Jaime Cárdenas del Carre, director from research of Schengen Peace Foundationaddressed on January 23 at the University of Navarra the problems and challenges of reconciliation in societies that have experienced a high Degree of massive and indiscriminate violence. A glance at the present day, or at the most recent history, reveals not only the great need for pacification that exists in so many parts of the world, but also the transcendence of the ways of reconciliation in guaranteeing peace in the future.

As Jaime Cárdenas in the seminar organized by the group of research in Recent History (GIHRE), the end of direct or armed violence does not mean the end of conflicts. This is a long and difficult process that involves the need to put an end also to Structures of cultural, structural and social violence, almost always pre-existing to the violent outbreak and that can be the germ of future conflicts. This problem is often inherited by the victims and subsequent generations, and is compounded by the difficult management of the report and the past, which can become new obstacles to reconciliation. 

Justice or impunity, forgetfulness or report, how to reconcile internally divided societies that have suffered Degrees high levels of violence, sometimes in equal parts, is reparation possible, what is justice when faced with the problems of child soldiers or guerrillas, is State justice enough to heal the human wounds of violence, and what happens when the State, precisely because of this status of conflict, is weak or does not have the appropriate means, and what happens when the State, precisely because of this of conflict, is weak or does not have the appropriate means?

These were just some of the questions that Jaime Cárdenas posed in his exhibition and that reflect the pending subject that his answers still represent today. However, the speaker pointed out that there is an important change of attitude in this regard and that means are being implemented to put it into practice at internship. This change understands that the means of traditional justice, such as judicial sentences and solely economic reparations, are insufficient or impossible in many of the conflicts.

In the face of this, new ways of reconciliation are being sought, some of which have been implemented in Argentina or South Africa. These new ways address other dimensions of man that are also damaged by the violation of human rights, such as the need for recognition, the search for truth, the restoration of report or stories, the need for forgiveness. The spiritual, emotional and religious dimension of man, with all its components, is revealed as the necessary basis for reconciliation, on which the State has the duty, in each case, to apply measures of justice and retribution. A broad panorama still to be built and that, as concluded by speaker, needs many contributions not only from the field of organizations, but also from research and Education.