From March 12 - March 18, the Castleberry Peace Institute led a delegation of three faculty and six students to Medellin, Colombia to learn about peacebuilding, reconciliation and reintegration. On Monday, March 13 we started in Comuna 13, which has a storied place in Colombian history because of its critical role in the conflict against the FARC in the 1990's and 2000's. Now it has a booming tourism industry that attracts visitors from around the world to see the many murals and experience the hip hop culture.
In the afternoon we visited the Women's Market at the Reconciliation center hosted by former female combatants from the FARC. We learned about their struggles, their productive projects and the market, where we tried our best to buy out the various crafts and products. It was a great first day for our students and they learned a great deal about Medellin and the resilience of its amazing people.
On Tuesday, March 14, our students spent some great time together with the students from the Pontifical Bolivarian University who are also studying political science. We visited the community garden in Altavista, a rural area on the outskirts of Medellin, and the Museum of Memory where they had Colombian tamales and had an amazing experience hearing from these incredible women who have been through so much in life, but have so much life and generosity and humor to share. We ended the day with a sumptuous dinner with our friends Olga and Juan at their beautiful apartment looking out over the city.
Our Castleberry Peace Institute delegation had a very busy, and very powerful last several days in Medellin. On Wednesday, March 15, the students attended a program on "Voices of Women and Law".
It was especially moving when one mother in the audience, who has lost several family members to the conflicts in Colombia, and is still missing members, approached two of the ex-combatants onstage where the program was being held, and told of her experiences with sorrow and loss. She then asked to hug the women on stage, who were united in circumstances of their shared grief and loss. When the three women shared a long embrace on stage there was powerful silence, except for the sounds of tears.
As one of our students wrote, "Today we had the opportunity to listen to ex combatants of the rebel groups in Colombia. These women shared their stories and how they now dedicate their lives towards peace. It was very moving and compelling to hear what they had to say. It moved many of us to tears when the women got up to hug each other and said they forgive one another". Another said, "The hugging and the forgiveness stood out a lot to me. The panel had such an amazing group of women".
On Thursday, March 16, the students experienced the metro cable cars of Medellin that made it internationally famous as a city of outstanding urban planning that supplanted its prior reputation for conflict violence. The cable cars have made what were once long and arduous commutes for the people who lived in the less developed parts of the city high in the hills and mountains surrounding Medellin, a far more manageable journey.
In the afternoon, the students presented their research findings and discussed peacebuilding and other topics about Colombia with the students and faculty of EAFIT University (School of Administration, Finance and Technological Institute). Our students were later hosted by a group of EAFIT students, enjoyed a night out and helped build stronger ties between the Castleberry Peace and our faculty and student partners at EAFIT.
On Friday March 17 the students attended the 24th Anniversary commemoration of the organization, Mothers of the Candelaria, a group dedicated to finding the answers about what happened to their loved ones who died or disappeared during the years of violence in Colombia. Powerful stories of loss and reconciliation were shared. It was another moving day surrounding the many tragedies the Colombian people have experienced over the years, but as well, their powerful resilience and hope that powers truth and reconciliation. The Castleberry Peace Institute is proud to work with Aulas de Paz and the Mothers of the Candelaria, and looks forward to many years of new and successful collaborations.
We thank all of our Colombian partners at Aulas de Paz, the Pontifical Bolivarian University, the community leaders of Altavista, our faculty and student partners at EAFIT University, the Mothers of the Candelaria, the Women's Market for Peacebuilding, and everyone who helped create and support a transformational experience for our students and faculty.