From September 18th to 20th, Alonso Cardona, a representative from the Colombian organization Conciudadanía, was in Austria to present his study on community resilience and empowerment in the southwestern region of Antioquia. His work highlights the threats posed by mega-mining projects to traditional landscapes and local livelihoods, as well as the powerful collective responses of local communities.
The study emphasizes how communities have successfully mobilized to protect their territories and create sustainable alternatives, fostering a modern-day "David versus Goliath" story. This success is in part due to the collaborative efforts of the Austrian Development Cooperation, facilitated through Horizont3000 and the Austrian Development Agency. These partnerships have helped strengthen local capacities, providing essential support in the face of external pressures.
For those interested in diving deeper into the work of Conciudadanía, the full study titled "La colectividad territorial del suroeste: Un David moderno" can be accessed here.