Peaceful dialogue in Colombia: Women cooperate for democracy!

Peaceful dialogue in Colombia: Women cooperate for democracy!

Marie-Theres Jung and Regina Schulz, both members of the kfd diocesan board, recently visited Colombia on an inspiring trip. Together with other representatives of the Diocesan Council and the Association of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ), the goal was clear: to meet with indigenous communities and take part in the 4th dialogue conference under the motto “Democracy in Danger”. This conference was a special event because it took place in Colombia for the first time and numerous experiences from Colombia and Germany were exchanged and discussed. As st-donatus.de reports, at the end of the trip Sandona was visited, where a partner project of the kfd Aachen and a women's cooperative are established.

In this cooperative, women work on the traditional production of weaving items such as bags and hats, which is not only a creative expression of their culture but also contributes to the financial support of their families. For anyone interested, an informative lecture with pictures and stories from Colombia will be offered in the evening, providing a deep insight into the experiences and the situation on site.

The situation of the indigenous people in Colombia

The delegation's trip took place against the backdrop of currently increasing tensions and challenges in Colombia. Namely, a demonstration march called Minga Indígena recently took place in the southwest of the country, in which thousands of indigenous representatives took part. These make up the highest proportion of the population in Colombia and are demanding more state protection for their lives, their land holdings, as well as for democracy and peace. As bistum-aachen.de reports, the increase in violence since the beginning of the year is an oppressive background for these demands.

In the course of the demonstration, the Colombian bishops called for social dialogue and published a letter in which they called for the demonstrations to be peaceful and non-violent. They support organizations and people who protect and accompany the demonstrating indigenous people. The population was also appealed to take more account of the fate of their indigenous and Afro-Colombian fellow citizens. The bishops emphasized the need for a culture of fraternity and peaceful coexistence.

The initiatives and dialogues promoted through these trips and events paint a picture of togetherness and solidarity with the indigenous peoples in Colombia. It remains to be hoped that the exchange between cultures, as initiated by the delegation from Germany, continues to send a signal of cohesion and commonality.