A new normality is possible and necessary

Abstract

The text reflects on the need to transform the ‘normality’ prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, characterised as predatory and unequal, through the Manifesto for a New Normality, promulgated in 2020 by the Latin American Council for Peace Research (CLAIP). This manifesto, endorsed by more than 5,000 people and organisations, promoted the campaign ‘A New Normality is possible and necessary’, promoting the critique of the previous system and the collective construction of fairer alternatives.

It also describes how between April and November 2020, the initiative generated an active social movement, with the participation of more than 80 young volunteers from Latin America and the creation of cooperation networks between researchers, activists and students. Collective reflection activities were carried out on social media and hundreds of ‘Reflective Cards’ were published, highlighting the issues and opportunities exacerbated by the pandemic. And also, as in 2021, training, communication and research activities were intensified, such as webinars, talks and the XII Latin American Congress of Research for Peace, with more than 260 presentations by specialists from all over the world. As a result of these efforts, a book will be published in 2022 that gathers the principles of the manifesto and seeks to serve as a tool for the training of activists and collective reflection.

The book, organised in 10 chapters, offers an analysis of the key points of the manifesto and promotes the construction of a new normality based on mutual support, self-organisation, non-violence and Buen Vivir. It proposes an integral transformation that overcomes hierarchical structures, promotes equity, and prioritises collective well-being over individual interests, moving towards a just and sustainable civilisational model.