Coffee Time for Women and Peace in Colombia

Warm welcome to the Green One UN House –  and to Viet Nam for those of you who travelled across the globe to be with us! 

• Thank you to H.E. Ambassador of Colombia in Viet Nam, Mr. Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Melo, for approaching the UN to co-host this important cultural event today.  We appreciate your welcome remarks just now, and it is such a pleasure to be served Colombian coffee!
• Very good morning also to the guests from various Embassies (Invited Member States are: Argentina, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, México, Panamá, Perú, República Dominicana, Uruguay, Venezuela, Norway, Sweden, Canada, the UK, and Bangladesh), students and teachers from the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam (14 students, 2 teachers), and colleagues from the UN. 
• I would like to extend a special welcome to Ms. Indira Lorena Cerpa Granda.  You are the centre of today’s cultural exchange the Colombian Embassy so fittingly refer to as ‘Weaving Peace”.  You are a living testament that peace is possible; that cultivating and maintaining peace are vital; that reconciliation works; and of new beginnings.  I’ll do a more proper introduction of her when I hold a coffee time with her in a few minutes.

Before we commence, allow me to highlight two things:

• One, as a representative of the UN, I’m proud that the UN served, and continues to serve as a credible partner in the Colombian peace process, especially through the peace operation – UN Verification Mission in Colombia (https://dppa.un.org/en/mission/un-verification-mission-colombia). Beyond the UN, the whole international community gave its strong support to building lasting peace. Viet Nam was among those the countries that supported the implementation of the Colombian Peace agreement, especially during its non-permanent membership of the Security Council for the 2020 – 2021 term. Peace requires all actors to come together, that much we know!
• Two, it is easy to think of peace processes as large-scale processes involving politicians and military leaders. Of course, they do. But durable peace requires the involvement of many sectors of the society, civilians and fighters alike.  The inclusive peace process in Colombia was no exception, involving men and women, boys and girls – who lived side-by-side with the conflict for decades. As such, my second message is to underscore the importance of creating spaces where we can learn from those with direct experiences. Today’s event is one of such spaces. As we open up for Q&A, I would encourage you all to take this opportunity to raise whatever question feels important to you.

Thank you once again, and I very much look forward to our engagement today.