Several Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Ecuador implemented support and humanitarian aid initiatives for indigenous groups from diverse regions who participated in the 2019 mobilizations. These university actions were understood as "peace centers" due to the context of intense police repression, centered around "El Arbolito." This study aims to explore how members of HEIs perceive the notion of peace centers and conceptualize the aid provided by four universities located in Quito. A qualitative methodology was employed, including interviews with key HEI actors and content analysis based on predefined study categories. The findings reveal that the concept of peace centers is socially constructed during moments of state repression, characterized by temporality, distinctiveness, and neutrality amidst conflict and violence. The discussion addresses the implications of these findings, particularly regarding the role of HEIs in the context of ongoing conflicts in Latin America.
Carlos Reyes Valenzuela (Wed,) studied this question.