"The CPN is a much-needed way to support the courageous and mostly unheralded efforts of the Church to build peace in war-torn countries from Central Africa to Southern Asia."

Bishop John Ricard
Chairman, U.S. Bishops' International Policy Committee

"The CPN is a space of exchange, encounter and discovery where we help each other understand our peace-work, generated in faith and actualized in history."

Andrea Bartoli
Community of Sant' Egidio,
USA

"CPN is another concrete way of building solidarity among peacebuilders around the world. The energy that it will bring will help us in facing the many difficult challenges of peacebuilding work in our different contexts. My hope is that we are able to bring the same energy eventually to the communities directly affected by war, violence and conflict - creating not only a network of peacebuilders but more imoprtantly a network of communities all over the world."

Myla Leguro
Peace & Reconciliation
Program Manager
CRS-Phillippines

For background papers on Catholic peacebuilding in Colombia, click here.

Church leaders, scholars and peacebuilding practitioners from around the world will gathered June 24-29, 2007, to share wisdom and focus on solutions for achieving a just and lasting peace in Colombia.

The Colombian sponsor of the conference was the Secretariado Nacional de Pastoral Social/Caritas Colombiana of the Colombian Bishops' Conference. Co-sponsors include Catholic Relief Services, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Boston College's Center for Human Rights and International Justice, Caritas Internationalis, Notre Dame's Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the United Nations Development Program have also provided support for the conference.

• Press Release
• Participant List
• Agenda
• Exposure visit organizational information
• Exposure visit Video
• Papers & Background Resources
  

PROGRAM AGENDA

The conference in Colombia sought: 
(1) To improve international awareness and understanding of the key role that the Catholic Church plays in promoting peace in Colombia;
(2) To bring together scholars, Church leaders, and peacebuilding practitioners from a diverse set of countries in conflict to share their wisdom about “best practices” and lessons learned; and
(3) To explore concrete ways in which interested parties outside Colombia might support the efforts of the Catholic community as it continues to play a critical role in promoting a just and lasting peace.   



18:00	Dinner
19:00	The Colombian Context: Documentary and presentation on Colombian conflict-peace initiatives
19:30	Preparation meeting for site visits



For select information about organizations visited during the exposure visits, click here

Group 1: Medellín

MONDAY:

5:30	Leave hotel for airport
7:30	Flight from Bogotá to Medellín
9:00	Mass with Archbishop
10:00	Meet with regional office working in reconciliation efforts amongst the city’s armed groups
12:30	Community lunch with local diocese
15:00	Meet in Communa 13 with local missionaries and church leaders about mediation work
17:00	Tour of Medellín (Pueblo Paisa) (optional)
20:00	Dinner and overnight in hotel in Medellín

TUESDAY:

8:00	Depart hotel for Bolivariana University
9:00	Meet with reconciliation center and church leaders working with demobilized paramilitaries Join regional bishops for memorial service for a priest assassinated earlier this year Market stalls: marketplace with several groups working in the area, particularly with Afro-Colombia communities, women and indigenous efforts, reconciliation, and disarmament of paramilitaries
12:30	Lunch
14:30	Return to Bogotá
17:00	Mass for all groups
18:00	Dinner
19:00	Debriefing session on site visits

Group 2: In and around Bogotá

MONDAY:

6:00	Breakfast opens in restaurant
7:30	Depart hotel
9:00	Tour of Altos de la Florida and snack with community
11:00	Join Group 3 at the School Bolivar for an analysis of Soacha’s context in peace and conflict initiatives
12:30	Lunch with local bishop and women’s organization
14:00	Market stalls: marketplace with several groups working in the area, particularly in reconciliation efforts, community health initiatives, trauma healing, integration among the internally displaced, and violence prevention
15:30	Concluding session
16:15	Cultural presentation: local folk dancing group
16:45	Return to Hotel
18:30	Evening Mass at the hotel chapel
19:15	Dinner


TUESDAY:

6:00	Breakfast opens in restaurant
8:00	Depart hotel for Cuidad Bolivar
9:00	Tour: by the United Nations representative Meet with organizations focusing on citizen participation in peacebuilding and reconciliation
10:45	Join Group 2 in the San Francisco neighborhood for a symbolic non-violence event
11:30	Meet with Ficonpaz in the Santa Lucia neighborhood
13:00	Community lunch with local bishop
14:00	Market stalls: marketplace with several groups working in the area, particularly in non-violence movements, civic engagement and reconciliation, and local development projects
15:30	Plenary session
16:00	Cultural presentation
16:45	Return to hotel
17:00	Mass for all groups
18:00	Dinner
19:00	Debriefing session on site visits

 

Group 3: In and around Bogotá

MONDAY:

6:00	Breakfast opens in restaurant
7:30	Depart hotel
9:00	Tour of Altos de la Cazucá
11:00	Join Group 2 at the School Bolivar for an analysis of Soacha’s context in peace and conflict initiatives
12:30	Lunch with local bishop and women’s organization
14:00	Market stalls: marketplace with several groups working in the area, particularly in reconciliation efforts, community health initiatives, trauma healing, integration among the internally displaced, and violence prevention
15:30	Concluding session
16:15	Cultural presentation: local folk dancing group
16:45	Return to Hotel
18:30	Evening Mass at the hotel chapel
19:15	Dinner

TUESDAY:

6:00	Breakfast opens in restaurant
8:00	Depart hotel for Ciudad Bolivar
9:00	Meet with a reconciliation center in the Carcolí neighborhood
10:45	Join Group 2 in the San Francisco neighborhood for a symbolic non-violence event
11:30	Meet with Ficonpaz in the Santa Lucia neighborhood
13:00	Community lunch with local bishop
14:00	Market stalls: marketplace with several groups working in the area, particularly in non-violencemovements, civic engagement and reconciliation, and local development projects
15:30	Plenary session
16:00	Cultural presentation
16:45	Return to hotel
17:00	Mass for all groups
18:00	Dinner
19:00	Debriefing session on site visits




7:00	Mass
8:30	Opening Prayer
8:45	Conference Inauguration Archbishop Jesús Rubén Salazar Gómez, Archdiocese of Barranquilla, Colombia Lena Nordström, Ambassador of Sweden Scott Appleby, University of Notre Dame Fr. William Headley, Catholic Relief Services
9:30	Keynote: "The Colombian Church’s Challenges and Civil Society’s Role in Promoting a National Climate of Reconciliation” Monseñor Héctor Fabio Henao G., Secretariado Nacional de Pastoral Social (Keynote in (Spanish) (English)
10:30	Break
11:00	Working group discussions: breakout sessions on the themes articulated in the keynote address Group 1   Peacebuilding in the context of the war against terrorism Jaime Zuluaga, Colombia, commentato Mary DeLorey, moderator; Angelo Tello, relator Group 2   Building a culture of peace during humanitarian crises Ricardo Esquivia, Colombia, commentator Rosita Martin, moderator; Sandra Martínez, relator Group 3   The role of civil society in peacebuilding in Colombia Fr. Mauricio Garcia Duran, Colombia, commentator (Paper in (English) (Spanish) ) Irma García Heredia, moderator Liliana Zamudio, relator Group 4   Development and peace Fr. Rafael Castillo, Colombia, commentator (Paper in (Spanish) Borja Paladini, moderator Lucy Hernández, relator
13:00	Lunch at the hotel
14:00	Panel 1:  A culture of peace and reconciliation: ways to build the country we want  Panelists:  Fr. Francisco de Roux, SJ, Development and Peace Program in Magdalena Medio (DPMM) (Paper in (Spanish)) Peace Sowers, Ficonpa (Paper in (Spanish)) Vera Grabe, Peace Observatory Moderator: Thomas Bamat, Catholic Relief Services                                                                  Panel 2:  Empowering communities during conflict Panelists:  Sr. Janeth Moreno, Diocese of Quib Rosa Inés Floriano, Joint program SNPS-CR (Paper in (Spanish)) Eugenio Guerrero, NGO Corporación de apoyo a comunidades populares (CODACOP)  Moderator: Alvaro Villarraga, Cultura Democrática
15:30	Break
16:00	Theme of Panel 1: A culture of peace and reconciliation: ways to build the country we want Group 1   Development and peacebuilding Jaime Díaz, Colombia, commentato Fredy Leal, moderato César Romero, relator Group 2   Peace education Cesar Villanueva, Philippines, commentato Magally Ramos, moderator Jackeline Saavedra, relator Group 3   Promoting healing in divided communities Fr. Cyrus Banque, East Timor, commentato Miguel Ricardo Gómez, moderato Rigoberto Patiño Theme of Panel 2: Empowering communities during conflict Group 1   Trauma healing Fr. Elias Omondi Opongo, Kenya, commentato Roger Hernández, moderator Mauricio Martínez, relator Group 2   Intervention during crises Martha Ines Romero, Colombia, commentato Maria Elisa Caresani, moderato Luz Helena Ramírez, relator Group 3   Creating zones of peace Myla Leguro, Philippines, commentato Fabio Benavides, moderato María Elena Arteaga, relator
17:00	Plenary session: Reflections and discussion of insight from the first day of the public conference
17:30	Adjourn
19:00	Book launching: Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies John Paul Lederach
20:00	Dinner at the hotel


Plenary Notes from Wednesday, June 27 (Spanish)



8:30	Afro-Colombian Spiritual Reflection
9:00	Opening session: Lessons of the first day
9:30	Panel 3: Dignity of the Victims: the right to truth, justice and reparation Panelists:  Fr. Abimael Bernal M., Diocese of Cúcut Ana Teresa Bernal M., National Commission for Reconstruction and Reconciliation (CNRR Olga Gomez, NGO NGO Pais Libr Ivan Cepeda, Manuel Cepeda Foundation Moderator: Jamie Zuluaga, Colombia Panel 4: The Church and the peace process: promoting internal peace in a global context                            Panelists:  Douglass Cassel, University of Notre Dam Fr. Dario Echeverri, National Commission for Reconciliation (Paper in (Spanish)) Moderator: Eduardo Rojas, Episcopal Conference of Chile
10:45	Break
11:15	Working group discussions: breakout sessions on the third and fourth panels Theme of Panel 3: Dignity of the victims: the right to truth, justice and reparation Group 1: Processes of reconciliation during conflict Archbishop Antonio Javellana Ledesma, Philippines, commentator Sr. Norma Inés, moderator Carlos Rojas, relator Group 2: Truth commissions and reparations Fr. Peter-John Pearson, South Africa, commentator Fr. Omar Hernández, moderator Diego Lozano, relator Group 3:  Justice and reconciliation Claudette Werleigh, Haiti, commentator César Romero, moderator Maria Elisa Caresani, relator Group 4:  Accompanying victims Liliana Maldonado, Colombia, commentato (Paper in (Spanish)) Fr. Rubén Ospina, moderator Boris Martínez, relator Theme of Panel 4: The Church and peace processes: promoting internal peace in a global context Group 1: The Regional Andean Initiative, Plan Colombia, Human Rights and Peace Mary DeLorey, USA, commentator Miriam Orellana, moderator Fr. Rubén Darío Ospina, relator Group 2: Ethical dilemmas in conflict mediation and peace processes Bishop Francisco Joao Silota, Mozambique, commentato Rick Jones, moderator Fr. Juan Carlos Rodas, relator Group 3:  Redefining security John Paul Lederach, USA, commentator Lorenzo Figueroa, moderator Mauricio Martínez, relator
12:30	Lunch at the hotel
14:00	Plenary session: reports on the working group sessions
14:30	Closing Lecture: "Inputs from theology and ecclesial practice for the creation of a reconciliation environment for Colombia" Participants: Lisa Sowle Cahill, Boston College Department of Theology (Paper in (English)) Fr. Jorge Julio Mejia, Director of Peace Program, Society of Jesus, Colombia Moderator: Fr. Robert Pelton, CSC
16:00	Break
16:30	Concluding reflections and discussion on the future of Catholic peacebuilding in Colombia "Remarks from Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Archdiocese of Abuja, Nigeria."
17:00	Evaluation
17:15	Closing sessions: Next Steps
17:45	Closing Liturgy: Presided by Archbishop Iván Marin, Archdiocese of Popayán and Vice President of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia
19:30	Closing Dinner and Cultural Event

Plenary Notes from Thursday, June 28 (Spanish)



7:00	Breakfast
8:00	Depart Hotel
8:15	Mass, Bishop Iván Marín, Colombia, Presider
9:15	Introduction of participants and the day’s agenda Bishop Frederic Rubwejenga, Archdiocese of Kibungo, Rwanda Archbishop Chales Bo, Archdiocese of Angon, Myanmar Bishop John Ricard, Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee, USA Claudette Werleigh, Pax Christi International and the Life & Peace Institute
9:30	Conclusions of the public conference Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Archdiocese of Abuja, Nigeria John Paul Lederach, University of Notre Dame, USA
9:45	“The Global Context of Colombian Peace Processes” Fr. Darío Echeverri, CCN (Paper in Spanish)
10:15	Break
10:45	Plenary sessions Theme 1: The challenge of transitional justice Presenters: Bishop Nel Hedye Beltrán Santamari, Diocese of Sincelejo Fr. Peter-John Pearson, South Africa Theme 2: The challenge of confronting armed actors Presenter: Bishop Jorge Leonardo Gómez Serna, O.P., Diocese of Magangué Archbishop Antonio Javellana Ledesma, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
11:45	Break
12:00	Plenary sessions Theme 3: The challenge of closing the gap between national political agendas and local processes - how do we include communities with their own voice? Presenters: Bishop Darío de Jesús Monsalve Mejía, Diocese of Málaga-Soatá Bishop Francisco Joao Silota, Diocese of Chimoio, Mozambique Theme 4: Strategies for CPN’s solidarity with the Colombian Church in peacebuilding and reconciliation Presenters: Monsenor Hector Fabio Henao, President of SNP Bishop Thomas Wenski, Diocese of Orlando, USA
13:00	Lunch
14:30	Working groups Group 1: The Challenge of Transitional Justice, particularly in the context of the Justice and Peace Act Bishop Nel Beltran, Diocese of Sincelejo Moderator: Douglass Cassel, University of Notre Dame Group 2: The Challenge of Overcoming Gaps Between the National Political Agenda and Local Processes, and How to Include the Voices of Communities Bishop Dario Monsalve, Diocese of Mágala-Soatá Moderator: Fr. Ignacio Cardona, SNPS Group 3: The Challenge to Address Armed Groups in Dynamic, Changing Contexts with Little Attention from the State Bishop Leonardo Gomez Serna, Diocese of Magangué (Remarks in Spanish) Moderator: John Paul Lederach, University of Notre Dame Group 4: Strategies for CPN’s Solidarity with Columbian Church in Peace-Building and Reconciliation Msgr. Hector Fabio Henao Moderator: Thomas Bamat, Catholic Relief Services
15:30	Plenary sessions: reports on working groups and general discussion
16:00	Coffee Break
16:30	Joint program presentation, CRS and SNPS Paul Townsend, Catholic Relief Services (Letter from Ken Hackett, CRS: English Spanish) Program presentation, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Scott Appleby, University of Notre Dame
17:00	Conclusions and closing Archbishop Jesús Rubén Salazar Gómez, Archdiocese of Barranquilla
18:00	Closing dinner with all international participants at the hotel

Notes from Bishops' Session, Friday, June 29



6:45	Mass at the hotel
8:00	Depart hotel
8:30	Opening prayer
9:00	Welcome, review of the day’s agenda, and participant introductions
9:30	Presentation on the Catholic Peacebuilding Network (CPN)
10:00	Break
10:30	Working groups: An opportunity for deeper exchange and engagement with grassroots peacebuilders from a range of church and civil society organizations, including religious orders, ecumenical groups, women's organizations, indigenous groups, and local community organizations. Group 1: Continental Christian Movement for Peace, Justice, and Dignity; Pastoral Afrocolombian and Peacebuilding; Alcaldía Program for Disarmament                                                                   Group 2: Project NASA (working with Indigenous Communities from Cauca); National System of Reconciliation; Germen Peacebuilding Project (from the Sisters of the Company of Mary)    Group 3:  Pacific Route of Women; Justapaz; Alliance of Civil Society Organizations
12:00	Plenary: How can the Church throughout the world support the Colombian Church’s role in peacebuilding?
12:30	Conclusions and evaluation
13:00	Lunch with participating organizations and adjournment
15:00	Free time
18:00	Closing dinner with all international participants at the hotel