The international peacebuilding programme brings together participants from 18 countries, supported by the Ministry of Defence, Fundación Carolina, and the Alfaz del Pi City Council.
REACT 2025 Training Program Kicks Off in Alfaz del Pi with National and International Institutional Support
This Monday, May 26, the opening ceremony of the REACT course (Rapid Expert Assistance and Cooperation Teams) took place in El Albir, Alfaz del Pi (Alicante). Organized by Helsinki España, REACT is an international training program focused on peacebuilding and humanitarian action.
The event was attended by distinguished civil and military authorities, including:
- Colonel José Luis Calvo Albero, Director of the Security and Defense Coordination and Studies Division at the Spanish Ministry of Defense;
- Mr. Juan José Martín Martín, Head of the Training and Technological Development Department at Fundación Carolina;
- Ms. Isabel María Muñoz Llorens, Councilor for Cooperation and Volunteering of the Municipality of l’Alfàs del Pi;
- Ms. María Jaén Barandiarán, President of Helsinki España, who officially welcomed the participants on behalf of the organizing team;
Councilor Isabel Muñoz welcomed the international students to Alfaz del Pi, “a town with a predominantly international population,” and expressed her hope that REACT 2025 would not only be a space for learning, but also a platform for connection and peacebuilding. She encouraged participants to explore the town, its beach, lighthouse, and beautiful landscapes.
Colonel Calvo Albero emphasized that “we are living in a time of war, and we will need a massive effort in stabilization, disarmament, social reconstruction, and peacekeeping—and we must prepare for that now.” He highlighted the importance of programs like REACT in training future peace professionals.
Mr. Juan José Martín Martín, from Fundación Carolina—which has awarded scholarships to Ibero-American students to attend REACT for over 15 years—announced that the scholarship program would be expanded in 2026, allowing more individuals to receive training in human rights and conflict resolution. He also highlighted the high female participation in this edition as a significant step toward equity in the international arena.
María Jaén Barandiarán, President of Helsinki España, thanked the institutional support of the Municipality of Alfaz del Pi for hosting the course and providing its facilities, the Ministry of Defense for enabling the participation of military personnel, and Fundación Carolina for its ongoing support. She also praised the courage and commitment of the participants who have chosen to dedicate themselves to conflict resolution and international peacebuilding.
REACT is Helsinki España’s flagship international training program in peacebuilding: a comprehensive, 220-hour, in-person course on conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation. Launched in 2003 at the proposal of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, with the support of the OSCE and the United Nations, its goal is to equip selected professionals with the skills and competencies required to work in international peace operations.
Now in its 29th edition, REACT is a consolidated and well-regarded program in the fields of peacebuilding and humanitarian action. Over the past 20+ years, it has trained hundreds of professionals who now work with organizations such as the United Nations, OSCE, European Union, Red Cross, and NGOs operating in conflict zones and humanitarian crisis settings around the world.
REACT 2025 runs from May 26 to June 28 and brings together professionals and future experts in humanitarian action, peacebuilding, and human rights from 18 different nationalities, including countries such as Sudan, Austria, Brazil, Cameroon, Lebanon, Syria, and the Netherlands. The faculty is composed of over 20 instructors from 8 different nationalities, including the United States, Sweden, and Germany.
Over five weeks of intensive training, participants will explore key topics such as conflict analysis and prevention, civilian protection, international humanitarian law, disarmament and reintegration, countering disinformation, field security, gender perspective, and stress management in hostile environments. The course will conclude with a practical week of outdoor field training using the HEAT (Hostile Environment Awareness Training) methodology, designed to prepare participants to operate safely and effectively in high-risk situations.
