PROMOTING SOLIDARITY ACTIONS. Universidad del Pacífico Center for Leadership, Ethics and Social Responsibility (CLERS) in collaboration with the Latin American Center for Learning and Solidarity Service (CLAYSS); the Latin American University Social Responsibility Union (URSULA); CAF Social Innovation - Development Bank of Latin America, and the Peruvian Network of University Social Responsibility, carried out the first National Conference on Solidarity Service-Learning (JONASS)

The aim of the event was to be a space of exchange between Peruvian actors of university level, school and other community organizations on the implementation of activities focused on solidarity service in line with the current Peruvian educational context. 

"We are a non-profit civil association founded in Buenos Aires that seeks to promote solidarity service-learning. It is a pedagogical proposal that provides a service carried out by students that seeks to solve a specific problem of the community applying what was learned in the classroom", said Enrique Ochoa, Executive Director of CLAYSS. 

The Solidarity Service-Learning projects allow children, adolescents and young people to generate new knowledge and participate in solidarity actions in real contexts; investigate new topics, and develop skills for life, work and citizen participation. This innovative pedagogy, spread around the world, contributes at the same time to improving the quality of education in institutions that are socially responsible for the local development. 

"Solidarity training is based on faculty and the university community establishing what the needs of the population are and covering them through experiences with students", said Sandro Paz, Director of Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation - Sineace. 

'Showing solidarity' should be focused on making a correct diagnosis of the community problem. In this context, universities must train leaders who meet specific needs to give another meaning to their own disciplines. 

"Students at Universidad del Pacífico, one of the best in Peru, have the challenge of making their knowledge favor those who need it the most in the country and committing themselves from their profession to improving education for all", said José Martín Vegas, Counselor of the National Council of Education. 

Experts agreed that in Peru there are interesting experiences that can contribute to a public policy that values solidarity service-learning as part of the fundamental strategies. 

"Such events are important because they allow us to find more organizations and individuals who are developing very similar activities to ours. The exchange of experiences helps students a lot", concluded Matilda Brown, Colegio Mayor Presidente del Perú.