Photo: Diego Freudenthaler, Claudia Sprenger, Elisa Romero, Clara Siersch, Michaela Söllinger, Yudis Arteaga, Erwin Eder, Jose Roviro Lopez
We had a very interesting and eye-opening visit from our friends Yudis Arteaga and Jose Roviro Lopez coming from the so called "Peace Community" in San José de Apartadó which is fighting since 27 year in the first line of resistance for human rights for peace and justice. Bringing very sad news about the murder of 2 "compañer@s" in their community.
But this doesn't minimize the motivation for all of the citizien of the Peace community to stand for peace, sustainability and autonomy. A big motivation for them was recieving the "Florian Kuntner-Preis" in Vienna.
The Diocesan Commission for the World Church and Development Cooperation awards the Florian Kuntner Prize every two years to outstanding world church initiatives in the Archdiocese of Vienna.
The Peace Community of San José de Apartadó, located in Colombia’s northern region of Urabá, is one of many communities in Colombia to take a non-violent stand against the war by refusing to support any of the armed actors in the conflict. Despite having been forcibly displaced multiple times and amidst continued risks, the Community made the decision to return and remain on their land.
Taken from: For peace presence
As Yudis and Jose are trying to be heard in the european community and bringing out their situation to european audiences the most important things to support them is to do lobbying work in YOUR surroundings in YOUR fields of influence.
Michaela Söllinger our first international peace advisor was organising and taking the trip with Jose and Yudis through Austria.
Next they will be going on to several places in Netherland, Switzerland, Germany and Norway and it is so important to hear and share their message and support them in their fight for peace and autonomy.
