Ambassadors Regis Ortiz, a former soldier in Colombia's largest guerilla group, FARC, and Daniel Buritica, who lived through the experience of having his aunt kidnapped by FARC, have reconciled themselves and are working together so that Colombia's next generation can live in peace.
Regis and Daniel were responsible for organising a gathering of Colombia's youth, with the aim of bridging differences and reconciling. The two men met in Dublin at the One Young World Summit in 2014, where they shared an experience of speaking in a peace and reconciliation panel and seeing beyond their opposing experiences. Their discussion didn’t end there. Together, they organise Bakongo Paz, which unites war victims and demobilises people who were involved in different armed groups. Some of the camp’s attendees were once victims of guerilla warfare, others were involved in illegal armed groups. Regardless of how, everyone who attends has been affected by the war that has been facing Colombia for the past 50 years.
Their aim in uniting these groups is to help them overcome their pasts and reconcile so they too can experience the unity that now binds Regis and Daniel.
Here is a video of Regis and Daniel at the One Young World Summit in 2014:
Below is a video of Bakongo Paz, and the work that Regis and Daniel are doing to bring peace to the next generation.
