At the meeting we looked back together on the last three years, in which the representatives of the Ibero-American network conducted an online Emergency Pedagogy module training in Spanish and Portuguese. In order to make this possible, the group met regularly once a week and also held the training courses on weekends. They provided the technology, coordinated the lecturers, provided the participants with the necessary information and much more. Now that almost 150 people have successfully completed their training, the network is addressing new questions: How can we continue to be involved across borders? How can the individual country teams support each other in the event of an disaster?

After many intensive years of support, training and cooperation with the various Spanish and Portuguese-speaking country teams in South America and Europe, a strong network has been established. Especially in times when questions such as the possible effects of El Niño concern the humanitarian sector, it is all the more important to know that there are trained people in various South American countries (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil). These teams are ready to respond to an emergency at any time.

But the trained Emergency Educators are not only needed in the event of natural disasters. Teams are already active in their countries, for example by working in prisons with young people in Buenos Aires, advanced training courses for teachers in Chile, seminars for entire communities in Brazil or larger projects in Colombia. The possibility of giving children and young people some support and security today will help them even more tomorrow in the event of a crisis.

In addition to the content-related work and the work on organizational and structural issues, the Emergency Pedagogues took the opportunity of the days in Medellin to work in a conflictive neighbourhood and in a school with children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Fiona Bay