Author: Eugenia

The final report of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition of Colombia was presented at the Parliament of Catalonia on 12 July.   It was a very emotional event, featuring victims of the Colombian conflict living in exile in Catalonia and followed by nearly 250 attendees.

The event, organized by ICIP in its capacity as Technical Secretariat of the Truth Commission in Europe, opened with music by Colombian singer-songwriter Marta Gómez and the opening remarks of the president of the Parliament, Laura Borràs, who highlighted “the commitment of the Parliament and the whole of Catalan society to the cause of peace.”

ICIP director Kristian Herbolzheimer then called attention to the three years of collective work of the Truth Commission and ICIP, which now comes to an end with the presentation of the final report: “After decades of armed conflict, Colombia is now paradoxically the leading international model for peacebuilding, while in Europe, we are once again amid polarization, bloc confrontation and war,” he pointed out.  The ICIP director also urged Catalan institutions and associations to maintain a strong commitment to the victims and to peace in Colombia.

Recognition for victims of the conflictlicte

The institutional ceremony was conceived as recognition of victims of the Colombian conflict exiled in Catalonia and all the people who have worked for years to build peace in Colombia.  That is why the highlight was a conversation between Marta Liliana Ramírez, a victim of the conflict living in Catalonia who contributed her testimony to the Commission, and Helga Flamtermesky, an interviewer in the process of taking testimonies and member of the Catalonia Node in Support of the Commission.  During the conversation, Marta Liliana Ramírez, mother of a disappeared person, explained that giving testimony to the Truth Commission and feeling listened to has given her dignity.

The event also featured the participation of two members of the Truth Commission, Carlos Martín Beristain and Alejandro Valencia, who presented the main conclusions and recommendations of the final report, placing special emphasis on the chapter on exile: “Exile is oblivion; it is the consequence of many forms of violence.  And the report is a recognition of these ignored and invisible stories,” said Beristain.  The final report includes a series of recommendations to ensure a “more complete peace,” including reparation and dignification of the victims.

After their speeches, the two commissioners symbolically presented the report to Marta Liliana Ramírez and Dorys Ardila, a committee member for the follow-up of the Commission’s recommendations, who received it on behalf of all the victims in exile.

The documentary “Para volverte a ver,” produced by ICIP and Mandorla Films, was screened during the event.  The film narrates the contribution of the Colombian diaspora in Europe to the Commission’s work.  The documentary features four stories of life in exile, and two of its protagonists, Yanira Restrepo and Juana Sánchez-Ortega, were also present at the ceremony in the Parliament.

The ceremony ended with a performance by the musical trio Ensamble Ocasa which was met with big applause.

This event received support from Taula Catalana per la Pau i els Drets Humans a Colòmbia, the Catalonia Node and the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation.

The final report features 30,000 testimonies of the armed conflict

The Truth Commission of Colombia began its mandate in November 2018 to clarify the patterns and causes of human rights violations during the Colombian conflict, promoting the recognition of victims and contributing to coexistence.  The mandate will end this summer by disseminating the report in July and August.

The final report covers the events that took place in Colombia from 1958 to 2016 and are the result of a process of investigation and analysis based on a broad and pluralistic listening process that included victims, perpetrators, state security forces, businesspeople, ex-presidents, and other actors and sectors of civil society directly or indirectly related to the Colombian armed conflict.

The Commission has collected over 30,000 testimonies of the conflict, of which 2,000 are from exiles living in 24 different countries, including 800 in Europe and one hundred in Catalonia.

The Colombian armed conflict left a toll of nine million victims, of whom half a million were killed and 100,000 disappeared.  During the decades of conflict, one million people were forced to leave the country in search of protection.  Exile is almost always the last resort after other acts of violence.

Reception at the Palau de la Generalitat

On Tuesday, 12 July, the President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Victòria Alsina, received Commissioners Carlos Martin Beristian and Alejandro Valencia at a meeting at the Palau de la Generalitat. The reception was also attended by the President and Director of the ICIP, Xavier Masllorens and Kristian Herbolzheimer, respectively; Marta Liliana Ramírez, a victim of the Colombian conflict exiled in Catalonia; and Dorys Ardila, a member of the committee following up on the recommendations of the Commission’s final report.

During the meeting, President Aragonès stressed the pride in “the support of the institutions and social movements of Catalonia to the peace process in Colombia”. They highlighted the work of the ICIP as the Technical Secretariat of the Truth Commission in Europe.

For her part, Minister Alsina reaffirmed the Government’s commitment so that Colombia “continues to be a priority country for Catalan cooperation, as it has historically been”.

After evaluating the 23 valid candidacies received, the ICIP Board of Governors has decided to grant the ICIP Peace in Progress Award 2022 to all the civil society peace initiatives of the Basque Country “for their contribution to the advancement of peace, the end of political violence and the creation of new frameworks of coexistence and reconciliation.”  These initiatives include several groups and NGOs, some of which have played a key role in advancing towards resolution of the conflict, such as the Permanent Social Forum and the now-dissolved Coordinadora Gesto por la Paz and Elkarri/Lokarri.

Also included are entities that work for peace education, and the promotion of coexistence and human rights, through the Forum of Associations for Peace and Human Rights Education, where Gernika Gogoratuz plays an important role.  Finally, the award honours the dialogue initiatives led by victims, such as the Citizens-Memory Lab Meetings or the Restorative Encounters between prisoners and victims of ETA

The winning candidacy was presented by the Catalan organization Fundipau, which emphasized that “in the context of the tenth anniversary of the end of ETA and the evolution of Basque society towards a level of coexistence, peace and reconciliation – still very precarious, but unimaginable just twenty years ago – we believe it is necessary to recognize, highlight and applaud the role of civil society.”

The Basque peace process features the singularity of not having a peace agreement.  The leading role in the rejection of violence, the promotion of social and political dialogue initiatives, and the defence of the rights to truth, memory, justice and guarantees of non-repetition have fallen on the associative fabric – a fabric as diverse in its perspectives, priorities and strategies as society itself.

The ICIP Peace in Progress Award 2022 will be presented in a ceremony at the Parliament of Catalonia in September, on the International Day of Peace.

The following are some of the initiatives featured in the winning candidacy:

Foro Social Permanente (2016 – present)

This initiative, consisting of 17 civil society organizations, was created in 2016 – five years after ETA’s definitive end to armed activity – to address fundamental issues for the transition to peace in the absence of a formal negotiation table: ETA’s disarmament, the recognition of all the victims of the conflict, the need to put an end to the exceptional nature of the penitentiary measures applied to ETA prisoners, and the construction of a critical memory with which society as a whole can identify.

Coordinadora Gesto por la Paz de Euskal Herria (1989-2013)

Gesto was founded with the aim of expressing a rejection of violence and defending, above all, the fundamental right to life.  It took to the streets for the first time in 1985, using silence as its gesture to dissociate itself from the violence that was taking place in the Basque Country and Navarre – mainly against the ETA attacks, but also against the attacks perpetrated by GAL and the illegal actions of the police forces.  This pioneering initiative generated an ethical awareness in a very polarized context where gestures for peace could be questioned by certain sectors of society.  In 2011, after ETA’s announcement of an end to armed activity, Coordinadora Gesto por la Paz announced its dissolution.

Elkarri (1992-2006) / Lokarri (2006-2015)

Elkarri was founded in 1992 with the aim of promoting “mobilization in favour of a peaceful solution to the Basque conflict or problem through dialogue.”  It promoted meeting places to facilitate social and political agreements and focused on the recognition of all the victims of the conflict.  In 2006, the association became known as Lokarri in order to reinforce its commitment to a negotiated solution to the Basque conflict.  Lokarri was the promoter of the Aiete Conference, in October 2011, which preceded ETA’s announcement of an end to violence.  In 2015, Lokarri was dissolved after considering that the peace process in the Basque Country was irreversible once the objectives of the end of ETA violence and the legalization of Sortu had been achieved.

Gernika Gogoratuz – Centro de Investigación pro la Paz (1987- present)

Gernika Gogoratuz (Remembering Gernika) is a Peace Research Center created in 1987, the 50^th anniversary of the Bombing of Gernika, and carries out its work in the field of memory and the culture of peace.  Its goal is to contribute to peacebuilding in the Basque Country and worldwide.  The centre features a specialized library with 6,200 volumes.

Foro de Asociaciones de Educación en Derechos Humanos y por la Paz (2007 – present)

This is a network of associations whose aim is to contribute to the culture of peace and the promotion of human rights.  It comprises some twenty organizations, including Baketik, a foundation established in 2006 to promote social and personal change, in an ethical sense; Bakeola, an organization dedicated to promoting coexistence; and the Fernando Buesa Foundation, established in memory of and in tribute to Fernando Buesa, assassinated by ETA, with the aim of keeping his example – in favour of the culture of peace, democracy and social progress – alive.

Encuentros restaurativos (Restorative Encounters) (2011-2012)

The so-called Restorative Encounters were meetings between people who had suffered the direct violence of ETA – either as direct victims or as family members – and people who had committed violence and who at the time were serving prison sentences.  The encounters stemmed from the desire of some inmates of the Nanclares de Oca prison to reach out to their victims as part of their internal process of separating themselves from the practice of violence.  Between 2011 and 2012, a total of 14 meetings between victims and perpetrators were held, with the support of the Directorate for Victims of Terrorism of the Basque Government and the Department of Penitentiary Institutions.

Memoria Lab Encuentros Ciudadanos (Citizen Encounters) (2013-2018)

Memory Lab is a citizen participation program for the social construction of memory in the Basque Country that emerged in 2013, one and a half years after the definitive end to ETA’s armed activity.  The initiative was created by three organizations with extensive experience in the culture of peace and human rights: Gernika Peace Museum Foundation, Bakeola and Gernika Gogoratuz.   From the outset, the program was based on social laboratory logic with a dual purpose: to promote the social construction of memory and to foster social relations based on nonviolent coexistence and respect for civic pluralism, and sustained by democratic values.

Other initiatives featured in the global candidacy include the Gernika Peace Museum Foundation, Argituz, Ahotsak, emaGune, UNESCO Etxea, Eskubidez, Bakea Orain, Denon Artean and Foro Ciudadano Donostia.

ICIP Peace in Progress Award

The ICIP Award has reached its eleventh edition this year.  The purpose of the award, established in 2011, is to publicly recognize people, organizations or institutions that have worked for, and contributed to, the promotion and building of peace in a prominent and extensive manner.

The award consists of public recognition, a sculpture, called Porta del Sol, created by Nobel Peace Prize winner, artist and activist Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, and an economic endowment of 6,000 euros.  The presentation of the award takes place annually at an institutional ceremony at the Parliament of Catalonia.

Previous recipients of the ICIP Peace in Progress Award include Julienne Lusenge (2020); Collectif de Familles de Disparu(e)s en Algérie (2019); Cauce Ciudadano, Mexico (2018); Arcadi Oliveres (2017); Peace Brigades International (2016); Joan Botam (2015); Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (2014); Jovan Divjak, Bosnia (2013); Madres de Soacha, Colombia (2012); The Struggle of Conscientious Objectors and those who refuse military service, represented by Pepe Beúnza (2011); and the Parliament of Catalonia (2011, extraordinary edition).

Previous recipients of the ICIP Peace in Progress Award include Julienne Lusenge (2020); Collectif de Familles de Disparu(e)s en Algérie (2019); Cauce Ciudadano, Mèxic (2018); Arcadi Oliveres (2017); Peace Brigades International (2016); Joan Botam (2015); Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (2014); Jovan Divjak, Bosnia (2013); Mares de Soacha, Colòmbia (2012); The Struggle of Conscientious Objectors represented by Pepe Beúnza (2011); and Parlament de Catalunya (2011, extraordinary edition).

On Thursday, February 24, we woke up to the news of the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

At around 6 a.m. Moscow time, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine; minutes later, there were the first missile attacks in various parts of the country, including Kyiv.

Putin has launched a war that, in addition to the humanitarian, economic, political and environmental consequences, will have a disastrous impact on peace-building efforts, not only in Ukraine but in Europe and on a global scale, according to ICIP’s statement that we published the same Thursday.

Given the situation’s complexity, we offer a collection of articles and texts of opinion from a pacifist perspective.

• “Reclaiming universal jurisdiction“, by Sabina Puig (ICIP)

In this article, the author reclaims to rehabilitate the principle of universal jurisdiction in order to investigate the crimes of war in Ukraine and guarantee the victims their rights to truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition. As the author says, “if the war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocides of the last decades had been prosecuted more vigorously, then the victimizers would probably not feel so strongly that in war, everything goes and that excess does not entail consequences”.

• “Reflections on the Russian invasion from a pacifist perspective“, by Pablo Aguiar (ICIP)

During this time of war, Aguiar defends moving towards institutional architectures that guarantee the security of all the countries of the European continent and that guarantee peaceful management of conflicts. Because the alternative is to increase military spending and to move closer, perhaps fatally, to a new war. 

• “Security in times of war“, by Sandra Martínez (ICIP)

Militarism alone has never translated into positive conflict management; on the contrary, it has trapped, displaced or worsened them in the medium and long term. So, what kind of security are we talking about in these days of the offensive in Ukraine? From whom and for whom? In this article, the head of the “Alternatives of Security” area of the ICIP claims the need to seek mechanisms for solidarity and shared security to prevent violence and the arms race.

• “How do we respond to Putin’s war?“, by Kristian Herbolzheimer (ICIP)

In this article, ICIP’s director explains that the debate on whether or not to supply weapons is a perverse dilemma because either answer entails the death of thousands of people. 

• ‘Putin might be winning the military battle but he has lost the moral one’, by Kristian Herbolzheimer (ICIP)

In this interview, Herbolzheimer talks about the dimension of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, something “beyond what was thinkable for anybody,” the ICIP director said. “Where we are right now, there are no good options, all options are bad,” he told this media outlet.

• “War in Ukraine: Peace Frameworks and Initiatives“, by Kristian Herbolzheimer (ICIP)

In this article, the director of ICIP writes about the historical references of understanding between the parties to the conflict. He also writes about the diplomatic and social initiatives of dialogue that have been deployed for years in the region, since of a local and European framework.

• “What would real peacebuilding in Ukraine look like?”, by Almut Rochowanski (WILPF, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)

This article covers the initiatives of relaxation and dialogue that have taken place in recent decades to address the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and advocates a peace-building strategy focused on people, human security and feminism.

• “It’s time to ask: what would a Ukraine-Russia peace deal look like?“, by Anatol Lieven (Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft)

In this article published in The Guardian, the author calls for a dialogue solution to end the war and points out some of the issues that should be on the table.

• “A Just Peace for a Besieged Ukraine“, by Fernando Travesí (ICTJ)

More than 4 million Ukrainians are now refugees; another 10 million are internally displaced, and a rising but still undetermined number have been killed, are missing, or are wounded. The real question is what just peace means for Ukrainians.

• “War in Ukraine: Do Negotiations Stand a Chance?“, by Initiative Mediation Support Deutschland (IMSD)

With the atrocities against civilians in Butcha and other Ukrainian cities reported in early April, the violence and inhumanity of the ongoing war have entered a new degree of visibility. For some, this means negotiations are completely discredited; for others, negotiations are even more imperative.

• Seven points on the war and dialogue. From Ukrainian mediators and dialogue facilitators

This document was developed by Ukrainian mediators and dialogue facilitators in May 2022 to convey their voices and professional opinion to prominent actors in the international sphere of conflict transformation.

As an element of analysis and reflection, we also share this thread shared by the director of ICIP.

Putin's war will change many things. There is a certain militaristic euphoria in the West. A🧵of pacifist reflection: 👇

— Kristian Herbolzheimer (@KristianHerbolz) February 28, 2022

Recommended reading

As a complement to the analysis of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the figure of Putin, you can also consult the extensive catalogue of the ICIP Library. You can see an example of the vast bibliography we have on the subject in the photo.

Sunday 28 November marks the third anniversary of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition of Colombia, which has an innovative mandate since this is the first time a truth commission has included the population living outside the country as a subject of participation.

ICIP has played an active role in this undertaking since 2019. It acts as the Technical Secretariat of the Truth Commission in Europe with the objective of facilitating the work with the victims of the Colombian conflict in Europe.

ICIP provides technical and logistical support for the activities organized by the Commission in Europe. It coordinates the working groups established in various European countries (nodes) and has provided methodological support for the process of taking testimony from victims of the Colombian conflict in exile, which has made it possible to document cases and contribute to the clarification of truth, justice and non-repetition of the crimes.

ICIP has facilitated the creation of fifteen nodes in ten European countries, which have become participatory spaces for the sharing of experiences, coexistence and dialogue among victims of the Colombian conflict living in Europe.

Additionally, internodal groups with different thematic focuses – gender, psychosocial accompaniment, recognition of victims, relatives of victims of enforced disappearance, and second and third generations in exile – have been created.

Testimonies: treasures of the collective truth

In this process of working with Colombian exiles, 90 people have been trained as interviewers and recorders, mostly victims and women, and a total of 822 testimonies have been taken in Europe (2,000 worldwide).

The taking of testimonies has made it possible to reveal life stories, silences, impacts, struggles, resilience and contributions to host societies, as well as to promote transformative listening and self-recognition of the victims.

Recognition of the victims

Another issue that ICIP works on as Technical Secretariat of the Commission in Europe is the creation of spaces for the institutional recognition of exiled victims. The process, coordinated by the Catalonia Node of support to the Commission, includes the promotion of institutional declarations and the approval of motions by city councils and social organizations.

To carry out all of these actions, ICIP receives the support of the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation.

The Truth Commission is part of Colombia’s Integral System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Guarantees of Non-Repetition, along with the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and the Unit for the Search of Disappeared Persons.

The mandate of the Truth Commission has been extended until June 2022, which is when the final report is scheduled to be submitted.

Full details of ICIP’s work as Technical Secretariat of the Truth Commission in Europe can be found in the “Memory, Coexistence and Reconciliation” section of the ICIP website.

The ICIP has announced the call for nominations for the ICIP Peace in Progress Award 2022, which aims to publicly recognize individuals, entities or institutions that, in an outstanding and extensive manner, have worked and contributed to the promotion and building of peace.

In this eleventh edition, the deadline for submitting nominations is February 24 2022. The applications can be registered electronically, through this site (in Spanish), or they can be registered in person at any administrative register of the Spanish state, and at an embassy or consulate outside Spain. Please check with the ICIP (convocatories@icip.cat) well in advance of registration deadlines if you are submitting from abroad. Nomination of candidates by e-mail will not be accepted.

The ICIP Peace in Progress Award consists of public recognition, a sculpture created by the Nobel Peace Prize winner, artist and activist, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, called Porta del sol, and 6,000 euros. The award ceremony takes place annually in an institutional ceremony at the Parliament of Catalonia.

Any natural or legal person can submit nominations to the ICIP Peace in
Progress Award, but self-nominated candidates will not be accepted.

Previous granted

In previous editions, the award was granted to the activist from Congo Julienne Lusenge (2020), Coalition of Families of the Disappeared in Algeria (2019), the Mexican organization Cauce Ciudadano (2018), the activist Arcadi Oliveres (2017), Peace Brigades International (2016), the Capuchin friar Joan Botam (2015), WILPF (2014), the ex-general Jovan Divjak (2013), Madres de Soacha (2012), and the struggle of conscientious objectors and “insubmisos” (people who refuse to do military service or any substitute social work) represented by Pepe Beúnza (2011).

The same year, 2011, in an extraordinary edition of the award, the Parliament of Catalonia was honored for representing the continuity and legacy of the institutions “Pau i Treva” and “Consolat de Mar.”

ICIP’s Governing Board was renewed in October, in accordance with the provisions of the law by which the institution was created.

With regard to the members elected by the Parliament of Catalonia, the plenary session of the chamber renewed Xavier Masllorens – who serves as president of ICIP – and Òscar Mateos, and appointed as new members the researcher Nour Salameh and the activist and writer Remei Sipi, who will take over from Cécile Barbeito and Magda Oranich.

As for the members appointed by the Government of Catalonia, the Generalitat has designated Josep Desquens, director general of Development Cooperation, and Joan Maria Piqué, director general of Planning and Innovation in External Action of the Government of Catalonia, to replace Miquel Royo and Manel Vila.

Along with these new appointees, the following members will continue to serve: Constitutional Law professor Marco Aparicio, anthropologist Gemma Casal, journalist Carme Colomina and the president of Ciemen, David Minoves.

Article 6 of Law 14/2007 on the creation of ICIP establishes that the Governing Board is the highest management and administrative body of the institution and that it is comprised of ten members, of which seven are elected by Parliament and three are appointed by the Government.

The World Peace Congress organised by the International Peace Bureau (IPB) and the International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP) ended this Sunday in Barcelona after three days of conferences, workshops, and cultural events.

Under the title “(Re)imagine the world. Action for peace and justice”, more than 2,600 people participated in this hybrid congress, with activities in Barcelona. The events took place in the Centre of Contemporary Culture (CCCB) and the Blanquerna – Universitat Ramon Llull and were broadcast on the Internet.

Nine hundred people attended the congress in person, while 1,600 attended virtually. Participants came from 126 countries. In Barcelona, activists from 75 countries, including South Korea, the United States, Afghanistan, India, and Mongolia, were also able to listen to the speeches covering issues such as nuclear disarmament, climate justice, racism, and indigenous peoples’ rights.

As IPB Executive Director, Reiner Braun, explains, this is the most significant international peace event this year. “The congress was a great success. We got great support from the city of Barcelona and the president of the government of Catalonia. From my point of view, it was the right congress in this difficult political time and the right place because we got great support from the city. The IPB will continue working on the way of more engagement for peace after the congress”.

Jordi Calvo, IPB Vice-President and member of the local committee, affirms: “At the congress, we have seen that the peace movement is not alone. The large participation of feminist, anti-racist and global justice movements in the conferences and seminars shows that pacifism is more alive than ever but needs to adapt to new narratives and generations. After this congress, the Catalan, Spanish, European and global peace movement is stronger”.

The World Peace Congress brought together the different peace organisations in Catalonia for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. From the event has also emerged the commitment to organise a Catalan Congress of Culture of Peace within two years, after opening a period of analysis, reflection and action. “The values of peace and justice are accepted everywhere, but the reality contrasts with good intentions. The peace movement must go one step further so that institutional commitments can be translated into necessary transformations. We need to update our discourse and seek new alliances to have a greater impact”, said Kristian Herbolzheimer, the director of ICIP.

The congress started on Friday 15 October with an event attended by the President of the Generalitat Pere Aragonés and the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau. The opening session was attended by prominent names such as British politician Jeremy Corbyn and ICAN Executive Director Beatrice Fihn.

Exhibition “Facing Violence: Stories of Resilience in Central America”.

Coinciding with the Second World Peace Congress celebration, ICIP will launch the photo exhibition “Facing Violence: Stories of resilience in Central America “. The show, created by the Ruido Photo group, will be on display for three days, until 18 October, at Plaça Joan Coromines in Barcelona.

Through photography and interviews, the exhibition is a journey through the many faces of violence that affect daily life in three Central American countries known as the Northern Triangle: El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Sean MacBride Award

Each year, IPB gives the Sean MacBride Peace Prize to an individual or organisation that has done outstanding work for peace, disarmament and human rights. This year the award was awarded to Black Lives Matter for the movement’s dedication and work to create a world where the lives of black people can thrive.

On the second day of the World Peace Congress in Barcelona, Rev Karlene Griffiths Sekou, community minister, academic and activist, and director of Healing Justice and International Organizing, received the award on behalf of the social movement. “Our movement is not a moment in time; it is a constant reminder to eradicate white supremacy, change racist policies and overthrow oppressive systems”.

You can access the photos of the congress here.

On 15 October, coinciding with the celebration of the Second World Peace Congress, ICIP will launch the photo exhibition “Facing Violence: Stories of resilience in Central America“. The exhibition, created by the Ruido Photo group, will be on display for three days, until 18 October, at Plaça Joan Coromines in Barcelona.

Through photography and interviews, the exhibition is a journey through the many faces of violence that affect daily life in three Central American countries known as the Northern Triangle: El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The figures are alarming: on average, a person is killed every 40 minutes. Extortions, rapes, kidnappings, murders and disappearances, but also situations of poverty and social exclusion, are part of the daily life of a large segment of the population, especially the most vulnerable.

However, in this hostile context of violence, the exhibition also gives voice to the people who fight, day after day, to transform this reality through educational initiatives, awareness, care and solidarity. Brave people who undertake projects with an amazing capacity for resilience, who demonstrate that history is not written and that there is extraordinary potential to advance towards peace.

Women, children, youth and migrants

The exhibition is divided into four thematic areas: Women, Children, Youth and Migrants.  Throughout the exhibition, the violence suffered by various sectors of society is shown.  Women and children are particularly vulnerable, as are young people who, in poor and socially marginalized environments, are recruited by “maras,” lured by the promise of security.  These gangs, which have become violent transnational mafias, give them the opportunity to grow and make easy money.

In this context, many people are forced to migrate, thus exposing themselves to arrest, kidnapping, rape or murder, mostly by organized crime.  The Northern Triangle route to the United States is the scene of a serious humanitarian crisis.

As a counterpoint to the multiple forms of violence, the exhibition highlights the trajectory of four people who, from their fields of action, face the situation.  Based on interviews, the exhibition features the following testimonies:

• Morena Herrera, women’s rights advocate, El Salvador
• Marisa Martínez, children’s rights advocate, El Salvador
• Wilfredo Gómez, former member of the “maras” and founder of the “Huellas de esperanza” (Traces of hope) program, El Salvador
• Mauro Verzeletti, founder and director of “La Casa del Migrante,” Guatemala

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Technical characteristics

The exhibition includes a QR code through which those interested can access a Spanish and English translation of the texts. It also features an audio description system for the blind.

The exhibition consists of four cube-shaped structures that can be distributed in indoor and outdoor public spaces. The distribution of the cubes adapts to the space available and the exhibit is both easy to install and weather resistant. Each cube deals with a particular theme and features photographs on the outside and texts on the inside.

“Face to face with violences: Stories of resilience in Central America” is part of ICIP’s “Violences in non-war settings” work area.

Barcelona, 20 September 2021.-  This Monday afternoon, on the eve of the International Day of Peace, ICIP presented the ICIP Peace in Progress Award 2020 to Congolese activist Julienne Lusenge in a ceremony at the Parliament of Catalonia.  Lusenge received the award “for her work in preventing and reducing sexual and gender-based violence, and for strengthening women’s participation in peacebuilding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” a country with high rates of violence against women.

The ceremony was presided over by the President of the Parliament, Laura Borràs, the Minister of Foreign Action and Open Government, Victòria Alsina, and ICIP President Xavier Masllorens, who stressed the importance of fighting resolutely against sexual violence, also here at home: “We in Catalonia cannot allow ourselves to be just another country in this matter.  We have the tools to work more decisively at home to achieve a critical mass to confront this truly shameful pandemic.” Masllorens said he felt honoured to be able to pay tribute to a person like Julienne “committed to the struggle for peace and justice” and noted that this is the tenth ICIP Award, which adds to a list of people and organisations “who have devoted energy and effort to building peace in the face of conflict.”

During the ceremony, a video featuring the award winner’s career was shown, and the journalist specialising in Africa, Xavier Aldekoa, said of Lusenge: “Julienne is, above all, a brave woman – very brave.  Because of her leadership and courage, because of her fight against impunity by exposing, both nationally and internationally, the culprits and perpetrators of violence against women, she has received threats and attacks; nevertheless, she has continued to raise her voice regardless of the consequences.”

In her speech expressing gratitude for the award, Julienne Lusenge dedicated the prize to all Congolese women: “This award is for all the heroic women who constantly work for peace in the Congo and who live with violence every day.  This award gives me the energy to keep on fighting.” The activist defined Congolese women as “agents of change” and summarised the priorities of her struggle at the helm of the organisation SOFEPADI, which provides comprehensive care to survivors of violence: “Educating young women, raising community awareness about non-discrimination and mobilising resources to care for victims.”

The Minister of Foreign Action, Victòria Alsina, paid tribute to Lusenge’s “tireless and titanic work” regarding women’s rights: “Key figures like Julienne inspire us and remind us of the need to continue participating in this struggle.”

In the event’s closing speech, the President of the Parliament, Laura Borràs, praised the creation of ICIP by the Parliament of Catalonia. This feat represents “an example of the real power of the legislative body.” Borràs recalled the ten-year history of the Peace in Progress Award and pointed out that the award presented to Lusenge was the first to honour an individual woman. A recognition well deserved for a “life dedicated to the education, dignity and freedom of women, who suffer violence all over the world,” she said.

Among those attending the ceremony was Capuchin priest Joan Botam, recipient of the ICIP Peace in Progress Award 2015.  In his case, ICIP recognised his role as one of the leading pioneers of pacifism in Catalonia and a staunch defender of interreligious dialogue and religion as a source of peace.

A benchmark in the fight against sexual violence

Lusenge is the founder and current President of the organisation SOFEPADI (Female Solidarity for Integrated Peace and Development), which focuses on victims of sexual and gender-based violence. She is executive director of Fund for Congolese Women, which offers financial and technical support for the empowerment of Congolese women and girls to become agents of change within their families and their communities. She is also the founder of hospital Karibuni Wa Mama, in Bunia, which provides holistic services to sexual violence survivors and their children, having served over 7,000 survivors to date.

Originally from eastern Congo – a region devastated by the war started in 1998 and by atrocities committed by armed groups against local communities and, particularly against women and girls- Lusenge has experienced this violence herself and has emerged as a voice to denounce injustices and support the victims. From the organisations where she works, Lusenge has pushed the Congolese government and the international community to act against sexual violence, put women at the centre of peace and security processes, and foster the political rights of women and girls. She has advocated for the adoption of Resolutions 1820 and 1325 on women rights at the UN Security Council and creating the Special Relator to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Due to her activism and leadership, she has been repeatedly threatened by former members of armed groups, and she has been forced to relocate several times.

ICIP Peace in Progress Award

The ICIP Peace in Progress Award consists of public recognition, a sculpture created by the Nobel Peace Prize winner, artist and activist, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, called Porta del Sol, and 6,000 euros.

In previous editions, the award was granted to the Mexican organisation Cauce Ciudadano (2018), the activist Arcadi Oliveres (2017), Peace Brigades International (2016), the Capuchin friar Joan Botam (2015), WILPF (2014), the ex-general Jovan Divjak (2013), Madres de Soacha (2012), and the struggle of conscientious objectors and “insubmisos” (people who refuse to do military service or any substitute social work) represented by Pepe Beúnza (2011). The same year, 2011, in an extraordinary edition of the award, the Parliament of Catalonia was honoured for representing the continuity and legacy of the institutions “Pau i Treva” and “Consolat de Mar.”

Barcelona, 16 September 2021.- On Thursday afternoon, ICIP president and director, Xavier Masllorens and Kristian Herbolzheimer respectively, appeared before the Committee on External Action, Transparency and Cooperation of the Parliament of Catalonia to present the institution’s activity reports for the years 2019 and 2020.

In his speech, the president highlighted ICIP’s distinctive profile, “with a clear and defined identity,” as well as its commitment to internationalization and collaboration with other institutes and organizations, despite the global pandemic situation. “ICIP has reacted very well to the new socialization and has maintained or increased some of its most important actions,” said Masllorens. The celebration of the First International Forum for Peacebuilding in Mexico, the collaboration agreement with the Commission for the Clarification of the Truth, Coexistence and Reconciliation of Colombia and the second survey on coexistence and polarization in Catalonia are among the most noteworthy of these accomplishments.

The independence of ICIP: an indispensable condition

For his part, ICIP director Kristian Herbolzheimer defended the independence of the Institute, “an indispensable condition” to carry out the mandate established by law (which implies the creation of synergies between different actors and movements) and provide answers to a changing world. “The nature of conflicts is changing and from the field of peacebuilding we must reinvent and update our agenda to adapt it to the challenges of the 21^st century,” said Herbolzheimer. In this regard, the ICIP director highlighted the celebration of the World Peace Congress that will take place in Barcelona from 15-17 October and announced the intention to work towards a Catalan Peace Congress, which would allow us to bring the agendas of the different social movements up to date and face future challenges, such as the security model debate.

The ICIP director also highlighted the institution’s work in favor of social cohesion in Catalonia and its commitment to dialogue as the way to transform any conflict. “The art of building peace is to make possible what seems impossible and unimaginable,” he said.

The activity presented by ICIP in the annual reports corresponding to the years 2019 and 2020 received almost unanimous support from the spokespersons of the various parliamentary groups. In their speeches, PSC, ERC, Junts per Catalunya, CUP, En Comú Podem, Ciutadans and the Mixed Group expressed their gratitude for the work carried out by ICIP and highlighted its internationalization efforts and the extensive activity maintained at all times, even in the midst of a pandemic, during which the institution has been able to adapt to a virtual format.

ICIP was created by the Parliament of Catalonia in 2007 with the aim of promoting a culture of peace both in Catalan society and internationally, and to ensure that Catalonia plays an active role as an agent of peace in the world.  ICIP is an autonomous organization with its own legal personality.  It serves public administrations, academia and civil society, and reports to Parliament, the Government and the general public.

The International Peace Bureau and the ICIP are the Second World Peace Congress organisers. The event will be held in Barcelona from 15 to 17 October 2021.

Under the title “(Re) imagine Our World. Action for Peace and Justice”, participants from 40 countries will attend this event with face-to-face activities, conferences and workshops, most of which will take place at the Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (CCCB).

The conference will have a hybrid format, and many of the activities will also be available online. The main goal of the congress is to invigorate international pacifism, be a meeting point for different actors, redefine action for peace, and, as the motto of the congress says, reimagine the world through the prism of a culture of peace.

At the same time, the event seeks to foster synergies between organizations and individuals and between interconnected social movements fighting for global justice: peace and disarmament advocates, feminist and LGBTQIA+ campaigners, ecologists and climate activists, antiracists and indigenous people, human rights defenders and trade unionists.

More than 30 speakers

During the three days of the congress, there will be talks and lectures by more than thirty speakers. Featured names include Noam Chomsky, Vandana Shiva, Jody Williams, Martin Chungong, Wada Masako and Beatrice Fihn.

There will also be different workshops on ‘Peace Economics’, ‘Peace Accords to End Wars’, ‘Nonviolent Journalism for Peace’ or ‘Peace, Racism and Migration’.

The main organizer of the congress is the IPB, an entity that has its headquarters in Berlin and has offices in Barcelona and Geneva.

The office in the Catalan capital has been operating for four years, and from there, the Global Campaign on Military Spending (GCOMS) is managed in collaboration with Centre Delàs.

The IPB has a network of 400 members, and the Centre Delàs is part of the board of directors. In Catalonia, in addition to the Centre Delàs, other entities form part of the IPB: Justícia i Pau, Fundipau, Unipau, Escola de Cultura de Pau i Fundació Carta de la Pau dirigida a l’ONU.

The first peace congress in history was held in 1843 in London, then in Paris in 1889 and Rome in 1891 when the IPB was created.

In 2016, these world congresses were restarted with the idea of putting global disarmament on the agenda. This first congress of the new stage was held in Berlin, and the one in Barcelona will be the continuation.