From April 9–11, 2026, Joint Learning Initiative (JLI) Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Coordinator Andrés Martínez participated in the Interdisciplinary Jornadas on “Integral Health and Spirituality” hosted by the Universidad Adventista del Plata in Argentina. The international academic event brought together psychologists, psychiatrists, physicians, theologians, researchers, nurses, educators, and faith leaders to explore the relationship between spirituality, mental health, integral wellbeing, and professional practice. Organized by the university’s Psychology Department as a continuation of the 2024 Mental Health Jornadas, the 2026 edition expanded into a broader interdisciplinary platform focused on developing scientifically grounded and ethically informed approaches to spirituality and health.
Representing JLI before more than 200 hybrid participants attending both in person and virtually, Andrés delivered a presentation entitled “The Importance of Faith Communities in the Promotion of Mental Health in Peacebuilding Contexts.” Drawing from JLI’s work on faith-sensitive Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), the presentation explored the deep and multidimensional impacts of violence and armed conflict on physical, psychological, social, and spiritual wellbeing. Particular attention was given to how conflict environments generate long-term mental health consequences, including trauma, displacement, social fragmentation, toxic stress, and intergenerational suffering. The presentation emphasized that war and violence not only injure individuals directly but also destroy the broader social conditions necessary for human wellbeing, including healthcare systems, livelihoods, education, and community support networks.
The session further examined the role of local faith actors and religious communities within peacebuilding and psychosocial support processes. Andrés highlighted how faith communities frequently act as first responders in contexts affected by violence and displacement, often serving populations in areas where formal mental health services are absent or inaccessible. Building on internationally recognized peacebuilding frameworks and psychosocial intervention models, the presentation demonstrated how religious actors contribute at multiple levels: through accompaniment, stigma reduction, community rituals, peer support, referrals, psychoeducation, humanitarian assistance, and long-term social cohesion efforts. It also explored how faith leaders can help communities construct meaning, dignity, hope, and resilience amid suffering and uncertainty.
A central component of the presentation focused on JLI’s fair and equitable approach to research, partnership, and knowledge production. Andrés stressed the importance of moving beyond symbolic consultation toward genuine co-creation with local communities and faith actors, particularly in contexts affected by conflict, inequality, discrimination, and climate vulnerability. The presentation argued that evidence and interventions become more legitimate, culturally relevant, and impactful when local communities are treated not merely as informants but as co-creators of knowledge and practice. Themes of localization, epistemic justice, and the decolonization of global health and peacebuilding work were woven throughout the discussion, emphasizing the need for more participatory and context-sensitive approaches to MHPSS and peacebuilding.
Beyond the formal presentation, Andrés actively engaged with academic leaders, healthcare professionals, researchers, and institutional representatives throughout the three-day program to strengthen relationships and identify opportunities for future collaboration between JLI, universities, and faith-based practitioners working at the intersection of spirituality, health, and peacebuilding. These exchanges contributed to broader conversations on integrating faith-sensitive and community-centered approaches into professional mental health practice, public health responses, and peacebuilding initiatives across Latin America and beyond.
