For the second Ambassador Feature Series, IEP introduces Erika Díaz Pascacio from Chiapas, Mexico, who was a graduate of the 2019 IEP Ambassador Program.
As part of the 2019 cohort of the IEP Ambassador Program, Erika Díaz Pascacio used the Positive Peace framework to understand migration in her home country of México.
Erika Díaz is an assistant professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, México.
After completing a professional development certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution at the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University, Erika gained further understanding of positive peace and its implications in upholding human integrity.
“I found that to achieve positive peace I had to be transformed from the experience in understanding my identity, sharing this with others and learning from others too”
For her ambassador project, Erika gave a presentation analyzing migration trends due to violence and global insecurity at Cornell University. In the fall 2019 semester, Erika was invited to speak at a course entitled ‘Migration: Histories, Controversies and Perspectives’ at Cornell University.
For her ambassador project,Erika gave a presentation analyzing migration trends caused by violence and global insecurity.In her presentation, she applied the positive peace framework, including definitions of negative and positive peace and the eight Pillars, to explain migration trends in Mexico and Central America.
“[…] I wanted to share my perspective from the other side of the border. I found the positive peace framework, through the eight pillars, helps to break down the migratory issue.”
Given Erika’s experience as a peace practitioner in Mexico, she believes there is evidence to say Mexico is strong in positive peace because of its strong local networks.
A Positive Peace analysis published in the Mexico Peace Index finds that weak scores in well-functioning government, low levels of corruption, and free flow of information have trapped Mexico’s social system in a cycle of violence.
On a global scale, Mexico has a strong, emerging economy, ranking 15th in the world.
But in order for the country to match its economic counterparts, which advance on the Global Peace Index (GPI) rankings, Mexico would need to address its weaker socio-economic areas or Pillars of Positive Peace.
According to IEP’s research, Mexico already has the second-highest potential for improvement in peace in the world.
Erika joined the Ambassador program to foster connections with multidisciplinary professionals and join a community in tune with concepts of Positive Peace.
The IEP Ambassador program acts as an invaluable resource to find social, economic, and environmental strategies to respond to the many challenges occurring in the world.
What Erika found most meaningful was learning about the fresh approaches in which she could put Positive Peace into action. She believes that peace building is a shared responsibility, acknowledging that all things are interconnected and interdependent.
“The IEP ambassadors program is a great opportunity to gain and to update further knowledge in how our societies are evolving in peacefulness, as well as how we all can contribute to it”
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