Colombian Religious Leaders Visit U.S.

Ricardo Esquivia, left, speaking to a representative of a women's cooperative to which he left his home when he fled for his life from San Jacinto in the Montes de Maria region of Colombia. Listening to them is Rev. Barbara Gerlach, the Colombia Liaison for the United Church of Christ's Justice and Witness Ministries. Photo: T. Abraham / CWS

September 29, 2006

Church World Service is co-sponsoring a delegation of religious leaders from Colombia for visits to Washington, D.C., Chicago and New York, to share their experience of peace building and local economic development with the U.S. public and with policymakers. (see this agenda for details)

In the U.S. from October 3 - 11, the delegation includes Bishop Nel Beltran, Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sincelejo; Atty. Ricardo Esquivia, a Protestant church leader and peace activist; and Fr. Rafael Castillo, Executive Director of the Network for Development and Peace Foundation of Montes de María. Mr. Esquivia is a CWS partner in Colombia and a member of the CWS Education & Advocacy Program Committee.

The religious leaders will discuss their participation in an innovative model, based on ecumenical collaboration, for protecting lives and addressing the root causes of armed conflict in Colombia. The model has been created and implemented by the Network for Development and Peace Foundation of Montes de María.

Montes de María, where the Foundation implements its programs, is one of Colombia’s most violent, conflictive regions. Here the Foundation has been working with local people who suffer the direct impacts of the conflict: women, children, indigenous, Afro-Colombian and other marginalized groups. The religious leaders will talk about how this model of ecumenical collaboration offers hope for peace, development, human rights, and humanitarian support for the people of Colombia.

While in Washington, D.C. the delegation will visit the U.S. State Department and several Congressional offices, as well as meet with various U.S. NGOs. In Chicago they will meet with local church leaders. In New York the delegation will have meetings at the U.N. Church Center and the Ford Foundation.

Besides Church World Service, additional co-sponsors of the delegation’s visits include the U.S. Office on Colombia, Catholic Relief Service, Lutheran World Relief, Mennonite Central Committee, United Church of Christ Wider Church Ministries, and Global Ministries.