Women, leaders of indigenous, Native American, and Afro-descendant communities, and more than 50 human rights and social justice organizations will participate in the “X Peace Summit,” which seeks to create an agenda to address common problems between Mexico and the United States on issues of migration, armed violence, persecution, forced disappearances, discrimination, inequality, and the environment, among others.
Following a process of consultations, forums, and surveys in Mexico and the United States, leaders, activists, and organizations will present the first results of their work and promote a series of binational actions to advance social justice, human rights, and equality in democratic life and in binational relations at the Peace Summit in Mexico City on February 27, 2023.
The Summit takes place in the context of economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which, among other things, has exposed the lack of a strong health system, while the environmental crisis threatens life throughout the region and the proliferation of weapons is killing more people than ever, while there is a criminalization of migrant communities in both countries, particularly affecting indigenous, Native American, Afro-descendant communities, women and human rights defenders.
This was stated by the co-director of the non-profit organization Global ExchangeMarco Castillo, during the press conference for the presentation of the Peace Summit, where he highlighted that these problems are the result of a deep crisis that threatens the lives of historically marginalized communities, towns and cities from Central America to Washington DC.
"Every day, poor and historically marginalized communities and cities, from Tapachula to Washington DC, suffer the consequences of a democratic and economic model that does not work. Our people are united in tragedy," said Castillo.
Prior to the Summit, the organizers reported that, so far, six regional dialogues have been confirmed, which will begin in September and will be held in the cities of New York, Los Angeles, Tijuana, Mexico City and an indigenous community that will be announced in the coming days.
During these discussions, a survey will be conducted to identify common problems and principles for solutions, and a discussion will be facilitated where binationally coordinated actions will be proposed. The results of this effort will be presented during the Peace Summit.
The suffering of the most vulnerable communities crosses borders, so it is necessary to focus attention on these groups, who have not only been the first to respond to the health, climate, economic and social tragedies facing the countries in which they live.
"It is intentional to ignore our existence, it is intentional to ignore that we speak other languages because our language is the basis of our human rights," said Odilia Romero, executive director of Cielo, a nonprofit based in Los Angeles.
The organization is led by indigenous women who work alongside indigenous communities to end gender-based violence, provide language access rights, cultural preservation and reproductive justice, and serve as a diaspora.
"When a transnational company comes and asks if it is okay for our land to be used for its purposes, there is no interpretation, so we do not understand how it will affect us in the long term. This is how the violations of the human rights of indigenous people and their land begin and then we have to migrate and expose ourselves to be criminalized," said the activist.
"We want to stop the criminalization of people, the movement of weapons, the criminalization of people of color," he said.
According to official figures and research by some of the participating organizations, gun purchases in the United States and gun violence in Mexico and the United States reached the highest level in history in both countries during the pandemic; 70 percent of the weapons recovered at crime scenes in Mexico come from the United States.
Likewise, more than 10,000 incidents of violence against migrants by authorities in both countries have been recorded since the implementation of the Stay in Mexico Program or MPP.
"We are committed to making space for our voices to come together, the messages and the truth that needs to be heard by the general public and the privileged who may think our culture looks pretty but don't see the violence we have to endure every day," said Melissa Iakowi: he'ne' Oakes, executive director of American Indian Community House in New York City.
The Mohawk woman, from the Snipe Clan who resides in the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, where she was born and raised, noted that “the Pope was here the other day and he met with a Native Nation, but there are many of us. Representation matters, the voice of each nation matters.”
Tragedy and oblivion unite, which is why events like the Summit are of great importance for the most vulnerable communities, said Cristina Bautista Salvador, mother of Benjamín Ascencio Bautista, one of the 43 missing student teachers from Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, Mexico.
«This is very important for me as Benjamin's mother, so that people can hear it firsthand. We know that we are not the only ones who are suffering. There are many disappearances and violence in the world. Pain and suffering unite us to raise our voices, to be heard in every corner.»
This mother and activist recalled that in Mexico there are more than one hundred thousand families looking for their loved ones, "the Peace Summit is important as parents of the 43 so that they know that here we continue looking for our children demanding that they be returned to us alive."
For Jorden Giger of the Black Lives Matter movement in South Bend, Indiana, actions like the Peace Summit are necessary to unite forces between different organizations whose struggles are common.
“This summit is extremely important because the weapons that are used to kill black people in the U.S. are the same ones used to kill people in Mexico and Central and South America. We should be organizing while challenging our governments and community members about the proliferation of weapons in our communities,” Giger said.
Isabella D'Alacio, an activist and survivor of the Parkland, Florida, massacre, said: "Young people need a seat at the table to advocate for solutions to the problems that have destroyed our communities. The summit and its outcome will be essential to creating a future for my generation."
"There is not much difference between a firearm here and in Mexico, the only difference is the people it can hit," he added.
Environmental issues are no strangers to the suffering of vulnerable communities, as inhabitants of mountains, hills and slopes have become activists to protect the resources and nature that surrounds them.
"In Mexico, when we have an environmental struggle in the territory where we are, it is not so free, we could make alliances. The summit is important to learn how trees and other resources can be respected in other places," said Grisel Cuecuecha, from the organization Cultures of the Past, Voices of the Present, in Tlaxcala, Mexico.
Finally, Marco Castillo emphasized that it is important to engage in dialogue between peoples, communities and organizations in order to take decisive regional actions that point the way toward a different reality and relationship between Mexico and the United States. "The one we have is not enough to restore peace and advance justice."
“Communities have been divided by a false narrative of rivalry. It is time to review the common agenda because we are more united in this than ever. The Peace Summit will strengthen these common dialogues,” he stressed.
To join this process, the organizers have made the websites available www.cumbrexlapaz.org and www.peacesummit2023.org.
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