For the Community
Fundraising by Stefania Neglia
Walking with the San José de Apartadó Peace Community was more than just service to them—it was a gift they received.
The Community is not just Colombia. It is much more than that.
It speaks to our natural and human need for community—to be together, to see beauty, to create art and music, to cultivate, love, and protect nature, and to feel part of it.
It is not just about the injustices and violence they have endured and continue to endure. What stayed with me most was the serenity, the joy, and the determination despite the circumstances.
Their sense of community—genuine, intergenerational, inclusive, familial, cohesive, and tangible, felt by everyone from the youngest girl to the oldest participant—is the true lesson and the true choice.
Striving to take a stand—a stance for peace in a world that has chosen war—while never forgetting to put that choice into practice every day through everyday actions is an act for which I have deep admiration.
No matter the external context: in the Community, the choice for peace, community, and nonviolence becomes a reality in everyday life.
Who is the Comunidad de Paz de San José de Apartadó?
The Peace Community (CdP) is an informal civil society organization founded on March 23, 1997, following two infamous massacres carried out by the military in September 1996 and February 1997.
The members of the Community are committed to:
- not participating in war, either directly or indirectly;
- not carrying weapons;
- not providing information to any armed group;
- publicly denouncing human rights violations committed by armed groups;
- participate in community work;
- do not respond to violence with violence;
- do not accept monetary compensation from the state for victims until truth and justice have first been established.
The CdP currently has about 300 members.
The veredas (villages) that are part of this community are located in a vast and rugged territory, largely characterized by mountains and forests in northwestern Colombia.
Why a fundraiser?
Because this Community has asked to be protected by Nonviolent Peace Corps, whose presence ensures that people do not feel alone—and are not left alone—serving as a deterrent to violence by armed groups.
Operazione Colomba (the Nonviolent Peace Corps of the Pope John XXIII Community) has responded to this request and maintains a long-standing, daily presence in the community; without it, many people would not feel safe traveling the long, winding paths that lead to the fields or to their daily activities.
Knowing that people from Italy are dedicated to this cause moves me deeply.
Today, the presence of Operazione Colomba is more necessary than ever, as a new historical era approaches in Colombia—one in which many national and international interests are “at stake” right here in the Gulf of Urabá.
We dream of the day when this presence will no longer be needed; in the meantime, it is vital that the orange T-shirts remain visible.
Every contribution counts. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
“As long as there is community, there is hope”
170 €
-128 Days
11%
1,500 €
A donation
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