Paths of dialogue.

• Author: Cattivelli, Adrian
• Position: OAS

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"TODAY, PERHAPS more than ever, we must re-open the channels of dialogue and understanding, not only inside countries, bur between the various governments of the American continent." This was the main message of Clara Rojas, a former hostage of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) in the inaugural ceremony of Peace Week (Semana de la Paz ) organized by the OAS Inter-American Peace Forum.

In her presentation, Clara Rojas spoke of her personal experience and about the lessons learned during the six years in which she was held captive after her kidnapping. From her perspective, she said, the search for peace "is not empty discourse."

As she recalled recent events, Rojas spoke of the importance of breaking the chains of fear and said that "this first step has begun to happen with the marches that took place in Colombia and in many countries of the world, where millions of people took to the streets to say no-more to kidnappings and to demand freedom for their fellow citizens." She also used her presence at the Peace Forum to remember policemen and other men in uniform who are still being held captive in her country and send them...