National Day of Memory and Solidarity with the Victims of the Armed Conflict

Embrace Dialogue, as an organisation born from civil society to support the negotiated exit from armed conflict and encourage the construction of peace through dialogue, finds it unacceptable that the numbers of victims in Colombia continues to rise. We join with others in commemorating the National Day of Memory and Solidarity with the Victims of the Armed Conflict. 

We recognise the social and personal struggles of the more than 9 million victims left by the armed conflict, in their efforts to construct a non-violent way forward for Colombia. As part of civil society, we accompany the process that many have already begun and that has not been in vain, such as the project of Embrace Dialogue Youth in Colombia – Being/Making History – that has involved dozens of meetings with victims. In these meetings, they have listened to how some of the most painful events in Colombia’s history have unfolded. The stories told demonstrate what happened is unacceptable, and the importance of guaranteeing the non-repetition of socio-political violence.

Beyond pain, the victims of the armed conflict in Colombia have shown an endless capacity for transformation. They have led a process of peacebuilding and worked tirelessly for reconciliation. They have shown that it is possible to forgive the unforgivable. They are living examples of resilience. It is thanks to their contributions throughout the peace process that we are suffocating war. For this, we would like to express our profound respect for, solidarity with and recognition of the victims of Colombia’s armed conflict.