Juan David Latorre
Eduardo Ávila, Ambassador of Colombia, held a reception last Thursday following the presentation of his Letters of Credence, attended by nearly 300 guests including dignitaries, diplomatic corps, politicians, businessmen, academic and research centres, social, cultural and community organisations and the press, among other groups and friends.
“Colombia wishes to move towards a path without political violence and without structural violence, said Ambassador Eduardo Ávila. This is what we understand by Total Peace. Total peace is more than the absence of conflict and violence, it is a state of harmony and balance in which people can live free from fear and injustice. Peace is equity in income distribution and respect for the diversity of human expression within the framework of democratic values. Peace is not only a fundamental human right, but also a necessity for sustainable development; it is care for the self, the other and the other. Peace enables the building of strong and united communities, where people can grow, learn and thrive together in a chain of affection.”
“However, he continued, achieving total peace is not an easy task. It requires collective efforts and international cooperation to address the root causes of conflict, which are inequality of wealth, the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics and the weaknesses in the productive structure resulting from the two previous reasons.” The Colombian Ambassador stressed that “I am firmly convinced that peace in Colombia is possible, and that peace in Colombia guarantees security not only in the American hemisphere, but also contributes to the achievement and maintenance of global peace. And the objective of Colombia’s representation in Spain is to achieve the collective support of Spanish society for the construction of total peace in Colombia”.
In reference to the changes that are to be implemented in Colombia from an economic point of view as a result of the change of government, the Colombian ambassador declared that “Colombian peace does not imply changing the economic model or the mode of production; on the contrary, what we propose is a deepening of capitalism in search of growth in the agri-food industry and technologies of the fifth industrial revolution, a deepening that requires Spanish investment with technology transfer and associative capacity, where we know that there is room for new businesses that in turn allow the expansion of European companies in Latin America.”
The ambassador described the relationship with Spain as “primordial” and called her like “our gateway to Europe. The defence of freedom, human rights, the rule of law, economic progress with equity and the search for the environmental protection of the planet weave an ever stronger relationship; a relationship that will have two transcendental milestones this year, the CELAC summit and the European Union CELAC summit. We will strive in this Diplomatic Mission to give value to this harmony in order to promote a kind of strategic relationship of common interests between Spain and Colombia”.
Referring to the environment, Ambassador Eduardo Dávila pointed out that “the protection of the environment requires that Colombia and the sister countries of South America commit ourselves to the care of the Amazon and the ecosystems that help to prevent global warming. This commitment requires European solidarity and co-responsibility to be achieved. This embassy has the mission to advance in the search for a scheme to value the ecosystems present in Colombia in order to participate in a mechanism of bonds and payment for environmental services that will allow Europe to achieve its results in energy transition, and Colombia to prevent deforestation by offering the peasantry productive alternatives inserted in the global economy”.
“The almost six million Colombians living outside the country are the driving force behind the transformation of our relationship with the world. The Colombian migrant population is increasingly recognised for its capacity for work, ingenuity, versatility, tenacity and qualifications, values that position it as a human resource with excellent capacity and quality, desired by companies in the countries where they now live. Spain, as a nation that values diversity and talent, has recognised and welcomed them. Colombian migration to Spain has had a significant impact on both countries in different aspects: the generation of wealth and the flow of remittances to Colombia; the increase in cultural diversity in Spain and the enrichment of Spanish society with the plurality of Colombian culture; the creation of Colombian communities in Spain, allowing migrants to maintain their cultural identity and sense of belonging while building lives in their new home but integrated into the culture of this great country”.
Finally, the ambassador wished to convey to the Colombian citizens residing in Spain a message from the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro: “Colombia loves you and needs you. Our efforts are focused on ensuring that no Colombian is expelled from the country again, and that those who decide to migrate can proudly travel the world representing a country that misses them and values their efforts and tenacity in seeking a better future connected to the circuits of knowledge and the global economy. Colombians, here you have YOUR embassy, your representative to Spain and your friend. In this task, the action that you Colombian consuls take plays a fundamental role”.
During the event there was a space for salsa dancing by the dancer Stefanny Moreno, recently awarded among the 10 Outstanding Colombians in Spain, as well as a cultural exhibition of the country by the Cultural Association Nativos de Macondo and a tasting of Colombian snacks in the preparation of which the ambassador’s family participated. Numerous ambassadors attended, including those from Nicaragua, Japan, El Salvador, United States, Panama, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Norway, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Honduras and Vatican Nuncio, among others.
