In a context shaped by the convergence of environmental, social, and ethical challenges, the UNESCO Regional Office for Central America, Mexico, and Colombia (UNESCO San José) and the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC) held the third discussion forum of the series “Building Peace,” organized by UNESCO to rethink our relationship with the natural environment and to promote harmonious and sustainable coexistence.
The forum, entitled “How Do We Relate to Our Environment? Have We Broken Our Ties with Nature?” took place at the Central Technological Campus as part of the celebration of TEC’s 55th anniversary, a key academic institution for Costa Rica’s scientific and technological development.
The activity aimed to encourage reflection on our place as human beings within nature and on the construction of a respectful relationship with the environment that sustains us, creating space to analyze how our relationship with ecosystems has evolved and the challenges this evolution entails.
“At its 55th anniversary, TEC not only celebrates its trajectory, but also clearly assumes its responsibility in national and international discussions on today’s major challenges. Our relationship with nature is one of them. This space, in partnership with UNESCO, allows us to raise the level of debate, integrate diverse voices, and reaffirm that from the public university we can—and must—play a role in building a more just and sustainable future,” said María Estrada Sánchez, President of the Costa Rica Institute of Technology.
For his part, Alexander Leicht, Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office, highlighted that this initiative responds to the Organization’s historic mandate: “Building peace means recognizing that our relationship with nature is a fundamental part of how we coexist. In a global context marked by environmental uncertainty, opening spaces for informed and plural dialogue is essential to imagine more just and sustainable futures. We conceive these spaces as true laboratories of ideas that, together with institutions of the highest caliber such as TEC, allow us to reflect and think about solutions.”
Invited Panelists
The forum was moderated by Guillermo Anlló, Regional Specialist for the Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy Program for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNESCO, and brought together five panelists with distinguished careers in sustainability, conservation, bioethics, the circular economy, and Indigenous knowledge systems.
Participants included environmental management and waste management specialist Liliana Abarca; ASANA Director and leading figure in Biosphere Reserve management Andrea Herrera; biologist, project manager, and coordinator of the UNESCO Chair in Biosphere Reserve Management and Regenerative Practices at the University for International Cooperation (UCI), Tania Moreno; TEC academic with extensive experience in peace education, ethics, and human rights, Mariam Álvarez; and TEC forestry engineer with deep expertise in community work in Indigenous territories, Keisy Aishira Lázaro Rojas.
This third meeting of the “Building Peace” series is part of UNESCO’s efforts to strengthen public reflection on the region’s contemporary challenges. The series has become a bridge between citizens, academia, youth, and civil society, promoting dialogues that inspire solutions and the transformations necessary for democratic coexistence.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-and-tec-university-costa-rica-call-rethinking-our-relationship-nature?hub=701
