During the last week of November, the Alma Mater of Cauca will be the epicenter for thinking, educating, and acting for peace within the framework of a very relevant date: the seventh anniversary of the signing of the Peace Agreement. Thus, on the 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th days, a special agenda will take place to commemorate all the efforts that, over the past 7 years, have been made to contribute to the construction of a region and a country at peace.

The University of Cauca, led by its Peace Commission, is pleased to be part of a series of nationally significant events. Hosting these actions fills us with pride because, within our current Institutional Development Plan, also known as 'For an Excellent and Solidary University,' we have, as a strategic axis, being a solidary university committed to its environment, which, of course, implies - within the framework of our competence as a regional thinking center - ensuring the right to life, peace, reconciliation, and the inclusion of differences. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that the previous Institutional Development Plan, 'Towards a university committed to Territorial Peace,' also left us a fundamental legacy. Both roadmaps have conceived of joining efforts to strengthen the Alma Mater as a space for encounter, dialogue, and consensus; an objective we have advanced thanks to the efforts of the Unicauca community who have made peace one of their flags.

Thus, we extend the invitation to all those interested in participating in these unmissable pedagogical, reflective, and action-oriented encounters, scheduling according to the following program:

Pre-Departmental Meeting of Cauca for the Construction of the Design of Civil Society Participation in the Peace Dialogue Table between the National Government and ELN. Monday, November 27, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the El Carmen Cloister, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Within this space, the various social sectors of Cauca that are committed to peace join the initiatives to construct the design of the participation mechanism, within the framework of the Peace Negotiation Table between the Government and the ELN.

 

Meeting of the Governance and Peace Table of the State University System (SUE). Tuesday, November 28, at 2:00 p.m. in room 306 of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Alternate Headquarters.

Delegates from public universities that make up the Governance and Peace Table of the SUE will address two central themes. On the one hand, they will provide an assessment of the dynamics of civil society participation in the Peace Dialogue Table between the Government and the ELN, and on the other hand, an assessment will be made regarding the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement based on the presentation of the Kroc Institute report and two experiences from Uniamazonía and Unicauca.

Forum: 'Participation, Peace, and Territories: Contributions and Challenges for Peace Agreements and Dialogues in Colombia.' Wednesday, November 29, starting at 8:00 a.m. at the Francisco José de Caldas Auditorium.

This is the central event of the week's activities. This forum is held with the main purpose of contributing to debates on mechanisms, procedures, and approaches to consider participation in negotiations, dialogues, and the implementation of peace agreements.

This forum will have the following thematic panels:

1. Assessment of civil society participation in the negotiation and implementation of the Final Agreement for the Termination of the Conflict and the Construction of a Stable and Lasting Peace.

Speakers: Tanja Nijmeijer, Master in Interculturality Studies and signatory of the 2026 Peace Agreement.

Alejandra Miller, Former Commissioner of Truth and Director of the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN).

Danna Riveros Cantor, Unit for the Implementation of the Final Peace Agreement.

Moderator: Governance and Peace Table of the SUE.

 

2. Participation in the Peace Dialogue Table between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the National Liberation Army - ELN.

Speakers: Delegate of the Government National Negotiating Commission. Delegate of the ELN Peace Management.

Hugo Buitrago, Governance and Peace Table, and coordinator of the Peace Unit of the University of Antioquia.

Moderator: University of Cauca Peace Commission.

 

3. Civil society participation in the Peace Dialogue Table between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Central High Command (EMC) of the FARC-EP.

Speakers: Camilo González Posso, Head of the Government National Negotiating Commission.

Delegate of the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace. Fernando Fleitas, United Nations Verification Mission.

Moderator: Milena Hernández, National Pedagogical University-UPN.

After the thematic panels, there will be a presentation of a fragment of the music thesis 'Search Until Finding Them' by the author Mariana Rincón Padilla, from the University of Cauca, and the space will conclude with a call from the academia for peacebuilding in Colombia. It is worth noting that there will be stands and two photographic exhibitions: 'The Path of Search' organized by the Search Unit for Missing Persons (UBPD), and the photographic and sound exhibition of the 'Memory, Families, and Truth' project by Chicas Poderosas Colombia.

 

Lunch and discussion with new local governments and Interinstitutional Table for Peace, Cauca.

Wednesday, November 29, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at Casa Betania.

This space is organized by the Archdiocese of Popayán, The Unit for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement, the United Nations Verification Mission, the University of Cauca, and the Governance and Peace Table of the State University System (SUE), with the purpose of establishing closer ties with the new local governments, as well as discussing the main challenges and recommendations in the implementation process of the Final Agreement.

 

Academic Tour for Peace. University Dialogues on commitments to participation and peacebuilding.

Thursday, November 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at the auditorium of the Alternate Headquarters of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

This panel will provide an assessment of the participation of universities in peacebuilding within the framework of the Peace Dialogue Table between the National Government and the ELN.

Thus, we hope that all those interested in thinking, educating, and acting for peace will schedule to be part of these scenarios; scenarios that undoubtedly contribute, not only to the construction of peace in the region and the country but also fill with hope the longing of a people that has had to suffer through war for more than 5 decades. Let's change the course of the country's history, starting by participating in such important spaces as these, which are within our reach and hand in hand with this regional thinking institution where we dream of a better world. Therefore, we could not close better the commemorative month of the 196 years of this, the home of all, than with a complete agenda focused on one of those issues that move fibers and are part of the strategic elements for the current administration led by the rector, Dr. Deibar René Hurtado Herrera, who will be in charge of delivering a Bicentennial University of Excellence and Solidarity in 2027.

Unicauca, #HeritageForAll and the place where we think, educate, and act for Peace. We look forward to seeing you without fail!