The Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) is once again the center of children’s and youth literature with the celebration of the IV National Meeting of Children’s and Youth Literature: Song, creation and territory. This event, led by the Research Seminar on Didactics of Children’s and Young People’s Literature Co-Libris, is part of the Research Group Culture and Narration in Colombia (CUYNACO) and was held in collaboration with the Presidential Program Sounds for Peace Building (PSCP).
During the meeting, 36 artists, trainers and experts in the field, together with 18 pedagogical supporters of the program, shared their experience and knowledge in the creation and composition of children’s songs. This space sought to highlight the importance of music and literature as tools for children, adolescents and young people to express their realities, traditions and daily experiences through poetry.
For Samuel Morales Cuchillo, leader of the Cabildo Indígena del Resguardo de Guambía, “these spaces are very important for the inhabitants of rural areas because we learn and become familiar with peace projects”.
Participants had the opportunity to explore the creative process, fostering an enriching dialogue that connects literature with the cultural identity of the communities. The stanzas composed reflect not only their dreams and aspirations, but also the challenges and richness of their environments, turning the meeting into a platform for peace-building and strengthening local culture.
For Valentina Acevedo, leader of the Co-Libris research group “in this fourth meeting we have worked with the project Sounds for the Construction of Peace, and we seek to bring music and art to remote places and rural areas so that we can achieve peace in a society that needs it so much”.
“We made a significant articulation of the Co-Libris Seedbed, we did a work between the literary and musical, and that is how ‘Casando Sonidos’ was born, where we received 116 songs from different rural areas of the country, and many of them are today shared their experience in the process of creating and composing children’s songs,” said Sandra Sanchez, a professional attached to the project Sounds for Peace.
This event not only promotes art and literature, but also highlights the fundamental role of educators and artists in the formation of new generations, promoting creativity and a sense of belonging. The UIS, by hosting this meeting, reaffirms its commitment to education and cultural development of the country, becoming a beacon of inspiration for future creators.
