EXCURSIONS
Reports
BRITT BAKKER: RECONCILIATION FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
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This report describes the program of the conference. Each morning different speakers presented different perspectives to the topic of reconciliation, faith, forgiveness and justice. During the midday programs we met in a smaller group with representatives of community and government organizations. Central to the conference was the topic of reconciliation, Christian faith and the situation in Colombia. But as you will see, we encountered many different perspectives to these topics and discussed interdisciplinary approaches, as well as different international perspectives.
Next to church representatives, NGO associates and community members, people from El Garzal, a small community in the Northern jungle of Colombia participated. The people from El Garzal are under constant violent threat from paramilitary groups surrounding them. However, due to their strong faith and positive community peacebuilding process, they find the strength to resist giving up the land and continue their struggle for justice. In addition, during the conference, thoughts, different feelings and dialogue have been present during and around the entire program.
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Britt Bakker, Reconciliation from a Christian Perspective - Bogota, Colombia, Amsterdam, 2016.
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SAAPKE VAN DER MEER: VERZOENING VANUIT EEN CHRISTELIJK PERSPECTIEF
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In this report, Saapke van der Meer reflects on and summarises the course of Reconciliation from a Faith Perpsective. Van der Meer describes the lectures in the morning, the meetings with various organisations in the afternoon, and of course our visit to Barrancabermeja, closing with a personal reflection on her own experiences.
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As Van der Meer also mentions, the visit to Barrancabermeja was intended to be a pit stop on the way to El Garzal, a local farming community. However, due to the presence of armed forces in the region, the visit was cancelled.
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This report is in Dutch.
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