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<br> <br> These Memoirs were developed by the Humanitarian Studies Institute<br>allies. Compiled and edited by David Alejandro Schoeller-Díaz. Maps<br>and data provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination<br>of Humanitarian Affairs UNOCHA – Colombia. <br>The HSI was established in 2008, with the objective of creating links<br>between Universities, NGOs and UN System Agencies, given the<br>demonstrated potential for research and training that exists among<br>local actors in order to improve quality of Humanitarian Action. <br>These Memoirs can be downloaded from the HSI Website at:<br>www.colombiassh.org/reh/memoirs3anniv<br> '''The Humanitarian Studies Institute (HSI) 2012.'''<br> Cover page photo: La Calle sonríe by Fabián Garzón Bustos<br>Interior photo: Atrás del matorral by Mario Barrero<br>1st Humanitarian Photography Contest.<br>Photo stream available in: http://bit.ly/McGA1W<br> Suggested citation:<br>Humanitarian Studies Institute (HSI) (2012). 1st Regional Conference.<br>Challenges of the Conflict in Colombia. 3 and 4 November 2011.<br>Bogotá: HSI.<br> Feedbacks and comments are welcome, and should be sent to:<br>iehinternacional@gmail.com<br> The Humanitarian Studies Institute would like to express its<br>gratitude for the financial support of the Canada Fund for Local<br>Initiatives (CFLI)<br> <br> ---- <br> On the part of the Office for the Coordination of<br>Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), I would like to congratulate<br>the Humanitarian Studies Institute upon the celebration<br>of its 3rd Anniversary. HSI has been an important initiative working<br>towards the integration of humanitarian actors with academics<br>across Colombia in the areas of training, advocacy and research.<br>These Memoirs compile the results of a meeting of experts from<br>regions throughout Colombia, including NGO workers, public<br>officials from the Ombudsman’s Office, Agency personnel and<br>researchers, who came together to share their experiences in the<br>field. These types of meetings are invaluable for the humanitarian<br>community in Colombia, where the humanitarian situation<br>frequently tends to be out of public view, and opportunities<br>to share experiences widely are few. We sincerely hope that<br>these types of efforts will continue on the part of HSI and the<br>participants in the event in order to help save lives and reduce<br>the suffering of millions of Colombians who face the difficulties of<br>the country’s internal armed conflict and the effects of frequent<br>natural disasters. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; With best wishes for continuing success, <br>'''María José Torres'''<br>Head of Office<br>Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)<br>Colombia, Technical Secretariat of the Humanitarian Studies<br>Institute<br> <br> ---- <br> So… what’s next?<br>Many efforts are underway to address, confront and transform<br>the conflict in Colombia. From the highly publicized institutional<br>ones to those that occur almost invisibly in neighborhoods, villages<br>and communities aimed at improving coexistence between<br>neighbors. Others, from diverse civil society sectors, seek to position<br>their concerns and perspectives in the public arena in order to<br>mobilize community groups and affect policy. Unfortunately, many<br>efforts of this type are unknown or invisible simply because they<br>don’t occur in the epicenter of national decision-making, don’t fit in<br>the agendas of those who may finance them, or aren’t documented<br>and shared with the community, in our case, the humanitarian one. <br>In this context, these Memoirs, consolidated by HSI with much<br>effort, are one more contribution to advance the aspirations of<br>the Colombian people for a transformation of the armed conflict.<br>But how do these Memoirs contribute? And from here, what<br>might happen? I just want to note three issues that motivated this<br>gathering of speakers, stories and analysis. The discussion on these<br>issues may spur a reflection on our institutional practices, and thus<br>shine light on our future work. <br>In the first place, these Memoirs stand as evidence. This term is in<br>such vogue in our context that its meaning is often eroded. With this<br>text, regional representatives, national and international analysts,<br>participants, researchers, compilers, and all the collaborators of this<br>event and its results have become witnesses of what happened and<br>also of what was affirmed and understood. It’s worth remembering<br>that these Memoirs emerged in a historical moment after eight years<br>during which the existence an armed conflict was denied. Though<br>we can’t say this is the only written material on these subjects in<br>the aftermath of such era of denial, we can affirm that it stands out<br>as the product of wide participation of civil society and communitybased<br>organizations. For HSI, the result is not only a reliable<br>resource, but also one worthy of systematization and distribution.<br>Being witnesses of this event better equips us to be more attentive<br>observers of what happens in the country, especially, as said before, <br> ---- <br> those things that receive limited attention in the epicenter and don’t<br>appear as often in the newspapers or newscasts, yet are daily bread<br>in the country’s periphery. An exercise like this sets a precedent for<br>more participatory and inclusive discussions.<br>In second place, the experience of the “Challenges of the Conflict<br>in Colombia” Conference reveals a shift driven by many sectors of<br>Colombian society. I’m speaking about the sense of unity reflected in<br>this two-day exercise, as well as many more compiling the analysis.<br>It’s important to note that this concept of unity does not equate<br>to homogeneity, but instead to a diversity of perspectives and<br>alternatives to approach the conflict in Colombia. Being a member of<br>an organization focused on children and with strong community ties,<br>I’ve recognized that participation is nonnegotiable and decisive to<br>change the culture, structures and practices of a society in crisis. For<br>HSI and its partners, it’s very important to recognize the institutions,<br>experts and interns of the humanitarian field. Nevertheless, such<br>recognition is more valuable if their work is strongly linked to the<br>base of the community, which on a day-to-day basis experiences the<br>limitations and vulnerabilities, risks more than others, suffers and<br>cries. Transposing this diversity of perspectives into the Memoirs<br>(for the most observant of the text) is a paramount commitment,<br>because a black-and-white portrayal of the world is intolerable for<br>those who learn to be inclusive and recognize the value of diverse<br>perspectives. <br>Finally, these Memoirs are meant to propel humanitarian<br>work by enriching our agenda. In many social research projects,<br>systematization exercises have fallen in the trap of further advancing<br>the positioning of institutional postures and/or publishing<br>achievements, rather than generating deep reflections, taking<br>advantage of lessons, and throwing them in a race to be learned<br>and incorporated into the practices of private and public life.<br> The analysis of actors, factors and vulnerabilities-capabilities,<br>as well as the accumulation of conclusions throughout the text,<br>is perhaps the most illustrative part. It’s useless to write only to <br> ---- <br> make history, only to leave a track, or show that one tried one’s<br>best. We write because a commitment is made for change and<br>transformation. When Colombians write their Memoirs, such as this<br>one, we are reading of ourselves in the present, but inevitably, as<br>we turn the pages, images emerge of how the future could turn,<br>whether we act or not. These Memoirs assert loudly that the conflict<br>in Colombia is and will remain what Colombians and their individual<br>and collective efforts want it to be. If we want something else, let<br>us learn from the past and present. For HSI, it’s clear that research<br>activities are a guide for progress and development, as long as their<br>findings are incorporated into everyday life in institutional practices,<br>and the work of social structures. Isn’t this a goal to pursue? Isn’t it<br>an agenda for our work and projection?<br> So... this is what follows, and on behalf of the Humanitarian<br>Studies Institute, we hope to have the intent, resources and<br>commitment of its members to: continue to create experiences like<br>this, contribute to a better understanding of humanitarian practice<br>in our context, and tirelessly explore possible ways to continue to<br>improve, change, transform what we have, into something better<br>for the country.<br> '''Eng. Giovanny Cruz G'''<br>National Coordinator of Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs<br>World Vision Colombia<br>President of the HSI Board of Directors<br> ---- <br> The Humanitarian Studies Institute (HSI) represents a joint<br>effort of United Nations agencies, NGOs and universities to<br>close the gap between the humanitarian community and<br>academia. To accomplish this goal, HSI works via three pillars:<br>advocacy, capacity building and research. As part of its advocacy<br>strategy, HSI promotes thematic events to examine humanitarian<br>crises, advance joint analysis of the humanitarian impact of<br>conflict-related issues and natural disasters, and disseminate the<br>framework for humanitarian action.<br>HSI expresses its sincere gratitude to the constructive<br>contributions of persons from academic institutions, civil society<br>organizations, NGOs and international organizations that joined<br>us from across Colombia. This includes organizations as varied<br>as Universidad del Sinú, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana de<br>Montería, Oxfam, Corporación Nuevo Arcoíris, Comisión de Vida,<br>Justicia y Paz de la Arquidiócesis de Cali, Cocomasia, Diócesis<br>de Soacha, SAT functionaries of Defensoría del Pueblo, Fedes,<br>Programa de Desarrollo y Paz del César, and Fundación Montes<br>de María, among many others.<br> ----