IV Latin American and Caribbean Virtual Conference on Bioethics is held
SANTO DOMINGO- The National Bioethics Commission (CNB), the Latin American and Caribbean Federation of Bioethics Institutions (FELAIBE) and the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) made the fourth Latin American and Caribbean Virtual Conference on Bioethics, whose main objective was the promotion of a culture of peace and the eradication of structural violence.
During the opening act, Antonio Cabrera, Vice President of FELAIBE, He addressed structural violence as one of the main problems that threaten world peace.
“Structural violence is that in which damage is caused to basic human needs, such as survival, freedom, well-being, and the identity of groups of people. It can occur in countries, globally in our region. It is necessary to become aware of this problem from a practical and social point of view”, he expressed.
Lourdes Torres, president of CNB, explained that structural violence is materialized in the denial of needs and said that the objective of this Conference is to analyze this type of violence, while proposing bioethics and a culture of peace as a response to this situation.
Miguel Robiou, Dean of the Health Sciences Area of the INTEC, He thanked the collaboration with INTEC to promote good practices that promote a culture of peace and social well-being in the communities. "As a medical training institution, we try to make our students aware of the principles of bioethics and we are committed to developing these not only at INTEC, but also in the Dominican Republic," he said.
The first table of the Virtual Conference on Bioethics addressed the characterization of structural violence and the speakers included Cándido Mercedes, a sociologist and university professor together with Tahira Vargas, a social anthropologist. It was coordinated by Dr. Fernando Arroyo, secretary of FELAIBE.
The second table spoke about the “Bioethics and the culture of peace: a bioethical response”, under the moderation of Dr. Daphne Arbaje, a member of the CNB. The exhibitors were Julio Leonardo Valeirón, coordinator of the Center for Psychosocial Care (CAPS) of INTEC; together with the bioethicist Cristian Peralta.
Central themes of the Latin American and Caribbean and Bioethics Virtual Conference
La structural violence It refers to situations in which damage to basic human needs such as survival, freedom, well-being or identity occurs, in which there is generally a privileged group and a vulnerable group, characterized in terms of class, race or gender.
It is also experienced when some aspects of individual or institutional behaviors are normalized through symbols, languages, games, news, television programs, and others. "This form of violence is so incorporated into our societies that it is difficult not to be part of it," explained the doctor. Gerardo Perazzo, president of FELAIBE.
Furthermore, the bioethics and culture of peace It is an interdisciplinary and humanistic science in charge of mediating in the processes of violence as a facilitator of dialogue, respecting ontological dignity and building paths of harmony and peace, which develop adequate conditions for coexistence in society.