedagogy of remembrence
- Transformation of conflict
- Creativity
- Horizon of Reconciliation
- Positive Peace
- Sustainable human progress
- Culture of Peace
- Pedagogy for Peace
- Diversity
- Daily life
- Interculturality
- Coexistence
- Solidarity
- Gender
- Democratic participation
- Local and global perspective
What are we working on in terms of Peace Building
- Deepening the cultural dimension of peace in order to activate symbolic key figures that unify remembrance for peace and commitment with history.
- Facilitating the assumption of personal and collective responsabilites within interdependent relationships in order to overcome the cycles of violence.
- Promoting participation on a local and global level in order to reinforce processes in terms of cooperation and creativity.
Memories of activities
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
Historic background of our institution (1987-2007)
- Curriculum.
Networks and agreements
Participation in different networks and forums since its foundation
- Forum of Associactions working on Human Rights and Peace Education – Giza Eskubide eta Bake Hezkuntzaren Elkarte Foroa during 2007. Gernika Gogoratuz holds the presidency of the Forum since March 2007.
- BatzArt network. Working group which promotes the Peace Process in terms of grass root participation and creativity (Artamugarriak, Bidea Helburu, Gernika Gogoratuz, Parte Hartuz) in 2006.
- Participating in the proceso of Astra KM0 since 2006
- BILGUNE Network. Working group of different Associations working in Gernika in the field of Peace Building, Interculturality and Cooperation for Development (Gernikatik Mundura, Ideasur, Gernika Gogoratuz)
- Hazi Network. Working group for transformation of conflict and culture for peace (Institute for Mediation FOMED, GEUZ Academic Centre for Transformation of Conflict linked to the UPV-EHU (University of the Basque Country) since 2002
- GERNIKA Network. Internation network to support processes oriented towardas achieving Reconciliation, since 1997.
- AIPAZ (Spanish Association of Peace Research), since 1996. Member of the executive board of AIPAZ since 2005.
Consultant member of
- Advisory Board of the Centre for Peace Baketik, 2006.
- • Advisory Board of the V. International Congress of Museums for Peace in 2005.
Committee of Specialists on Penal Mediation established by the Human Rights- Committee of Specialists on Education for Peace and Coexistence called for by the Department of Education of the Basque Government in 1999.
- Gernika Peace Museum Foundation since 1998.
- Gogoratuces Caqueteños” Association in Columbia since 1998
Cooperative Entity with
- Master in Decentralized International Cooperation: Peace and Development. Analysis and management of global agenda within de framework of United Nations, by UPV-EHU (University of the Basque Country) since 1998.
Member of the following associations:
- Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR), since 2003.
- European Peace Education (EURED) since 2000.
- European Platform for Prevention and Transformation of Conflict (EPCPT), since 2000.
- Cooperative Board of the Reservation of the Biosphere of the patrons of Urdaibai, since 1996.
- SEDIC (Spanisch Society for Documentation and Scientific Research) since 1992.
- Internationl Peace Bureau (IPB) since 1992.
Agreements signed with
- Lanbide Ekimenak – Gernika Professional Initiatives, 2007
- Magdalena University in Santa Marta, Columbia, 2007.
- Tolima University in Ibagué, Columbia, 2007.
- Academic School for Social Work and Social Education of Pere Tarrés Foundation of the Ramon Llull University, 2005.
- Academica School of de Magisterio de Bilbao (UPV-EHU University of the Basque Country) to give practical lectures to the students on Social Mediation and Intercultural Education, 2005.
- Pontificia Bolvariana University, Bucaramanga Section in Santander, Columbia, 2004.
- Universitá degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo bo”, in Italy, 2004.
- Manizares University, Columbia, 2004.
- Pontifica University Javeriana. Faculty for Political Science and International Relations, Columbia 2004.
- Department for Cooperation and Development of the Basque Government within the project Manigua dealing on Human Rights and Treatment of Conflict, 2004.
- Basque Board for Youth of Euskadi, Peace Research Centre. Gernika Gogoratuz Foundation. EDE Foundation and Mondragón University, S. Coop, 2004.
- Ponts de Mediació in Barcelone for de Forum 2004 of Cultures, 2003
- SIT Miami University (U.S.A.), 2003
- Gernika Peace Museum Foundation, (Gernika-Lumo), 2002.
- Agreement with the Master of International Decentralizeda Cooperation: Peace and Deveolpment. Analysis and management of global agenda in the framework of United Nations, UPV-EHU, 2002
- Agreement with Amazone University in Columbria, 2002
- Agreement with Javariana University in Cali, Columbia, 2002
- Peace Observatory in Columbia, 2002
- Agreement EAFIT University in Columbia, 2002.
- Agreement with Cuyo University, Mendoza, Argentina 2002
- Agreement with Göteborg, in Suecia, 2002
- Agreement between Gernika Gogoratuz Association and Gernika Gogoratuz Foundation..
- Kontseilua Bai Euskarari, 2000
- Agreement with Antioquia University, (Columbia), 2000
- Redepaz, Network of Peace Initiatives against War (Columbia), 1998.