The book titled “Estudio Centroamericano sobre contenidos curriculares de Educación en Derechos Humanos y Educación para la Paz: Recomendaciones y lineamientos de renovación” (Central American Study regarding curricula contents on Education in Human Rights and Education for Peace: Recommendations and lineaments for renovation) was officially launched at the International Institute of Human Rights and elaborated in collaboration with UNESCO and University for Peace. The book has introductory paragraphs from Wolfgang Reuter, Ex Director of UNESCO and the present Rector of University for Peace, John J. Maresca. The launch of the book took place in San Jose, Costa Rica on April 9th and uses the Earth Charter as important supporting document.
The group in charge of the study involved Abelardo Brenes Castro, Project Coordinator, Cristina Linaje Hervás, UNESCO technical counterpart, María Trejos Montero, responsible for analysis and recommendations for V grade, Lissette Monge Ureña, responsible for the analysis and recommendations for XI grade, and Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, contribution on human rights analytic framework.
UNESCO Office in Costa Rica asked the collaboration of University for Peace for the realization of this study and considered that the analysis should be focused on the educational texts used in Central America. Nevertheless, the researches considered that in addition to these texts the analysis of the official curriculum from the Ministries of Education was advisable. For this reason the research is focused on how the incorporation of values, principles and contents on human rights and education for peace has been carried out in the text books used in class, with the objective of establishing lineaments and proposals for their strengthening and enrichment.
The Earth Charter was used as a values and principles framework in the analysis of the curricula and text books contents; at the same time recommendations were made on the importance of using the Charter in the elaboration of them.