Participants gather for the first Macrorrueda held November 30-December 1 in Cali.
Photo credit: Corporación Reconciliación Colombia
Our USAID-funded Program of Alliances for Reconciliation (PAR) program has been busy of late: In collaboration with Corporación Reconciliación Colombia, PAR sponsored and helped organize the first Reconciliation Macrorrueda (Roundtable) in Cali, November 30 to December 1. The event facilitated reconciliation-oriented dialogue among key actors in Colombia’s public, private, and civil society sectors, as well as the international cooperation arena.
Representatives of 232 enterprises and organizations from Colombia and abroad attended. The event also attracted an impressive lineup of public figures, including Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, whose speech emphasized the importance of the Colombian people taking ownership of the country’s newly ratified peace deal.
The event also featured discussions by the Mayor of Cali Maurice Armitage; the Governor of Valle de Cauca Dilian Francisca Toro; and the Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism María Claudia Lacouture. USAID/Colombia Director Peter Natiello participated in the “International Cooperation: Ally of Development in Colombia” panel discussion.
Participants presented and learned about some 320 social and productive projects that hold the potential to contribute to reconciliation in Colombia. The event revealed untold opportunities for participants to share knowledge and resources, contributing to the efficacy and sustainability of said projects.
