15th ICPP: Ciudad de México, México, June 25-29, 2018

15th ICPP: Ciudad de México, México

Introduction

The International Conferences on Philosophical Practice (ICPP) are events of great importance for the development of the movement of philosophical practice worldwide. With the intention of providing ideas or guidance to other future event organizers and of synthesizing our experience, in this text we narrate the odyssey of the 15th ICPP in Mexico, showing the difficulties and setbacks that had to be faced, the internal organization, the structuring of the Committees and the projection that was thought and carried out in the realization of a very successful event, in its first edition, in Latin America.

The 15th ICPP in Mexico[1]

The International Conferences on Philosophical Practices (ICPP) began in 1994 in Vancouver. It was organized for the first time by Lou Marinoff and Ran Lahav. After this, other venues followed: Leusden in 1996, New York in 1997, Germany in 1998, United Kingdom in 1999, the sixth Congress was in Norway in 2001, then in Denmark in 2004, Spain in 2006, Italy in 2008, Leusden in in 2010, Korea in 2012, Athens in 2013, Servia in 2014, Bern in 2016 and Mexico in 2018. The purpose of these events has been to bring together philosophical practitioners from around the world to generate space for dialogue and the growth of philosophy practices.

Normally in these events one finds at the international level the latest developments in philosophical practice. Year after year, the exchange and interaction of these events has allowed for the growth and professionalization of practices that are both new, and old at the same time. Philosophical practice invites people to take up the history and practices of philosophizing and to put them face to face with the subjects, groups and realities of today. In this article we narrate the history of the 15th ICPP, of which we were a part, we believe we left a positive mark on the movement.

Even before the 14th ICPP (which was held in Switzerland) David Sumiacher and Ángel Alonso discussed the possibility of hosting the 15th ICPP in Mexico. After the printing of the book Philosophy with children and adolescents, edited by UNAM and compiled by Ángel, with whom David had collaborated, they analyzed the advantages the event could have in Mexico, giving reasons why the Congress would be a good idea for both foreign speakers and for local people. They saw that a very fruitful exchange could be generated for many different groups of philosophy, including philosophical practice, philosophy for children and the use of philosophy within education, among others.

David and Ángel believed the Congress would benefit both those invited speakers from all around the world and those attendants and professors from Mexico, since both parties had different, yet complementary knowledge and perspectives which seemed to fit together like pieces of a puzzle. They conceived of it as an event that would be historical for the history of philosophy in the Mexico.

They also thought that attracting colleagues who work in the field of philosophy with or for children would be helpful. Many people who work in this field are unaware of the philosophical practice movement. As a result, they do not attend its meetings and they have no knowledge of what the movement of philosophical practice has to offer them. If they did, they would quickly realize that many of the ideas and theories presented by philosophical practitioners could have a positive impact on their own ways of working and vice versa.

David and Ángel also thought about inviting the greatest exponents of practical philosophy from around the world in order to help to make it a truly significant and transcendent event. David was the only representative from Mexico and one of the few Latin Americans at the Congress in Switzerland. The situation was not easy. There were already other proposals that had been pending, the main one coming from Russia.

David had attended many previous ICPP, athough he knew a number of the colleagues, there were many whom he did not. He had no idea about how he would make the proposal or how he would get people interested in Mexico, a country considered a violent and undeveloped place. Added to this, there was a perspective on the part of some members of the ICPP that confirmed the idea that the next Congress would be in Russia. They said it was an idea that had previously been agreed upon. In addition, other viable proposals were going to be presented. In this context, Mexico seemed like only an attempt with good intentions, but without much possibility of its being able to be realized.

David continued to hold onto his idea that having the next ICPP in Mexico would be a good idea, but at that moment he shared his idea only to two people at the Congress in Switzerland. For one reason or another, his voice ran like a mighty river. The day after having opened his mouth, many people approached David to ask if he would propose a seat, or if Mexico would be the seat, etc. A flood of interest in the proposal began. The days that followed were full of dialogues with different people from all over the world and there were many who were attracted by the enthusiasm of our young man, David.

Finally, the day of the decision arrived. David had basically not slept the night before. Instead, he had been preparing a careful presentation of the proposal with the help of his friend, Ángel Alonso. Prior to that, he had been completely absorbed in the activities of the Congress so he had not been able to do it. In addition, everything in his presentation had to be memorized and synthesized. Each candidate was given only five minutes to speak and formal presentations could not be used.

The candidates with proposals for the next ICPP were: the United States, Poland, Norway, Russia and Mexico. The United States and Russia went first. Then it was Mexico’s turn. Seeking to be precise and clear, David enunciated the ideas of his proposal. There was a lot of silence in the meeting and not many questions. This made it difficult to tell what the audience members were thinking. But then the decision was announced. Mexico had swept the votes by a large majority. Although all the proposals had had a great importance, especially the sincerity expressed by the Russian delegates, the members finally saw the value that an ICPP could have in that distant country and they voted for it. For the first time in history, an ICPP would be held in Latin America.

When the news arrived that Mexico would be the host, CECAPFI[2], immediately set to work. After great internal commotion and much thought about everything that would be required to organize an ICPP, we met to think both about the people who would be participating in a very active way to make the Congress happen, and about how to plan the organization. A team of people committed to philosophical practice and very close to its center was summoned. They concentrated on working together so that the meeting would be carried out in the best way.

The spirit of cooperation was present from the planning of the event to its culmination. The work was divided into various Committees which were in charge of different areas of the Congress. The performance and work of those committees was fundamental to the successful achievement of the event. Shortly after beginning the preparations, David proposed a fundamental goal to the central team: achieve the greatest ICPP of all time. This would be done by the human warmth offered, the quantity, variety and importance of the speakers who presented, the institutions involved, the academic quality, our care of all the people involved, and our innovation in the activities and processes, as well as in the quantity and diversity of attendees. The goal, needless to say, was extremely challenging.

Given this objective, an important question arose: What would be the ideal place to carry out this Congress? Although proposals had already been laid out, there was still a lot to be done in the way of making them concrete. The team agreed the Congress should be in a very special place that had an interest in philosophy and adequate spaces for the planned activities. Above all, the place should be an icon of great importance at both the national and international level in order to lend added prestige to the 15th ICPP. We were all of one mind: if we were going to produce a great Congress, the best place, without a doubt, was the most important University of the country: The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)[3].

In order to get the University to open its doors to us, the proposal had to be worked out very carefully. David Sumiacher and Ángel Alonso reviewed what was written. At this time Virginia Sanchez joined the coordination group. With all her work and experience at the UNAM she was able to contribute many useful ideas and to successfully coordinate the entire mediation process between the University and the College of Sciences and Humanities (CCH). CCH is one of the schools that is a part of this institution and who finally accepted and signed an agreement for the ICPP to be held in their facilities. It is worth mentioning that said proposal was signed by the director, Dr. Benjamín Barajas, the director of the CCH Plantel Sur, Mtro. Luis Aguilar, David Sumiacher, Ángel Alonso, Virginia Sánchez, Paulina Ramírez, Miguel Ángel Zapotitla and some professors of the institution who have a great commitment to philosophical practice such as Jesus Reyes and Josefina Díaz.

To achieve all this there were many meetings. The obstacles we encountered were eventually overcome and the Congress was installed in three venues: The College of Sciences and Humanities, the Postgraduate Auditorium, and the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the UNAM. An added benefit in being able to use these venues was that they allowed us to offer both the beginning and the closing of the Congress (which included lectures, public philosophical consultations, philosophical walks and other activities) to the public completely free of charge.

With the headquarters and the Committees defined, the strongest organization began. Many planning meetings were required. Each of the working groups that were developed met, at first monthly, and then that increased to every fortnight, growing into intense sessions in which hundreds of topics were discussed. In addition to this, the central team of CECAPFI met almost daily to discuss the status of the speakers, the attendees and the internal organization of the venues, and to follow up on the progress of the organization of the Congress. In the general meetings, the CECAPFI Headquarters was filled with people who actively participated. The environment was always full of expectant and cheerful energy. Although all available resources were put into play, we knew we had the weight of a great responsibility on our shoulders, which we felt at all times. .

The days, the weeks, and the months went by very quickly. Soon the Congress was on our doorstep. As a part of making this the best Congress ever by offering human warmth as an important part of the mission, the organizing team had determined that all speakers who arrived from other countries would be picked up at the airport by various committee members and volunteers. This meant that, for that group, the event actually started a week before the starting date of the Congress. Individuals who volunteered for the task endured waits that ran from early in the morning until late at night. They did this in order to receive the more than one hundred foreign participants who came from five continents.

From the beginning of the planning stages, the Dissemination Committee, headed by Miguel Ángel Zapotitla, and integrated by Yubia Itzel Medina, Teresita García, Laura Hernández and José Carlos Velasco, met every week in a virtual way in order to help ensure that all necessary steps were taken. One of these steps was an announcement that was made about the Congress to several hundred Mexican journalists. Although not all responded, there were those who were interested and who opened spaces for dissemination of information not only on radio, television, and social networks, but also on national and international magazines of great trajectory. We also counted on the invaluable collaboration of Tere García, a writer, philosopher and journalist very close to CECAPFI. Her important support before, during and after the Congress was fundamental, not only for linking us with media, but also by actively participating in the development of filmed interviews with international speakers, many of whom visited the country for the first time.

Revista Vida Nueva interviewed people from CECAPFI. In Colombia, we were allowed to broadcast from the UNIMINUTO University. Several articles appeared in the Magazine of the Editorial Magisterio. We participated in the Gazette of the Journalists Club of Mexico coordinated by the journalist, Jorge Santacruz. He invited us to record a radio program with the journalist Celeste Sáenz, which was broadcast on Radio Nacional by 760 AM. They not only allowed us to go to their program, they were also available at various times to broadcast the Congress. We were given coverage by Radio Anáhuac that transmits in 1670 AM, Radio Simi that transmits by Internet, ULSA Radio, of the La Salle University; Quiéreme en la 1440 AM, from Grupo Siete (one of the most important radio groups in the country) and by Martha Yolanda Yañez, who gave several radio interviews in order to spread the news about the Congress. She also interviewed Lydia Amir and Ora Gruengard a few days before the event. Several times we participated in the television program El Diván del Buho by Enrique Rendón. It is also important to mention that the UNAM Gazette and Gazette of CCH published information about the Congress on several occasions. At the invitation of Victoria Carrasco we participated in a press conference held at the Club of Broadcasters and which commemorated the anniversary of her program.

The hard work of the committee also consisted in the creation of posters and flyers and the design of the whole image of the Congress. During the event, the members were responsible for recording different academic meetings, broadcasting live events, and coordinating the photography of all that occurred. All of that was constantly broadcast by social networks. It is clear to see that all those who were part of this committee did a titanic job which resulted in putting the 15th ICPP in the eyes of many people.

The Academic Committee, one of the biggest teams, had many important tasks which were present from the beginning. The members were responsible for the reception, evaluation, confirmation and presentation of all the papers, workshops, conferences and discussion panels. During the Congress, they were accountable for the moderation of all spaces and for the delivery of needed supplies to all attendees and speakers. Its members included: Gerd Achenbach (Germany), Lou Marinoff (USA), Ran Lahav (USA), Peter Harteloh (Holland), Anders Lindseth (Norway), Peter Raabe (Canada), Young Rhee (South Korea), Detlef Saude (Switzerland), Aleksandar Fatic (Serbia), Leon de Hass (Holland), Jorge Humberto Dias (Portugal), Mike Roth (Germany), José Barrientos (Spain), Walter Kohan (Brazil), Guro Hansen (Norway), Michael Noah Weiss (Norway), José Enrique Rendón (Mexico), Victor Rojas (Colombia), Lydia Amir (Israel), Ora Gruengard (Israel), Paulina Ramírez (Mexico), David Sumiacher (Argentina-Mexico), Miguel Ángel Zapotitla (Mexico), Virginia Sánchez (Mexico), Ángel Alonso (Mexico), Oscar Brenifier (France), Soraya Tonsich (Argentina), Leslie Cázares (Mexico), Viktoria Cherneko (Russia), Angélica Enríquez (Mexico), Félix García Moriyón (Spain), Narelle Arcidiacono (Australia), Julián Macías (Argentina), Olga Grau (Chile), Carmen Zavala (Peru), Giancarlo Marinelli (Italy), Mauricio Langón (Uruguay), Eugenio Echeverría (Mexico), Enrique Maraver (Mexico), José Ezcurdia (Mexico), Paola Zamora (Mexico), Víctor Florencio Ramírez (Mexico), Josefina Díaz (Mexico), Eloísa González (Mexico), Samuel Guerra (Ecuador), Tetsuya Kono (Japan), Raúl Trejo (Mexico), Neri Polastri (Italy), Esther Charabati (Mexico), Constantinos Athanasopoulos (Greece), Mercedes García Márquez (Spain), Sara Morales (Mexico), Ileana Hernández (Mexico), Carlos Rodríguez (Mexico), Celes Fierro (Mexico), Jesús Reyes (Mexico), Guadalupe Lazcan (Mexico), Marlene Escobar (Mexico), Erick Figueroa (Mexico), Dante Bello (Mexico), Luis David Martínez (Mexico), Isaac Muñoz (Mexico) and Ana Silva (Mexico), all coordinated by Paulina Ramírez, who did an incredible job from the beginning of the event, not only in its Committee but helping and supporting to several teams. David also was co-coordinating this Committee and also supporting all Committees and had indenpendent meetings with all of them that growed in number and in periodicity when the event was approaching.

For the first time in the history of the ICPP, pre and post Congress training courses were held, with the intention that attendees could deepen their understanding of the work of some of the most important speakers who visited us. In this way Gerd Achenbach (who was visiting Latin America for the first time), Walter Kohan, Ran Lahav, Oscar Brenifier, Jose Barrientos and Lou Marinoff each developed intensive training courses in which they could discuss their ideas and current perspectives with the participants[4]. Yubia Medina was coordinating this Courses Committee.

All courses and activities had simultaneous translation from English to Spanish or from Spanish to English, for which the Translation Committee was responsible. In the case of Gerd Achenbach, German was translated both into English and Spanish. The hard work and concentrated efforts of the committee members allowed all the attendees to have access to the papers, workshops and spaces of the Congress, no matter what language they spoke. The more than two hundred academic spaces and presentations that the Congress had, were all bilingual and all had both a coordinator and a translator. Paula Viliguer, Dafne Castillo, Fabiola Rubio, Janik Zamudio, Juan Carlos Montellano, Ángel Cárdenas, Yubia Medina, Horacio Javier Araiza, Camila Di Monaco, Anna Delmar Ramírez, César Ojeda, María del Carmen Navarro, Alexa Alfonsín, Iris Eunice Gómez, Monserrat Morones, Natalia Vallejo, José Miguel Villalpando, Félix García Moriyón, and Alejandro Rodríguez. Carlotta Münch who, in addition to translating Achenbach's course, permanently accompanied him in order translate for him where ever he was. In charge of this Committee was Tania Ortíz, who was also in charge of translating the main lectures. She was always on the lookout for the hundreds of details and questions that arose and encouraging and maintaining great team of volunteer philosophers.

During the preparation for the Congress, there were several proposals involving the arts that we felt could not be left out. For this reason, the Artistic Committee was created. It was in charge of relating philosophical practice to dance and acting Lorraine Gómez successfully coordinated this committee. The actress Viridiana Monteagudo, who is part of the theater group Apeiron of Mexico, directed the acting team. In the welcome of the Congress, the group gave an interactive performance on peace. The actors wore black and white clothes, and moved in lights of different tones to a soundtrack that transported the audience from a context of war, violence and crisis to an atmosphere of calm, peace and dialogue.

At the first dinner, the team portrayed famous people from Mexico such as Catrina, Subcomandante Marcos, Frida Kahlo and María Félix, among others. They interacted with the guests in an exciting and provocative manner. At the Gala Dinner, they performed an enactment of the Day of the Dead, wearing appropriate attire and dancing in the midst of the audience, some of whom danced with them. There were also two other performances during the Gala Dinner - one by the Mexican singer Lola Barajas, and the other being the show "El amor corrompe" by Esther Charabati and Kevin Galeana. Members of this committee were Jenny Abigaíl González, Leticia Alcántara, Fanny Cravioto, Paula Viliguer, Claudia Arias, the famous actress Pilar Villanueva, Roxana Padierna, Jhon Tautimez, José Carlos Velasco, Paulina Ramírez and Paola Ileana Hernández.

Another central committee was the Logistics Committee. It was in charge of a very large job. They had to coordinate all the spaces where the activities of the congress would take place, guide the attendees to the right places during the event, receive them in the registration area to confirm their attendance, have all the materials for the activities, set up the three coffee break areas, and be care about the security of the event. They also had to welcome people at the airport, where all newcomers were provided with a map of the city, a welcome letter and a Mexican sweet. Additionally, people were assigned to support keynote speakers. This is something that CECAPFI has done at many of our international congresses. We know that it works very well because it transmits the quality and human warmth that we are looking for. Thanks also to this Committee all the materials that each exhibitor needed in their presentations including stationary, sound and video, were given in a timely manner. Gifts were given, lost objects were returned, and support was given to people who were unable to find their way or who had health problems.

This team worked with the slogan of “providing quality materials and foods that reflect Mexican culture”, and they wanted to be responsible about recycling and protecting the environment. To that end they bought things like organic glasses, Mexican coffee, and seasonal fruits. They decided that, along with printed stationery, and not using any type of uicel material, those were the indispensible minimum things to do. Yoriko Vizuet was in charge of this committee, and did an admirable and responsible job. She had the important support of Carlos Rodríguez, Luis David Martínez, Fabiola Rubio, Monica Celedonio, José Carlos Velasco, Sara Pérez Josefina Díaz, Fanny Cravioto, Angélica Enríquez, Karla Zamudio and more than a dozen students from the CCH Sur of the professor Marlene Escobar who at all times showed a willingness and openness to help.

The Ludic Activities Committee was also assigned some very important tasks. Its memebers developed various activities, including the introductions to each day of the Congress. For example, they recounted the Mayan legend of the Hummingbird (the animal that was the symbol for the event), delivered a presentation of a pre-Hispanic musical instrument, and led philosophical walks, along with other undertakings. This team was formed and coordinated by Carmen Alcantar, Fanny Cravioto and Paula Viliguer. The Philosophical Excursion Committee was in charge of organizing the tour to the Teotihuacan pyramids. Since people from all over the world attended the Congress, a recreational activity was thought to be the best activity to close it. We could show our guests a bit of the ancestral culture of the country, an emblematic place where elements of the Nahuatl philosophy are found such as the veneration of water, the cardinal points and the feathered serpent. Three different organized and relevant activities were held there. This committee was coordinated by Mónica Gutiérrez.

Given the large number of speakers, it was expected there would be many interesting publications to acquire and share, so a Committee of Books was formed. This committee was responsible for receiving, organizing and assembling tables for book sales. There was a wide variety of materials offered ranging from magazines, manuals, and compendiums, to books of philosophy in general, as well as books on the philosophy for children, philosophical counseling, and the philosophy of education. Many publishers also brought publications and there were souvenirs of the Congress for sale, such as thermoses, notebooks and stickers. Martha de la Rosa and Paola Lagunes were in charge of the committee, which was a great support for the dissemination of the work of all the speakers. Finally, David Sumiacher was in charge of the Publications Committee. He was responsible for the book Comparative Philosophical Practices: Philosophy with/for Children, Philosophical Counseling, Philosophical Workshops, which will be published by Editorial CECAPFI and by Editorial Novedades Educativas of Argentina in 2019. There was also a special issue about the ICPP in the Journal of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association (APPA), It was published in November of 2018 in the United States. He has also been given confirmation of the publication this article.

Each one of the people and Committees named above carried out very large activities that allowed for holding a successful Congress from the beginning to the end. It was a strong structure created through the conviction of many people. The more than one hundred and twenty individuals who were involved, on a volunteer basis in the preparation, organization and dissemination of the ICPP, not only fulfilled tasks, but were immersed and deeply interested in philosophical practice and in the purpose of this event. From its inception, CECAPFI has always worked to be sure that the people who participate with us are linked to a task that touches them philosophically, personally and professionally. In this way we transmit a special value to our activities in Mexico and different parts of the world. However, it is true that we had never before created such a big and important event in which the participants came from so many different places. Not only were they professional philosophers or philosophy students, they also included pedagogues, playwrights, psychologists, translators, teachers and interested relatives. We now feel satisfied we did a good job of hosting all of them.

An added benefit for our volunteers was that many of had never acted or been in a position of leadership. Much to their credit, they took their tasks very seriously, studied, rehearsed, prepared and gave their all. Even some of the people who came from as far away as Argentina or Germany got off the plane, started preparing and supported the event wholeheartedly. The attitude of so many participants was moving and deeply appreciated. The gratitude we feel towards them may never be fully expressed. One expression of this gratitude was shown at the closing event when many of committee members passed to the front of the auditorium and received a great round of applause from the participating public.

In addition to the pre and post conference courses, several valuable innovative spaces for learning were created . For example, a number of the most important philosophers in the world working with/for children participated in the Congress in ways that had never happened before in the ICPP. Walter Kohan and Félix García Moriyón (both ex-presidents of ICPIC, the International Council for Philosophical Inquiry with Children) were present and participated at different moments in the Congress. So did Eugenio Echeverría, Víctor Rojas (Organizer of the World Congress of Philosophy for Children in Colombia in 2019), Carmen Alcantar, Gabriela Vallejo and Leslie Cazares, president of the Mexican Federation of Philosophy for Children, among others.

The specialists panels were also another innovative space of great importance, partly because of a request that Oscar Brenifier had made one or two years ago, but also in keeping with the style that CECAPFI has been adopting for years. On the panels were many of the main representatives of different philosophical practices such as: Lou Marinoff, Gerd Achenbach, Leon de Haas, Ran Lahav and Oscar Brenifier who were on a panel which discussed philosophical counseling; Eugenio Echeverría, Felix García Moriyón, Walter Kohan, Oscar Brenifier and David Sumiacher were together discussing philosophy with/for children; and José Barrientos, Peter Raabe, Gloria Martínez, Soraya Tonsich and Renato Huarte were in a space of dialogue on the relationship between the university and philosophical practices. Those were a few of the panels (nine in total), in which people from all over the world addressed very diverse topics, such as the differences between philosophical counseling, psychotherapies and coaching; ethics in philosophical practice; philosophy applied in social spaces; empirical research projects in philosophical practices; and the most recent book by Lydia Amir, among others.

Sometimes the thoughts were divergent, but to the surprise of some, there was also a convergence of ideas and constructions of thought which arose from the diversity. Another activity that was very enriching and that had not been done previously was the philosophical consultancies open to the public at certain times of the Congress as part of the official program. The Organizing Team drew together philosophical consultants who volunteered their time so that many people could have the experience of receiving philosophical consultations. In addition, some public philosophical consultations were held at the facilities of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Papers were also presented at various tables, including topics such as philosophical consultation in Mexico and Latin America, emotions and experience in philosophical practice, philosophical practice in public spaces, philosophical practice throughout the history of philosophy, corporality in philosophical practice, philosophical practices in contexts of marginality, dissemination of philosophical practice, dialogue as opposed to violence, among many others. Each one of them had, as a general purpose, to show how philosophical practice promotes peace and humanizes relations in our world. Following the trend of some of the most active ICPPs, more than forty-two workshops were held with the most important specialists in the world of philosophical practices. Possibly there had never been in Mexico a place with so much philosophical practice at the same time, which, together with the ludic, artistic and experiential activities, gave a practical and applied character to the whole event.

Another of the most significant events of this ICPP was the awarding of a Acknowledgement to the Trajectory in Philosophical Practice. The idea was conceived by Angel Alonso and David Sumiacher. In the midst of the thousands of preparations for such an event, the conviction that such an award would have value remained. Of particular significance was the fact that philosopher practitioners were ready and willing to recognize and honor each other. The huge number of emails exchanged to carry out this proposal would not even begin to fit in this article. To the surprise of the organizers, most of the responses were very positive. There were some people who strongly opposed the delivery of this recognition by expressing the thought that such an initiative would separate the movement or by refusing to participate in Congress if this delivery was made. The team went ahead anyway. Thanks to David's conviction and Paulina Ramírez’ invaluable support, they managed to present the award.

On the last day of the event, amid cheers and applause, recognition was given to both Gerd Achembach and Pierre Grimes for their broad and enduring legacy to philosophical practice. This was given in the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the UNAM. The award, a giant alebrije[5] placed on a wooden plate with an inscription alluding to the event, was made especially for the occasion. Although there were criticisms regarding the delivery, through dialogue those criticisms were transformed into proposals, one of which was to give another recognition by CECAPFI: the Recognition for Collaboration in Philosophical Practice, which was given to José Barrientos. In this case the award was a silver pin with two Mayan signs that meant: "wise man in his house". The delivery of the awards was touching in that it included tears of the people who went up to receive them. . Through the presentation of these awards it was possible to show that beyond differences between methods and proposals, in the ICPP there remains, above all, unity and valorization of the Other. The whole team expressed the hope of being able to turn this recognition into a tradition.

Once the event was over, and after this colossal and mobilizing typhoon had passed, we all felt enormous satisfaction. It had been a giant challenge, much bigger than we had imagined! In the evaluation of the event some people cried, some could not remain standing, and others were not satisfied with certain things, but, in the end, we were all sure that we had done something very big. Although it is difficult to stay for sure, and all ICPPs have been important in their own way, it seemed that the goal of the "greatest ICPP of all time" had not been far from being achieved. The perception of most of our international guests, including that of the founders and the people who have attended these events from the beginning, was of great joy, admiration and explicit recognition. Our friends, visitors from the five continents, returned to their homes invigorated by all that had taken place. .

An ICPP that had been presented differently in many ways from its predecessors, left a mark in Mexico, as well as in the history of the ICPP. The quality of innovation, the number of attendees, and the presence of so many international figures is noteworthy. At the same time, the institutions of Mexico such as the College of Sciences and Humanities, the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, the Salesian Institute of Higher Studies, the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, the University of Vasco de Quiroga, the Mexican Federation of Philosophy for Children, the Autonomous University of Mexico City, the Mexican Asociation of Philosophical Consultation, the Philosophy Institute of Guadalajara, the CEFILIBE, the CELAFIN and multiple centers of philosophy for children, organizations for philosophy in prisons, philosophical coffees and philosophical diffusion, schools of the country that realize philosophy for children, multiple colleagues from all the states of the country and the same National Autonomous University of Mexico, had a different perception of philosophy, something that without a doubt did not exist before this event.

The International Conferences on Philosophical Practices will continue. Russia became the next ICPP headquarters in 2020. We are hopeful that, just as we hosted the 15th edition of this event, we could be the attandants of the 30^th Congress and many more, perhaps in 20 or 30 years. The international meetings are the basis, not only of the growth of knowledge and of academic development within the field of philosophical practice, but also of the construction of peace, of dialogue, and of links that provide support in the face of tendencies that lead to intolerance, racism, poverty and war. Philosophers need exchanges with all kinds of realities. World meetings of philosophical practice are a fundamental space for this.

Philosophical practice is re-writing its history. Although it originates and is inspired by philosophical luminaries such as Socrates, Epicurus, Siddhartha Gautama, and Lao Tzu as well as the oral traditions of different native peoples, philosophical practice is a re-invention of the essential philosophical task in order to fit it to our times. It is a philosophical re-education of the philosopher and an invitation to society to philosophize. Philosophical practice must continue, always linked to academic work but also always broadening its horizons. Connecting colleagues who perform other practices, such as those who carry out philosophy with or for children, who do practical philosophy, political philosophy, Marxism, existentialism, formal logic, informal or analytical philosophy, didactic or teaching of philosophy, dissemination of philosophy, defense of philosophy, philosophical education and philosophy of education, to our friends, colleagues and teachers who teach philosophy in all the Universities of the world, is the path that we think philosophical practice has to have. It is the path which we, as participants of the ICCP in Mexico, walked on, and which we will continue to walk as a commitment we assume towards society and towards ourselves.

All that remains here is to thank everyone who made this ICPP a reality and those who invited us to write in this space.

[1] Thanks to our friend Shanti Jones for the support in reviewing the English versión of this article. Article publicated in Journal of Humanities Therapy (South Korea), Vol. 9, No. 2 (2018). ISSN: 2233-7563.

[2] CECAPFI (Educational Center for Autonomous Creation in Philosophical Practices) is a center of philosophical practices that consists of five areas: CECAPFI Schools (activities linked to philosophy with/for children and the application of philosophy in education), CECAPFI World (Congresses, Meetings with Intellectuals, Philosophical cafés, Philosophy for organizations and the development and training in the area of Philosophical counseling), Editorial CECAPFI (Editorial Seal focused on the production of books on philosophical practices), CECAPFI Links (which deals with generating dialogues, create agreements and relationships with professionals and institutions around the world) and CECAPFI Research Institute (a research institute focused exclusively on philosophical practices). CECAPFI, although it is an institution that emerged in Mexico, has carried out activities in Italy, Spain, China, Colombia, South Korea, etc. and has established seats in Mexico and Argentina.

[3] https://www.unam.mx/  (accessed December 15, 2018).

[4] It is important to mention that among the speakers to give the courses was also Narelle Arcidiacono from Australia who for reasons of force majeure could not attend.

[5] The alebrijes are pieces of art made in Mexico. These combine the shapes of different animals in the same body and very detailed and colorful paintings on the skin.