BRICS Policy Center/PUC-Rio Hosts Debate: “What If We Put Peace at the Center of Politics?”

On June 3, 2026, the BRICS Policy Center/PUC-Rio, through the GSUM (Global South Unit for Mediation), hosted the debate “What if we put peace at the center of politics?”, bringing together members of civil society, activists, and researchers to discuss the dynamics of peace and conflict, with a special focus on the impacts of structural and police violence in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

The debate was moderated by the director of the BPC/PUC-Rio, Marta Fernández, and featured comments from: Fransérgio Goulart (Right to Memory and Racial Justice Initiative), Ingri Bøe Buer (MSCA Research Fellow at the BRICS Policy Center/PUC-Rio and NMBU), Thainã de Medeiros (Papo Reto Collective), and Luís Gouveia Jr. (Fellow at GSUM/BPC/PUC-Rio).

During the discussion, the panelists discussed the various forms of violence that affect the suburbs and favelas of Rio de Janeiro on a daily basis, while highlighting the role of local initiatives and community movements as tools for resistance, the promotion of rights, and the expansion of citizen participation in the development of peace-oriented policies.

At the end of the debate, the audience was invited to participate in a question-and-answer session, deepening the discussion on the challenges and possibilities of placing peace at the center of political agendas and conflict resolution strategies.