The Cuban Quaker Institute of Peace (Instituto Cuáquero Cubano de Paz or ICCP) is a program in the care of Cuba Yearly Meeting that promotes the development of a culture of peace within Latin America. ICCP provides programming and courses for conflict transformation training for community leaders and others. The institute also seeks to strengthen Quaker peacebuilding and service through a deeper understanding of Quaker history, theology, and testimonies.
Recently, the ICCP has celebrated the first cycle of training mediators, fourteen in their January 2015 session, and also the first graduation on May 30, 2015 of twelve students in peacebuilding and Quaker studies. In 2016, courses continued in Holguin and Puerto Padre, and also began in Havana in July.
ICCP is looking ahead and reaching out to interested individuals in Latin America who would like to take courses at the institute. The three current groups in courses are planned to have their graduations in their respective Monthly Meetings with the hope and goal to encourage new people to also participate in the courses. Presently, ICCP is also considering providing classes for Latin American Quakers directly where they are located as well as for Miami Meeting and other Latino groups in North America. The Cuban Quaker Institute for Peace hopes to be present around different Yearly Meetings, rather than only specific locations, in order to make their work and vision more accessible to Friends led to this learning and leadership.
REPORT BY THE CUBAN QUAKER INSTITUTE OF PEACE TO THE 90th GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE YEARLY MEETING WHICH IS CELEBRATING IN GIBARA FROM FEBRUARY 16 TO 19 OF 2017. “Let us try, then, what love can do” (W. Penn) when we gather together in Spirit and in Truth.
In this year 2016, wecontinued with the courses in the offices of Holguin and Puerto Padre where 6 subjects were taught: Quaker History and Literature III by Ramón González Longoria E.; Quaker Processes by Benigno Sanchez-Eppler, Quaker Diversity by Betsy Cazden; Conflict in communities by Pablo Stanfield; The Quakers and the Bible by María Yi R. (in Holguín) and Jorge L Peña R (in Puerto Padre) and Quaker Women by María Antonia Bofill P. The enrollments in both locations vary between 10 students and in some cases more, the product of those brothers and sisters who from the course of 2013 to 2015 are finishing the subjects that are they’re missing. As you can see we have been using Cuban teachers and some foreigners.
On July 1 and 2, 2016 we opened the Havana location with an initial enrollment of 30 people but the fixed group is 20 brothers and sisters. For this we buy dishes and glasses and have used the facilities and utensils provided by Havana Meeting. We gave two courses: the inaugural one with Pablo Stanfield, Conflicts in Communities; and, the second, Introduction to Conflict Transformation by Kirenia Criado Pérez.
As you know I had an accident in July but we continued to lead the Institute with the diligent cooperation of the secretary, Ramón González Longoria Concepción, who was in charge of the carrying out of and the logistics of each meeting. His work has been very efficient in keeping our files up to date and, having more students (around 40) has increased the printing work; Sometimes about 1500 pages have been printed for a single meeting so that all students have the materials for each course. This has increased our spending on printing materials. At the end of each course we collect the materials we used to be saved for another current or future group.
We have decided that when these three groups complete all the courses, the graduation will be done in their respective Monthly Meetings. The seat of Havana is likely to end later. We hope in this way to encourage new brothers and sisters to join our courses.
Since it has not been possible to bring a group of Latin American Quakers to our headquarters because of the cost of travel, we are considering going to these places using foreign and Cuban teachers. We are also considering the Miami Meeting and other Latino groups in North America. In all these occasions we will try to link the courses with trips for other reasons to reduce the costs of travel. For this, we’ll contact the CMCA, COAL, Yearly Meetings and Monthly Meetings.
We want to thank the Monthly Meetings that have provided us with the facilities for the meetings and the sisters and brothers who help us in the preparation of food and snacks.
Ramón González Longoria Escalona Director
INFORME QUE RINDE EL INSTITUTO CUÁQUERO CUBANO DE PAZ A LA 90 ASAMBLEA GENERAL DE LA JUNTA ANUAL QUE SE ESTÁ CELEBRANDO EN GIBARA DEL 16 AL 19 DE FEBRERO DEL AÑO 2017.
“Probemos, pues, lo que el amor puede lograr” (W. Penn) cuando nos congregamos unidos en Espíritu y en Verdad. En este año 2016 continuamos con los cursos en las sedes de Holguín y Puerto Padre donde se impartieron 6 asignaturas: Historia y Literatura Cuáquera III por Ramón González Longoria E.; Procesos cuáqueros por Benigno Sanchez-Eppler, Diversidad Cuáquera por Betsy Cazden; Conflictos en las comunidades por Pablo Stanfield; Los Cuáqueros y la Biblia por María Yi R. (en Holguín) y Jorge L Peña R (en Puerto Padre) y Mujeres Cuáqueras por María Antonia Bofill P. Las matriculas en ambas sedes oscila en 10 estudiantes y en algunos casos más, producto de aquellos hermanos y hermanas que del curso del 2013 al 2015 están terminando las asignaturas que le faltan. Como pueden ver hemos estado usando profesores cubanos y algunos extranjeros. En julio 1 y 2 del 2016 abrimos la sede en la Habana con una matrícula inicial de 30 hermanos pero el grupo fijo es de 20 hermanos y hermanas. Para ello compramos platos y vasos y hemos usado las facilidades y utensilios facilitados por la Junta de la Habana. Dimos dos cursos: el inaugural con Pablo Stanfield, Conflictos en las Comunidades; y, el segundo, Introducción a la transformación de conflictos por Kirenia Criado Pérez.
Como saben tuve un accidente en julio pero seguimos dirigiendo el Instituto con la cooperación diligente del secretario, Ramón González Longoria Concepción, quien se encargó de la realización y logística de cada encuentro. Su labor ha sido muy eficiente en mantener nuestros archivos al día y, al tener más estudiantes (alrededor de 40) ha aumentado el trabajo de impresión; en ocasiones se han impreso alrededor de 1500 páginas para un solo encuentro para que todos los estudiantes tengan los materiales de cada curso. Esto ha aumentado nuestros gastos en materiales de impresión. Al terminar cada curso recogemos los materiales que nos sirven para otro grupo actual o futuro los que están debidamente guardados. Hemos decidido que cuando estos tres grupos finalicen todos los cursos, la graduación se haga en sus respectivas Juntas Mensuales. La sede de la Habana es probable que termine más tarde. Esperamos de esta forma estimular a nuevos hermanos y hermanas a que se incorporen a nuestros cursos.
En vista de que no ha sido posible traer a un grupo de cuáqueros latinoamericanos a nuestra sede por el costo de los viajes, estamos considerando la posibilidad de ir a esos lugares usando profesores extranjeros y cubanos. Lo mismo estamos considerando con relación a la Junta de Miami y otros grupos latinos en Norteamérica. En todas estas ocasiones trataremos de vincular los cursos con viajes por otros motivos para disminuir los costos de pasaje. Para ello contactaremos al CMCA, COAL, Juntas Anuales y Juntas Mensuales.
Queremos darles las gracias a las Juntas Mensuales que nos han prestado las facilidades para los encuentros tenidos y a las hermanas y hermanos que nos ayudan en la elaboración de los alimentos y meriendas.
Ramón González Longoria Escalona Director
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