Within the framework of Youth Week, the Victims Unit highlights the life story of a couple of survivors of armed conflict who are committed to building peace.

Very close to the border with Venezuela, in the municipality of Villa del Rosario, Norte de Santander, Yuliana Andrea Lobo Bautista and Kevin Eduardo Uribe Mora, two young victims of the armed conflict, lead initiatives of solidarity, forgiveness, reconciliation and peacebuilding.

Through art and culture, this young couple develop actions that promote spaces for healthy coexistence and reconstruction of the social network. The Empirical Arts Foundation became the platform to promote a change in the new generations being part of it. "I am a student at Francisco de Paula Santander University, I am part of the Empirical Arts Foundation where I have been able to carry out my educational process through art in all its forms", ​​said Yuliana Andrea.

This social, community and voluntary work has led them to implement humanitarian actions with other victims of violence in this area of ​​the country, becoming examples of resilience and improvement. This is how Kevin Eduardo expresses it: "I exercise my leadership serving as an example and promoter so that many young people in the region who are victims of armed conflict fulfill their goals, advising them in the best way so that they can grow professionally, academically and professionally".

At the age of 18, Yuliana Andrea is in the third semester of Social Communication and at the university where she is studying she has led initiatives for the benefit of those most in need, especially those like her who have been affected by the armed conflict. “I led the audiovisual project Youth Experiences for Peace, with which we bet, with visible actions, on social change, forgiveness and reconciliation; We shot our short films with life experiences, it was great and the project went wonderfully”.

For his part, Kevin, 25, is about to finish his Civil Engineering studies at the same university, a study that alternates with solidarity actions: “I work with the Fundación Artes Empíricas, which my mother leads, serving the community in different campaigns to support children and young people. In times of pandemic, many people have been unemployed, without work and we have given them aid such as markets and other elements that they need daily in their homes”.

Although they have different ages and professional profiles, they have something in common, the desire and interest to help others regardless of their conditions. They recognize that being a victim of violence has allowed them to rebuild their present and the social network of those who are part of their lives. Today, this young couple become peacebuilders: “I like to motivate other young people and be an example to others that the consequences of the armed conflict can be overcome, yes you can dream, if you can get ahead and as we say at the foundation, 'it's worth dreaming,' "said Yuliana.

In these times of pandemic, they have led humanitarian initiatives with the delivery of food to hundreds of families in vulnerable conditions. The objective continues and its goal is to generate and strengthen ties of solidarity: “We hope to continue helping many people, we want more friends to join to continue collaborating. Now we have a very nice campaign called culture of peace kits to help children do their virtual activities from home and improve their quality of life”, added Kevin.

Yuliana Andrea and Kevin Eduardo today are an example and model for other young people in this border town that has seen them grow and where they plan to build scenarios of healthy coexistence and improvement, framed in art and culture.

(End/CEG/CMC/LMY)