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20th Anniversary in Barranca

6 February 2015
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The celebration that we organised, as the PBI field team in Barrancabermeja, we felt it to be a necessity, because this was one of the places where we first had a presence, over twenty years ago, and where we still work today. We also took into account the wishes expressed by the people we accompany and other human rights defenders, about the symbolic importance of a celebration like ours in the Middle Magdalena region, giving a chance to participate for those we accompany every day and who didn’t travel to the celebration in Bogota.
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The celebration that we organised, as the PBI field team in Barrancabermeja, we felt it to be a necessity, because this was one of the places where we first had a presence, over twenty years ago, and where we still work today. We also took into account the wishes expressed by the people we accompany and other human rights defenders, about the symbolic importance of a celebration like ours in the Middle Magdalena region, giving a chance to participate for those we accompany every day and who didn’t travel to the celebration in Bogota.

  • The celebration that we organised, as the PBI field team in Barrancabermeja, we felt it to be a necessity, because this was one of the places where we first had a presence, over twenty years ago, and where we still work today. We also took into account the wishes expressed by the people we accompany and other human rights defenders, about the symbolic importance of a celebration like ours in the Middle Magdalena region, giving a chance to participate for those we accompany every day and who didn’t travel to the celebration in Bogota.
  • We wanted the celebration to take place against a background in which the natural scenery and the typical surroundings of the Puerto Petrolero would stand out. We chose a place where the organisations themselves hold events and which also provides the security conditions needed for a meeting that is important for the human rights sector, and for the people who work in it.
  • The Club Infantas is a place where the USO trade union workers gather and hold meetings, which as well has having the conditions we mentioned earlier, lent us one of their most emblematic rooms, the Casabe, for the formal ceremony and for the party afterwards.
  • The typical locals, the iguanas, were also present!
  • The speeches touched upon the importance of the international accompaniment that PBI has provided during two decades, they took us through memories and looked to the future, and new scenarios that could emerge as a result of the (possible) peace agreements.
  • Everyone mentioned the importance of the accompaniment, both physical and political, that has taken place over the years, recalling certain events or anecdotes that broke up some of the formality of the first part of the celebration.
  • Many organisations showed their gratitude for PBI’s work. One example was the enormous oil painting given by the ACVC, which is now hanging in the dining room of our house.
  • Later, and during a very emotional moment, the Barrancabermeja team gave the mosaics, which were part of the mural done by the graffiti artist Guache, and had been brought from Bogota for the organisations that hadn’t attended the event there.
  • This part we drew to a close with a toast by PBI and the people present at the ceremony, giving way to a typical regional drumming group, ending the formal proceedings and starting the party where we had snacks, juices, soft drinks and lots of dancing.
  • The drummers played on beyond the time we had hired them for, the conversation flowed naturally between the people PBI accompanies, the volunteers and all those who were present at the celebration, during a luminous night on the shore of the wetlands.
  • Our beloved Elsa has had a fundamental role in the team for the 18 years she has been working for PBI, with her sense of humour, her stories, and how she looks after us and always makes us laugh.
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