WHEN SILENCE HURTS: INVISIBLE CONFLICTS AND THE POWER OF WELCOMING IN BUILDING A MORE HUMANE SCHOOL

Abstract

This article is an invitation to listen and reflect on what often silently crosses school walls: conflicts, bullying, and exclusionary practices. Based exclusively on bibliographic research, it aims to reflect on the role of schools in mediating conflicts and preventing bullying, discussing strategies that promote a culture of peace, listening, and valuing diversity. More than pointing out the problems, the study proposes possible ways to transform the school environment into a place of bonds, empathy, and acceptance. The image presented in Figure 1 visually summarizes the essence of what is advocated throughout the text: a school that welcomes is one that transforms, a principle that should guide all pedagogical practices. Welcoming, in this context, means recognizing the existence of others, listening to their pain, valuing their uniqueness, and creating safe spaces for belonging. Instead of silencing conflict, schools need to embrace it as part of the educational process. In this environment, where affection and respect are pillars, it becomes possible to form whole human beings, aware of themselves, of others, and of the world they share.