Guatemala, February 23 - March 2, 2009

March 25, 2009, marks the 10th anniversary of the release of the official report of Guatemala’s Historical Clarification Commission (CEH), Guatemala: Memory of Silence.  

Based on the testimony of thousands of survivors, the report examines the causes of the armed conflict and human-rights violations, but more importantly it presents recommendations to promote peace and national harmony in Guatemala. Its recommendations include: measures to preserve the memory of the victims, measures to foster a culture of mutual respect and observance of human rights, measures for strengthening democratic processes, and measures for the promotion of peace and national harmony.

Ten years later, we ask ourselves: What steps have been taken to follow the recommendations to achieve a “firm and lasting peace” in Guatemala?

Join UUSC and bear witness to the tenacious and inspiring work of our partners to build a “firm and lasting peace” and an inclusive society in Guatemala. Learn about the commitment of the Association for the Integral Development of the Victims of Violence in the Verapaces, Maya Achí (ADIVIIMA) to repair the social fabric of indigenous communities torn apart by war in the Verapaces. Hear about the inspiring work of STITCH, which empowers and organizes women in maquilas and banana plantations and demands justice in the workplace.

On this journey, you will travel to north-central Guatemala to learn firsthand how indigenous communities have organized under the leadership of UUSC program partners ADIVIMA and the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR). Despite enormous odds, they are succeeding in holding Guatemala’s former military officials accountable for genocide and crimes against humanity committed in the 1980s.

You will also meet communities displaced by the construction of the Chixoy Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in Central America -- and learn about their attempts to obtain reparations, one of the recommendations included in Guatemala: Memory of Silence.

Come and take part in this journey of hope, be inspired by the tenacity and dedication of our partners, and learn about ways you can support their relentless efforts.

A TENTATIVE SCHEDULE is coming up!

Cost: US $1,200. This includes all pre- and post-trip literature; room and board; and in-country transportation, interpretation, and facilitators. Participants will stay in double rooms at moderate hotels/guesthouses. Meals are usually served family or buffet style. The cost does not include airfare or incidentals. Participants must make their own travel arrangements to Guatemala City. UUSC will provide shuttle transportation from the airport to Antigua.

Application Deadline: January 4, 2009.

Download the application and waiver forms today at http://www.uusc.org/justjourneys.

For more information, please contact Xenia Barahona at justjourneys@uusc.org or 617-301-4316.