Miguel Alvarez:

• ‘ A peace agreement on paper is meaningless and worthless, unless a plan goes along with it that is agreed upon by the actors and implemented by those involved.’

• On Privatization: It creates devastating situations for the communities involved. In Mexico, communities can be “dispossessed” in favor of privatization. The government and police are complicit in the removal of small businesses or poor folks to make way for developments like Wal-Mart.
• For Mexico to be on the UN Human Rights Commission is totally inappropriate it doesn’t respect human rights.
• US involvement in Mexican elections through neo-liberal control of markets, economic war, and influence is exercised to keep the current economic policies going.
• Everyone, therefore the indigenous people, don’t have a right to education in Mexico. The Zapatistas have implemented local language policies accessible to everyone in there area.

A Mexican Woman, who’s name I didn’t get, said, ‘Conservatives in Mexico and the US are talking about what to do if the “left” is elected. Business people are trying to offer incentives for employees and others to NOT vote for the left, but it is not working out well.’

Consuelo Dominguez, a woman peace educator from Cuba

        ‘Education for peace and human rights should start at a very early age.’ Quoting Jose Marti, she said, “ Peace depends on no rights being trampled.” And Benito Juarez, “ ‘Respect toward others, like between individuals and nations, is the same.’

        If children grow up with more social harmony we can expect greater things in the future.

        There is no separation between education and politics.

        Education is guaranteed for all Cubans as a human right.

        The Cuban Revolution almost ended after the fall of the Soviet Union; People suffered and struggled to find ways to make it; Violence rose to a degree compared to the 1980’s, which was caused by 10 years of economic crisis and shortages of resources, and it is still a issue.

        Now individuals are getting permission from the State to take on moneymaking enterprises, like renting out a room, etc.

        The legacy of Columbus is that indigenous people are extinct in Cuba.

        There is some racism in Cuba, but there is also anti-racism education in schools.

Lesbia Morales, Campesino Committee of the Highlands (Guatemala)

        Education is Guatemala is in Spanish and it is not a good situation.

        There are 23 languages there and education must be in those languages.

        Currently a proposal has been made to the Ministry of Education to change the Spanish only policy.