We want to congratulate our Colombian PhD student and associate researcher, Greis Cifuentes, who has been chosen as the new Development Director of the Fundación Nacional Batuta – FNB – in Colombia.
Batuta has a presence in all of the 32 departments of the country and serves more than 38,000 children and young people from vulnerable populations, through excellent musical training, focused on collective practice, from a perspective of social inclusion, rights and cultural diversity, which contributes to the improvement of the quality of life of its beneficiaries and families.
Greis has a brilliant professional and academic trajectory, she is the process of developing an outstanding career in the cultural and educational sector working in the public sector and in international organizations such as the Fulbright Commission in Germany and Colombia, the Colombian Ministry of Culture, the Colombian Consulate in New York and now in Batuta.
Among the challenges of this new position are, the necessity to diversify the sources of funding for the Foundation, expanding its coverage and number of beneficiaries. In addition, Greis will need to guarantee the continuity of Batuta’s most significant projects throughout the country.
Greis firmly believes in the transformative power of music and the methodology used by Batuta as a tool for strengthening social capital. The pedagogical model of the FNB promotes in the beneficiaries the resolution of conflicts in a peaceful way, the dialogue, their integral development and the strengthening of the bonds between the children, which allows them to expand their social network.
Greis Cifuentes is undertaking PhD research looking at the role of art and culture in community reconciliation in Colombia.
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