AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Historical memory for reconciliation and peace: project in the diocese of Valledupar

Monday, 29 March 2021 reconciliation armed conflicts environment local churches peace

COLOMBIA

2023-07-03
Armed attack against two pastoral workers: reflection of violations of civil society

2023-05-24
The search for peace is based on respect for life, human dignity and dialogue, not on violence

2023-05-17
Families "promoters of human life, builders of society, custodians of the common home and active subjects of evangelization"

2023-05-16
Educating young people for peace, a sign of hope in the midst of the Colombian conflict

2023-05-03
Day of prayer for reconciliation and peace: peace is possible, it is necessary, it is everyone's responsibility

2023-04-14
The "District of Mercy": proclamation of the Gospel and promotion of human dignity in the center of the capital

Bogotà (Agenzia Fides) - "Strengthening all processes of remembrance and historical memory is to give roots to communities, and when a community has roots, it can withstand many winds and difficulties", underlined the Bishop of Valledupar, Mgr. Oscar Vélez Isaza , who also underlined the importance of reconciliation with the common home, which "is an important field in which the diocese will continue to work hard".
Thanks to an initiative supported by the National Conciliation Commission (CCN) and the Norwegian Embassy in Colombia, between December 2020 and March 2021, the Diocese of Valledupar, through its Social Pastoral Team, has accompanied the communities of Guacoche and Guachochito in the Cesar Department, offering meeting spaces, pastoral and psychosocial support, as well as cultural strengthening, useful for the construction of historical memory and reconciliation and peace processes, with an environmental approach. The populations living in this territory, located near the Cesar River, have been deeply affected by armed conflicts.
According to information from the Episcopal Conference, sent to Fides, children, young people and adults participated in the launch of the project, called "Afro-descendant historical reconstruction through the dialogue of knowledge for reconciliation and peace in Guacoche and Guacochito". Typical food, popular dances and local culture are the main elements of social cohesion, through which it has also tried to contribute to the strengthening of the social fabric. Priests, pastoral workers, psychologists and social workers have participated in the development of the initiative. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 29/3/2021)