Week 20, 2012
Helsinki, Finland

When I read what is happening with the Mexican university students, it moves me.  For decades in Mexico we have been fighting for freedom and equality, or shall I say for centuries? That is a good question.

Nevertheless, this post focuses on our latest fight, which from my perspective started in 1968. University students from that time were fighting against the current government, which was some kind of dictatorship, we were ruled under the political party of the PRI.  During the time in which the PRI was in power, the seed of A LOT of the actual problems was sown as corruption, lack of education, drugs,…..

In October 2, 1968, the government committed a massacre, which until now has not been punished. The open wound is open in our society.

The general elections of 2000 had a massive participation and we finally changed of government. I am so happy I was able to vote in those elections. Since then we have 12 years with the PAN.

Now we have elections again. The context of this election is very challenging, I would say, and it is full of LIES.  Additionally, our educational system has been in decay, there is not media literacy in the country and the mass media does not want to inform objectively the society. In few words, the syndicate of teachers and the owners of the mass media have their own political agendas, which they are following carefully instead to serve the society. *sight*

In May 2012, the candidate of the PRI visited the University Iberoamericana – my alma matter btw –  and the students demonstrated their opposition towards the candidate. However after the visit the publicity of the candidate’s party  and the mass media did not acknowledge this event and modify it, diminish the students demonstration. Consequently, the university students react and published a video specifying that they were participants of the protest (video below).

Octavio Rodriguez Araujo wrote in his column the article entitle Los jovenes de ahora, mentioning that the actual generation we are defining as Ni-Ni because we perceive them as passive, conformist, apatic,  are actually showing us that in peace, they are demanding a change. For example, they are creating a movement towards impartial media.

Unquestionably, for the actual political movements that are taking place in México, as in other countries,  social networks are fundamental. The university students are putting their face, replying and questioning to politicians. They are expressing their truth and fighting for their rights. Unfortunately the Internet penetration in Mexico is low and very expensive. But things are advancing, somehow.

All these events reaffirm that Universities transpire life, they are generators of change and innovation. Universities have an important role in our societies.

Each one of us, as researchers, lecturers, teachers have an important commitment with our universities and with our youngsters. We shouldn’t transmit only collections of facts, instead supported by the subject matter of our expertise we should promote: critical thinking, questioning, search for evidence, tolerance,…. Each generation have to live what they have to live, but we have to offer them the tools for them to walk their own path!