Resilient Territories

Resilient territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, considering resilience as a key aspect to overcome natural disasters or social problems, turning the threat into an opportunity. The construction of resilient territories and communities leads to cultural changes, empowerment of leaders, women and minorities who reside in the city, stimulating relationships of coexistence, security and conservation of ecosystems.

Resilience drives a regional dynamic that breaks the center-periphery scheme, offering equal opportunities to urban and rural territories. Development is carried out in the territories, and it is in these spaces where risks, disasters and decisions are made that are made in different spheres and power entities, both on a regional, national, international and global scale.

Therefore, any policy, strategy or project that aims to be sustainable and resilient has to consider the local dimension in its execution.

The management of development in territories and countries cannot exclude disaster risks in its planning, whether caused by human actions or natural phenomena.

The natural and social sciences and culture can contribute from different levels to generating greater qualities of territorial and community resilience, thus contributing to promoting sustainable local development. Local particularities merit addressing the problem with a vision adapted to the realities and environments of each region, for which it is necessary to design instruments that allow for the implementation of participatory strategic planning processes.

Ana Silvia Monzón

Ana Silvia Monzón is a sociologist, a member of the Scientific Committee of UNESCO's Social Transformations program, and President of the Central American Sociological Association. He was part of the panel at the high-level session “Social and human sciences: the irrelevant sciences of the 21st century? Which addresses the issue of the role of these sciences in solving the challenges that the new century brings.

In the report, carried out by the Regional Specialist of the Social and Human Sciences sector of UNESCO Montevideo, Andrés Morales, the sociologist highlighted the importance of instances such as the CILAC Forum, and of the social sciences, to have resilient territories in Latin America and the Caribbean .