With the purpose of collaborating in the peace and reconciliation processes, the Arrupe Observatory of Human Rights of the University of San Francisco (United States) and the Intercultural Institute of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Cali (Colombia) have generated spaces of international advocacy among civil society organizations, government and Jesuit institutions, in order to monitor and accompany the peace process in Colombia, particularly through the Truth Commission, led by the Jesuit Francisco de Roux.
As an example of the aforementioned, last August 8th was organized the conversation "Your Truth Matters. Exile and Memory in the work of the Truth Commission, Colombia", with the participation of the current commissioner Carlos Beristaín, in order to gather the Colombian population living in the United States and listen to their experiences with the armed conflict in Colombia. It was also an opportunity to collect testimonies that add to those of thousands of Colombian citizens. Both the University of Berkley and the University of Arizona participated in the organization of this event.
This collective effort is part of numerous actions that have been carried out by the University of San Francisco and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Cali, seeking to serve society with the intellect and the capacity for connection that permeates the Jesuit universities.
In this spirit of collaboration, the Arrupe Observatory of the University of San Francisco - integrated by students, professors and staff - invites the Jesuit universities that want to articulate themselves to the academic and formative experience that has begun, to write to us and join efforts, in order to carry out joint international actions for the benefit of our most vulnerable societies.
Arrupe Observatory contact: Luis Enrique Bazán