Towards a culture of care: more humane, sustainable and supportive societies

The event took place on September 29th and 30th 10th International Congress on Interpersonal Relations, organized by the Center for the Study of Interpersonal Relations (CERI) of the Institute of Family Sciences of the Universidad Austral.
In its tenth edition, the Congress placed care at the center of the conversation, addressed from a broad and interdisciplinary perspective and as a fundamental dimension for building more humane, sustainable and supportive societies.

The event brought together 30 national and 8 international speakers and featured 20 panels , 13 presentation sessions, and discussion forums , organized around various thematic areas: ethics and rights; public policy and environmental governance; work, economy, and business; education and culture; and family, interpersonal relationships, and holistic health. More than 120 participants attended in person at the Olivo Building Auditorium, in addition to numerous participants who joined remotely.

Care, vulnerability, compassion, empathy, and tenderness were some of the concepts that permeated the various sessions of the Congress. Far from appearing as isolated notions, they were articulated throughout the sessions as different ways of thinking about the same question: what does it mean to recognize the other, to take responsibility for their fragility, and to build bonds and institutions capable of sustaining human life?

The opening was carried out by Dolores Vicente, dean of the Institute of Family Sciences, who outlined the principles and invited everyone to experience the sessions “as a space to think together, to engage in dialogue from our different disciplines, but also to make concrete commitments”And he concluded with an invitation that summarized the spirit of the meeting: “Let us all build a society for all people of all ages.”.
Then Julian Rodriguez, rector of the Universidad AustralHe echoed the words of Leo XIV in Magnifica Humanitas: “Human beings do not flourish despite limitations, but often through them.”The reference allowed for the introduction of one of the central themes of the Congress: vulnerability not as an exception that affects only some, but as a constitutive dimension of the human condition.

The opening keynote address, “Care in the Family: Foundation for Socio-Emotional Development ,” was delivered by Gustavo Carlo , professor and researcher at the University of California and collaborating researcher at the ICF. His presentation focused on parenting for prosocial behavior. He also highlighted the importance of cultural values ​​such as familism in Latin America, which contribute to developing a moral identity in children and young people oriented toward others and preventing antisocial behavior.

During the first day, the conference “Care at the University: Comprehensive Support for Young People Facing Various Vulnerabilities” was also held , presented by Luis Fernando Roldán de la Tejera from the Popular Autonomous University of the State of Puebla (UPAEP), Mexico. His presentation broadened the conversation to include the university setting and explored support as a central dimension of the educational experience. The university thus emerged not only as a space for academic training but also as a community that can recognize situations of vulnerability, create support networks, and provide comprehensive support for its students' educational journeys.

The second day continued to explore the various dimensions of care through panels, discussions, and meetings with specialists. Highlights included the presentation of the book *Date tiempo* (Give Yourself Time) by Alfredo Marcos of the University of Valladolid, Spain, and a discussion about the documentary *Hay una puerta ahí* (There's a Door There), in which Matías Najún spoke with Enric Benito , a leading figure in the Spanish Society for Palliative Care.

In these spaces, another concept that permeated the gathering took on special relevance: tenderness. Not understood as sentimentality, but as a form of closeness and recognition particularly meaningful where human fragility becomes most visible. In contexts of illness, dependency, aging, or end-of-life, tenderness was presented as a disposition capable of humanizing the relationship, respecting the dignity of the other, and preventing people from being reduced to a condition, a diagnosis, or a need.
The program also included two new lectures. Mariano Asla he presented “The caring that made us and makes us human”proposing a reflection on care as a constitutive dimension of our humanity. For its part, María José Murcia, from the IAE Business School, addressed in “The invisible fabric of sustainability: a relational view of organizations and society” the role of links and relationships in building sustainable organizations and communities.

This perspective allowed the notion of care to extend beyond the private sphere. Organizations, universities, businesses, and social institutions also build—or hinder—conditions for care. From this perspective, sustainability is not simply an environmental or economic issue: it also includes the quality of relationships, the capacity to maintain trust, and the creation of environments in which people can thrive without being rendered invisible.

The meeting concluded with the words of Juan Bautista Etcheverry, Vice-Rector for Research of the Universidad Australand with a space for conclusions and projections led by Paola Delbosco, Manuel Rocca Rivarola y Fernando Toller, Universidad Austral.

After ten editions, the International Congress on Interpersonal Relations once again established itself as a space for academic exchange and interdisciplinary dialogue. This year, the discussion yielded a particularly clear idea: building a culture of care involves recognizing our vulnerability, cultivating empathy and compassion, reclaiming the value of tenderness, and translating these dispositions into concrete practices, both in everyday relationships and in institutions and social life. From this perspective, care ceases to be a circumstantial task and becomes a prerequisite for more humane, sustainable, and supportive societies.