Justapaz: Mennonite Center for Justice, Peace, and Nonviolent Action, Colombia

Centro Cristiano para Justicia, Paz y Acción Noviolenta, Colombia

The Christian Centre for Justice, Peace, and Nonviolent Action (Justapaz) seeks to embody and serve non-violence through programs to transform Colombia into a just and peaceful state.

Since its establishment in 1990, Justapaz has promoted non-violence, peace-building, and the positive transformation of conflict. It has developed a broad range of training, organization, and action for local, regional, national, and international conflict transformation.

Its organizational arrangement actively promotes the formation of a non-hierarchical organization and the deep involvement of Colombia’s affected communities in how the organization is run.

Justapaz, which means ‘a just peace’, was created by the Colombian Mennonite Church in response to violence and injustice across Colombia. It was and continues to be a necessary religious response from the Mennonites, as the Church itself is based on values established during sixteenth-century peaceful and egalitarian social movements.

Remaining true to its non-violent and organizational objectives, Justapaz focuses on the practical training of like-minded churches, communities, and individuals in non-violence. It seeks to create structures and ways of life that ultimately lead to real peace in Colombia.

Justapaz carries out training programs and workshops to combat the normalization of violence in society. It seeks to enable the peaceful mediation of conflicts existing in communities, demonstrate what psychological support can be given to victims, and facilitate legal cases.

The projects carried out by Justapaz are grouped into the following areas:

• Training
• Communications
• Collaboration with churches and organizations
• Political advocacy
• Technical and administrative services