The Director of the Unit for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement in Colombia, Gloria Cuartas, has visited Catalonia at the invitation of the Catalan Development Cooperation Fund to participate in the first edition of La Nit del Fons, the annual meeting of public and private cooperation stakeholders in Catalonia.
During her stay, Cuartas held meetings with various institutional representatives and participated in an analysis session at the ICIP office entitled “Implementing peace in Colombia: Challenges and perspectives.” The meeting, which was attended by Catalan civil society organizations, addressed the current challenges facing the peace process in Colombia.
Former mayor of Apartadó and promoter of total peace
Gloria Cuartas is a key figure in peacebuilding and the defense of human rights in Colombia. She was mayor of the town of Apartadó (1995-1997) during a period of great violence when the region was the scene of confrontations between armed groups. During her mandate, she promoted initiatives for dialogue and protection of the civilian population and promoted coexistence and reconciliation in a context marked by conflict. Her commitment to human rights earned her recognition as well as threats and personal challenges.
Currently, as director of the Unit for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement, she is leading efforts to oversee the effective application of the agreement signed in 2016 between the Colombian government and the FARC-EP. Her work focuses on strengthening transitional justice mechanisms, the reincorporation of former combatants and the implementation of rural development policies in the regions most affected by the conflict. Furthermore, it promotes community participation in the construction of a stable and lasting peace while ensuring that the commitments of the agreement translate into real and sustainable changes for Colombian society.
Institutional meetings and analysis session at ICIP
During her visit to Catalonia, Cuartas held an analysis session at the ICIP office in which she went over her personal and political career and analyzed the current situation in Colombia, which she described as “complicated.” “Total peace is going through a deep crisis,” she said. She also expressed her gratitude to the numerous Catalan institutions, including ICIP, which have been “weaving peace in my country” for years.
Before the session, Cuartas held several institutional meetings accompanied by, among others, ICIP director Kristian Herbolzheimer. On Monday 10 March, she met with the president of the Parliament of Catalonia, Josep Rull, and with representatives of the European Union and External Action Committee, with whom she discussed the efforts of Gustavo Petro’s government to achieve total peace. The following day, Tuesday 11 March, she held a meeting with the Minister of the European Union and External Action of the Government of Catalonia, Jaume Duch, to evaluate the projects financed by the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation in Colombia. Cuartas’ visit to Catalonia ended on Wednesday 12 March with her participation in La Nit del Fons, where she was the keynote speaker.
