colombia

John Paul's involvement in peacebuilding in Colombia began in the late 1980s. Beginning with Justapaz (the Mennonite Church of Colombia) and extending to community-based work, including with the Catholic Bishops Conference Social Outreach Program, Pastoral Social, he has accompanied the country’s long journey of building peace. Leading up to the 2016 peace agreement, John Paul worked the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace to develop a set of initiatives focused on invigorating local and regional peacebuilding in regions that have suffered a great deal of violence. Wide use of the terms ‘peacebuilding’ and ‘conflict transformation’ in Colombia trace their roots to John Paul’s early community level involvement, with contribution to the Accord’s use of the concept ‘territorial peace.’ John Paul currently serves on the Advisory Council to the Colombian Truth Commission. The resources in this section include books, articles, presentations, and interviews shared in or about the journey toward peace in Colombia.

presentation

Desafíos para la construcción de paz en Colombia

Remarks shared at the conclusion of the Encuentro Nacional de Paz Territorial in Bogotá, Colombia, held in October 2015.

2015

presentation

Transformación de Conflictos, Diálogo y Mediación

A master lecture delivered at the XI Congreso Mundial de Mediación y I Congreso Nacional para la Construcción de la Paz held in Lima, Perú in September 2015.

2015

presentation

Una mirada global de los procesos de paz

A lecture delivered on the occasion of the presentation of the Peace Accords Matrix in Bogotá, Colombia.

2014

presentation

Los acuerdos no terminan los conflictos

A lecture delivered at the University of Cartagena in Colombia in contribution to the conference Diálogos de Paz.

2014

presentation

Compassion and Integrity in an Age of Fragmentation

A speech delivered at Hesston College's 2016 Homecoming celebration sharing stories from personal and professional experiences illuminating the transformative power of compassion and integrity in embodied presence.

2016