The GEAP in Colombia: presents an agenda of events to the indigenous people

The Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP) in Colombia, presented an agenda of events for January and February 2017, to be held in different regions of the country the eight Regional Encounters of the Children of Mother Earth will be held.

The environmental activities were held under the proposals of the International Program Children of Mother Earth, a project of the GEAP that goes along with the UN Global Agenda for a Sustainable Development, since its objective is to protect, keep and restore Mother Earth.

See Program Children of Mother Earth  

The Encounters are made up of 11 work tables, spaces that allow the documentation of the proposals generated by the indigenous communities regarding the rescue of biodiversity, care of the resources, food, cultural and ideological habitats, among others.

January – February 2017 Agenda

The 6^th Regional Encounter will be held on January 21^st, at the Guahibo Betoy indigenous educational institution and representatives of the U’es, Sikuani, Inga, Betoy, Hitnu, Makaguain and Quechua people will participate.

The district of The Delfina, Buenaventura, will hold the 7^th Regional Encounter on January 25^th, where the Nasa Kiwe, Chonara Huena and La Meseta indigenous reserves, t Waunaan Phoboor indigenous community and the indigenous cabildo will attend.

On February 9^th, the 8^th Regional Enounter in Valledupar, Cesar will take place. 150 indigenous leaders from the Caribbean are expected to attend this event. The Maria Montessori School will host the encounter.

In Cucuta, Santander, the 9^th Regional Encounter will take place, where more than 370 members of the Embera Katio and Zenu Community will present their proposals at the 11 work tables.

On February 24^th, the 11^th Regional Encounter will be held, where the Awa, Pastos, Ingas, Kofanes, Nasas, Eperaras and Quillacingas indigenous people were invited.

Leticia, Amazonas will be the location for the 12^th Regional Encounter at the Colegio de la Normal de San Vicente, on February 25^th. The presence of 10 indigenous organization from the Colombian Amazon are expected to be present.

To end the events, the Activists for Peace, on February 28^th, will go to Coyaima, Tolima, where more than 150 representatives from different ethnicities from the region will arrive at the Castilla district, to participate in the 13^th Regional Encounter of the Children of Mother Earth.

Regional Encounters from 2016

In 2016, during May and August, the GEAP in Colombia held five regional encounters and the 2^nd International Encounter of the Children of Mother Earth that were carried out in the following regions:

• 1^st Regional Encounter / May 4^th, Silvia – Cauca
• 2^nd Regional Encounter / June 7^th, Monteria
• 3^rd Regional Encounter / June 18^th, Bogota
• 4^th Regional Encounter / July 5^th, Villavicencio
• 5^th Regional Encounter / July 19^th, San Agustin
• 2^nd International Encounter / August 9^th, Uribia, La Guajira

Indigenous Communities

Colombia counts with an ethnic and cultural population that has been diversified since the discovery of America in 1942, even more so than in other countries in the continent because of its geographic position as the door to South America.

During the last census made to the indigenous communities in 2005 by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), yielded a result of 87 ethnicities, as well as three different groups of the Afro-Colombian population and the gypsy people or ROM, and 64 Native American tongues; 18 ethnicities are in danger of becoming extinct.