A global citizen experience for peacebuilding in Mexico: the “Barcelona Protects Mexican Journalists” temporary shelter program

Abstract

This paper illustrates an experience of global citizenship that is articulated from the interest of migrant communities for participating in and having a political influence in the positive transformation of the conflicts that, on many occasions, forced them to migrate. In this case, the construction of the Association for Peace and Human Rights Taula per Mèxic (Round-table for Mexico) in Catalonia, Spain. Constituted as a legal entity, specializes in temporary relocation programs for human rights defenders and journalists, based on convening dif-ferent groups, collectives and people in the city of Barcelona to offer a space for temporary respite, specialized in psychosocial care and training in peace journalism that strengthens their work, their well-being and the positive transformation of conflicts For almost 10 years, the “Barcelona Protects Journalists from Mexico” Program has welcomed 33 journalists from different regions of the country. This paper shares the results of a collective analysis of the violence they experience as a profession and the response generated through engagement with the municipal agency for global justice and international cooperation.