The Portuguese Institute for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (IPDAL) took part in the Latin American & Caribbean Conference on Fostering Cultures of Peace through Promoting Interreligious Dialogue and Education, held on 26 and 27 November 2025 at the University for Peace (UPEACE) in Costa Rica. The conference was co-organised by UPEACE, KAICIID – King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, the Latin American and Caribbean Council of Religious Leaders – Religions for Peace, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

The event took place in an international context marked by increasing levels of polarisation, mistrust and discrimination, highlighting the central role of interreligious dialogue and education as key tools for conflict prevention, the promotion of social cohesion and the building of cultures of peace. The conference aligned with recent United Nations General Assembly resolutions recognising the importance of education for peace, freedom of religion or belief and intercultural dialogue as pillars of inclusive societies.

Within this regional dialogue, IPDAL’s Secretary-General, Gastón Ocampo, participated as moderator of the plenary session “Freedom of Religion or Belief and Education”, dedicated to analysing the relationship between freedom of religion or belief, education and pluralism, as well as to developing recommendations for the integration of these dimensions into formal and non-formal educational contexts in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The conference brought together religious leaders, policymakers, academics, educators and civil society representatives with the aim of promoting the exchange of good practices, strengthening regional networks and developing concrete recommendations to inform public policies and educational initiatives focused on peace and intercultural coexistence. Expected outcomes included enhanced multi-stakeholder cooperation, the development of practical tools for educators and the encouragement of sustainable partnerships across the region.

IPDAL’s participation forms part of its ongoing commitment to preventive diplomacy, intercultural dialogue and international cooperation, reinforcing its role as a bridge between Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and contributing to the strengthening of initiatives that promote human rights, peace education and social cohesion.