Manifesto for Educommunication in Latin America at the 10th Educom (Brazilian Educommunication Meeting)

 

Transforming society through dialogue and participation

At a time when Latin America is facing systemic challenges such as political polarization, crime, violence, various forms of private and public corruption, a lack of citizen participation, and persistent social inequality, there is a growing need for a paradigm that articulates education, communication, and citizenship as transformative axes. Educommunication, as a bridge between education and communication, is more than a tool; it is a strategic approach to building more just, critical, and participatory societies.

1. Educommunication: An imperative for social empowerment

Educommunication is not limited to the technical learning of media, as Ismar de Oliveira stated in the 1995 Educommunication Manifesto in A Coruña. It is a paradigm that seeks to empower individuals and communities through the conscious and active exercise of life and the relational connections between people, in their territories, and with nature. From this starting point, it fosters dialogue in society, the critical literacy of individuals, allowing them to decipher and analyze their environment and create content that reflects their realities and aspirations. In a continent where digital networks and media have sometimes been vehicles of misinformation and polarization, educommunication offers a path to democratize speech, images, access to information, and empower marginalized communities.

2. Regional Challenges: A Call to Action

Latin America faces a multifaceted democratic crisis: political polarization that erodes dialogue and fuels populism; violence and crime that weaken institutions and contaminate the social climate with growing fear, which impacts and limits participation; distrust in institutions due to high levels of corruption in both the public and private spheres; and social exclusion and inequality that perpetuate an unjust system.

Educommunication is positioned as a comprehensive and key approach to addressing these issues, fostering honest and proactive relationships for mutual understanding through various forms of community empowerment and media literacy, to promote transparency and accountability in a context of citizen dialogue.

3. Towards a critical and active citizenship

Educommunication promotes the development of citizens who are aware of their role in communities, critical and participatory, and capable of: a) valuing community and environmental ties; b) questioning media and social media messages, becoming aware of the agendas behind them; c) actively participating in the design of public policies and community projects; and d) using traditional and digital tools to generate significant social change.

In this sense, educommunication must adapt to local cultural and social contexts, respecting diverse identities and promoting inclusive and sustainable solutions.

4. A transformative paradigm for democracy

Educommunication, as a paradigm, discipline, and practice, proposes five strategic lines to strengthen democracy in Latin America:

• Promote civic education and media literacy to create active and critical citizens.
• Strengthen dialogue and deliberation as mechanisms for solving social, economic, and environmental problems.
• Promote diversity and inclusion as fundamental values in politics and society.
• Combating disinformation and propaganda through transparent, evidence-based communication.
• Promote civic participation and ethics as a pillar of a strong democracy. Demand transparency and accountability to restore trust in institutions.

Corruption and violence have robbed us of too much: lives, resources, and trust. But they cannot take away our ability to organize and fight for the transformation of our reality. Educommunication is a source of "active integrity," a way to expose the lives of communities in the face of injustice and empower the most vulnerable to become protagonists of their own stories. If power abuses silence and favors manipulation, let us respond with a thousand voices of hope.

Every medium of communication, every technology, every public space can be a stage for the active presence of community voices, fostering dialogue, transparency, and accountability. We cannot wait any longer: we must seize these spaces and put them at the service of truth.

5. The role of public policies and institutions

Following the call of Latin America's educommunication tradition, it is essential that governments and educational and social institutions adopt public policies that integrate educommunication as an essential part of the educational and social system. This includes:

• The inclusion of media literacy and educational programs in schools and universities.
• Promote and support community projects that use educommunication to foster dialogue and participation in various aspects of community life, including environmental stewardship, health, spirituality, and dialogue for problem-solving.
• The creation of observatories and centers that monitor and promote the ethical use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

6. The role of national and regional organizations as catalysts of educommunication for a new citizenship

Promote the creation of networks for Educommunication and Citizenship, so that they can position themselves as key players in leading this transformation (such as ABPeducom; CELAEC, SIGNIS ALC, and the Universities of S. Paulo and Javeriana, which have programs along these lines).

• Generate a network of academic and professional centers that promote educommunication research-action agendas.
• Train community leaders and young people in educational communication practices.
• Implement projects that promote inclusion, equity, and sustainability.

7. Towards a humanistic and transformative communication of good life

Educommunication not only responds to current challenges but also anticipates the challenges of the future, such as the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the digitalization of life. In this context, a humanistic vision is required, with a sensitivity toward good living or a full good life, as the wise men of the indigenous peoples of our continent invite us to do, prioritizing dignity, justice, and the common good, integrating all sectors of society in the effort to build a more humane, civic, and nature-respecting Latin America.

The future cannot be decided by algorithms or corporate interests. It must be decided by empowered citizens who understand technology as a tool for liberation, not oppression. Educommunication gives us the keys to navigate an increasingly complex digital world and build an ethical relationship with artificial intelligence and media platforms. It's not enough to adapt to change; we must be innovative to lead the processes.

We call on educators to become mentors who inspire critical and creative minds.

We call on communicators to use platforms to amplify voices, to showcase the faces and wealth of peoples and communities, not to manipulate them.

To the citizens: don't let others act for you. Because the transformation is in your hands.

8. A call for collective commitment

The educommunication paradigm is an invitation to transform our societies from the ground up, fostering critical, active, and inclusive citizenship. This manifesto is an invitation to transform every school, every university, every home, and every community into a laboratory of active citizenship. We call on governments, organizations, educators, and citizens to, together, adopt educommunication as a central approach and strategy to face the challenges of our time with hope and build a better future for Latin America.