By Gabriel Aguirre, World BEYOND War, June 2, 2023
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The Introductory Conference of the 1st Neutrality Congress was held on June 1, 2023, an initiative organized by KAVILANDO, Colombia Acuerdo de Paz, Veteranos por la Paz España, Veteranos por Colombia, and WOLA, and endorsed by World BEYOND War, with the aim of debating the different opinions on neutrality and the importance of countries, like Colombia, taking a position of neutrality against the development of military conflicts.
The event had the participation of important and prominent panelists, who have contributed different approaches to neutrality as well as shared experiences of states that have assumed this position.
The speakers included: Karen Devine, a research professor at Dublin City University; Juan Sasamoto, a lawyer specializing in International Law for Japan; Faruk Saman González, a social communicator and expert in International Humanitarian Law for Colombia; and Dr. Edward Horgan of the Irish Alliance for Peace and Neutrality and also a member of the World BEYOND War Board.
The event was moderated by Yuly Cepeda, from the Corporación de Veteranos por Colombia; Ofunshi Oba Koso, a human rights activist; and Tim Pluta, a peace activist and chapter coordinator for World BEYOND War in Asturias, Spain. In-person events for the 1st Neutrality Congress are scheduled to take place in September of this year in Bogotá, Colombia; please check back soon on our website and social media channels for more information.
