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Alessia and Leonel's parents, like many others, migrated from Venezuela to Peru, in search of better opportunities and to escape the country's ongoing economic turmoil. Alessia and Leonel arrived in Lima as little children and had experiences of discrimination and xenophobia. Today, however, their life in Lima improved significantly, especially in schools with their classmates. This is thanks to their teachers, who participated in the Training Programme of Inclusive Education Management and Pedagogy within the framework of the +DIVERSIDAD programme. The programme, oordinated by the UNESCO Office in Lima in collaboration with local partners and education authorities, aims to strengthen the capacity of teachers and school principals to foster inclusive education practices and environments that address diverse learning needs.

Through the +DIVERSIDAD programme, UNESCO Peru in collaboration with Antonio Ruiz de Montoya University have trained over 2,000 teachers and school directors in Lima and La Libertad (Trujillo) on various subjects, such as socio-emotional skills for living together, gender equality, interculturality, and school inclusion. This achievement contributes to building a democratic, intercultural, inclusive and equal education environment for children, incorporating the fundamental principles of inclusion in the education system and thus ensuring access to education for migrant and refugee students.

As a result of these efforts, Alessia and Leonel’s school journeys have been transformed. “My teachers gave me suggestions on how to get along with my classmates and overcome obstacles. Our relationships have improved, and we are learning from each other and respecting different opinions. There is no more discrimination or bullying,” says Leonel, a happy child with many friends. Owing to his exemplary leadership at the Santa Rosa Educational Institution #3057 in the Carabayllo district, Leonel was appointed as the student representative for four northern Lima school districts.

Alessia, on the other hand, holds the position of School Mayor at José Carlos Mariátegui La Chira educational institution in the San Martín de Porres district of Lima. According to Alessia, “the +DIVERSIDAD programme is helpful in so many ways in bringing us together. We now feel accepted just the way we are. We are all brothers and sisters. We are all friends". Alessia is cordially welcomed and trusted by her classmates. Her teachers, who were trained under the +DIVERSIDAD programme, played a crucial role in facilitating her integration.

The +DIVERSIDAD programme extends its support to 257 schools, collectively serving over 130,000 students. Out of these students, 15,336 are Venezuelan migrants and refugees, accounting for approximately 12% of the Venezuelan students in the Peruvian formal school system.

The multiannual inclusive education programme +DIVERSIDAD is funded by Education Cannot Wait and led by UNICEF Peru. It is implemented in collaboration with UNESCO Peru, RET, HIAS, World Vision, Save the Children, and Alternativa, marking a unified commitment towards fostering inclusive education for all.

• +DIVERSIDAD programme
• UNESCO’s work in education in emergencies