Since the late 1980s, Colombia’s Urabá region has been the site of territorial disputes between different armed groups, including guerillas, paramilitaries, and, most recently, criminal organizations. Today, Urabá’s youth live in a critical moment as they choose between continuing the region’s legacy of violence or changing the narrative.
To support youth in building a culture of peace and tolerance in Urabá, the USAID-funded, ACDI/VOCA-implemented Program of Alliances for Reconciliation (PAR) partnered with local organization Fundación Recreando Urabá to support Cycling for Peace—a day-long campaign to raise awareness for peacebuilding in the region. On January 27 and February 15, 2,000 youth took to the streets and rode through marginalized neighborhoods in Apartadó and Turbo to spread positive messages in their communities. The campaign is working to change the public image of these areas and enable youth to re-appropriate them.
The Program of Alliances for Reconciliation (PAR) is a four-year USAID-funded program that supports inclusive and lasting peace for the Colombian people by carving out space for reconciliation, bringing together actors from across society, and transforming mentalities.
Read more about Program of Alliances for Reconciliation (PAR).
