Lydia Cacho and Fernando Carrera discuss new book: Childhood and adolescence in times of conflict and war

As part of the launch of her new book, The day my planet was invaded, Lydia Cacho, a world-renowned Mexican journalist, and Fernando Carrera Castro, UNICEF Representative in Mexico, held a conversation about the devastating effects of war on the lives and well-being of millions of children and adolescents living in conflict zones.

Currently, the number of countries experiencing violent conflicts records the highest peak of the last 30 years, resulting in over 30 million displaced children and adolescents. Globally, parties involved in conflict continue to ignore one of the most basic rules of war: the protection and well-being of children and adolescents. 

Along the conversation with Fernando Carrera, journalist Lydia Cacho noted that while her book reflects the situation of children and adolescents subjected to war violence specifically in Ukraine, it also mirrors what is happening in many other parts of the world, including Mexico. 

For the author, promoting a culture of peace requires journalism to adopt a child-oriented perspective that considers them as key community actors capable of changing the world for the better. To achieve this, it is essential to listen to children and adolescents in many different contexts and witness what they are experiencing, while documenting and accompanying their stories, precisely what Lydia seeks to achieve with The day my planet was invaded.

Fernando Carrera pointed out that nothing is more brutal for the well-being of children and adolescents than poverty, except for war, and although armed conflict affects everyone equally, its impact on their lives is particularly dramatic. 

According to him, children and adolescents have a remarkable level of resilience, and it is recommended to keep providing them with a climate of relative normalcy during war, giving them access to spaces for learning, recreation, and socialization. However, according to the UNICEF Representative in Mexico, wars are preventable, and it is essential to keep fighting for a culture of peace, not only because it is good for all, but because it is good for children, and it is their right.

For both Lydia Cacho and Fernando Carrera, facing the devastating effects of war on the lives of millions of children and adolescents requires us to embrace hope, which is nothing more than believing that the future can be different. However, hope cannot be a catalyst of peace and change without clear commitment and concrete measures from all actors involved. It is our responsibility to work today for the present and future well-being of all children and adolescents around the world.

About Lydia Cacho

Lydia Cacho is an extraordinary journalist whose works address issues of violence, gender, and psycho-pedagogy for the prevention of violence against children. Her 35-year career has taken her to 143 different countries and earned her 68 awards, including the UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, the Harold Pinter Prize, and the Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize for her humanitarian work. For her book The day my planet was invaded she traveled to Ukraine and captured the conversations she had with children and adolescents from the region.

About the book The day my planet was invaded by Lydia Cacho

The book The day my planet was invaded depicts the perspective of children and adolescents on war and how they experience it in their minds and hearts. Obsessed with the five treasures of Ukrai, Brutus Planet-Stealer desires to get more power, without caring about starting a war. This war suddenly disrupts the lives of Sofía, Andréi, Grandma Babu, the dog Cora, and all the inhabitants of the small planet. How does love and hope help them move forward amid devastation? Through this story, Lydia Cacho creates a touching narrative born from her interactions with children after her first trip to Ukraine, just weeks after the Russian invasion.

The day my planet was invaded is available in physical and digital formats at major bookstores in Mexico, at Penguinlibros.com/mx and Amazon, as well as at Buscalibre.com for Latin America.

In the United States, it will be available by the end of November.