Quintana Roo’s New Youth Peace Program

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The state of Quintana Roo has become the national launch site for the Universal Network for Peace America 2030 (RUNI PAZ) in Mexico. The initiative was unveiled during the introduction of the program "Brilliant Minds: From the Brain to the Emotionality of Building Peace," an event attended by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa and the Rector Head Master of the Corporate Educational Intelligence (CIE) and CEVER Siglo XXI, Eduardo Carreón Muñoz.

The launch event gathered more than 3,000 young people at the Cancún Polyforum. During the proceedings, Mara Lezama was presented with the "Messenger of Peace" award, endorsed by the Latin American Commission on Human Rights. This distinction is the first and only one of its kind in Mexico, among 16 created worldwide since 2022.

Governor Lezama emphasized that the "Brilliant Minds" program aims to promote the development of socio-emotional skills in elementary, middle, and high school students, thereby strengthening peaceful coexistence, empathy, and respect.

"It is about building peace," Governor Lezama explained, "uniting peace with this United Nations Global Compact, with the Latin American Commission on Human Rights, with Inteligencia EDUCA, with these alliances that have brought together more than 1,600 organizations internationally. The objective is the construction of peace through education with the SER model: To Be a student, To Be a classmate, To Be human."

The program launch also featured the Conference-Workshop "Training in Emotional Intelligence and Neuroeducation for Peace," held as part of the State Day for Peace. The workshop promotes among youth the recognition and healthy management of emotions, assertive communication, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. These competencies, considered part of socio-emotional education, are deemed fundamental for preventing bullying, strengthening interpersonal relationships, and fostering more respectful and supportive communities.

The Secretary of Education, Elda Xix Euán, explained that "Brilliant Minds" is a space designed for adolescents between 12 and 17 years old in middle school and high school, who wish to understand how their brains work, manage their emotions, and become agents of change by building a culture of peace in their community.

During the event, Mara Lezama highlighted that the initiative is part of the "Culture of Peace" program, promoted by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, which calls upon the government and society to build a model of coexistence based on social justice, equality of opportunity, and empathy.

Addressing the attendees, and accompanied by the honorary president of the Quintana Roo DIF System, Verónica Lezama Espinosa, the state executive emphasized that "building peace is everyone's task," and that this process begins within each person, through the development of emotional intelligence, self-knowledge, and empathy.

"Young women and men, you have the right to a better life, but also the power to create it," expressed Mara Lezama to the students, stressing the importance of learning, being critical, and using knowledge to positively transform their environment.

The Governor of Quintana Roo also noted that in an era saturated with information, especially on social networks, thinking critically and regulating emotions becomes essential to avoid misinformation and impulsive reactions.

"Emotional intelligence helps us to understand ourselves better, to weigh our responses, and to relate to others with respect and tolerance," she affirmed.

As part of the "Brilliant Minds" program, participants will continue their training through five virtual sessions, at the end of which they will receive a certificate. Furthermore, some will be recognized as Ambassadors of the Latin American Commission on Human Rights. These virtual sessions will be held once per week, starting on November 22, 2025, and concluding on December 20 of the same year.

The event was held in collaboration with the Quintana Roo Secretariat of Education and the organization Inteligencia EDUCA International. It is framed within the New Agreement for Well-being and Development, which seeks to strengthen comprehensive education, a culture of peace, and the emotional well-being of youth.