The Amazonian Bilingual Intercultural Education Network (REIBA) celebrates five years of existence committed to the transformation of educational processes in the Amazonian territory. Born as a concrete response to the calls of the Synod for the Amazon, this network has been a space for articulation, service, training, and presence alongside the indigenous peoples who inhabit the Amazon.
Educate from the territory and for life
For Marbelys Monroy Rivas, MML, actual general coordinator of REIBA this commemoration means, above all, “recognizing God’s unconditional love for all, especially the poor, and renewing the commitment to defend the lives, cultures, territories, and languages of indigenous peoples.”
Celebrating these five years is also celebrating the resistance, cultural wealth and biodiversity of the Amazon territory, recognizing it as living territory, source of knowledge and spirituality.
Paths traveled and experiences sown
Among the significant moments of this journey, Sister Marbelys highlights:
- The creation of international volunteering with prior systematic training for territorial accompaniment.
- They join with religious congregations and local communities to support educational processes.
- The consolidation of a group of experts in intercultural education, which guides and enriches the pedagogical processes of the network.
From the pedagogy of popular education and based on interculturality, REIBA has promoted concrete processes such as the revitalization of indigenous languages, the creation of contextualized pedagogical materials, personalized advice and the design of a Amazonian ecological calendar, also engaging with state educational institutions on the need to reform educational models.
For an education with identity, justice and life
REIBA is the fruit of the historical struggles of Indigenous peoples for their own, community-based education, with cultural identity and in their native language. “We have seen how the valorization of traditional knowledge and the proposal of community-based education are key to preserving the life of these communities,” says Sister Marbelys.
Invitation to continue walking
On this anniversary, REIBA renews its synodal vocation and its spirituality of listening. “Being with Indigenous peoples makes us feel that everything is interconnected and impels us to defend our Common Home.”
For those who are already part of the journey, the invitation is to continue weaving with hope. And for those who feel called to join, REIBA says:“Do not be afraid. Let us go together, in synodality, announcing the Kingdom of life. It is worth it.”