From March 11 to 13, a living bridge was built between the mountains of Santander and the Montes de María region. The Barichara Regenerativa Foundation, represented by the Ojo de Agua Cultural Foundation, traveled to meet with the Chócoro Creativo Foundation, the Sembrando Semillas de Paz Association, the Montes de María Regional Peacebuilding Space, and community leaders from the area. A learning workshop, driven by the national movement of territorial foundations with the support of TerritoriA as a supporting organization, made this meeting possible.
Hike in the Morrocoy Reserve: memory of water and forest
In the Morrocoy Reserve, shared footsteps guided a journey from one of its gates to the water well that existed before the conflict. Along the way, seeds were collected, trees of the Tropical Dry Forest—an ecosystem that connects both territories—were identified, and stories were interwoven. The memory of the well, dried up by the war, became a symbol of an open wound still seeking healing.
Towards an Arts School for Montes de María
In dialogues among community leaders, perspectives on caring for the land with a focus on harmony with nature resonated. The creation of an Arts School for Montes de María emerged—a school rooted in the land, fostering narratives of poetic justice and healing the relationships between people, nature, and local spiritualities. This vision incorporates the voices of water, the land's creators, and regional autonomous corporations. The proposal is for this school to be itinerant and built collectively. The Sembrando Paz Association and the Ojo de Agua Foundation will continue to weave this dream.
Living Cartographies: The 4D Map of Actors
The first day began with a sensitive and creative exercise: the creation of a 4D map of stakeholders in the Montes de María region in relation to the Reserve, using theatrical methodologies and deep listening techniques. At the Casa de Tabla (Wooden House) in the Morrocoy Reserve, farmers, public and private organizations, and even more-than-human beings took their places in this living tableau of the territory.
Lessons learned from the Brasilar Reserve
In San Jacinto, the visit to the Brasilar Reserve yielded valuable lessons on community organization and collective stewardship. The experience demonstrated how uniting neighboring properties as peasant reserves and creating common areas strengthens strategies for protecting the territory. Participants learned about peaceful coexistence with the non-human beings that inhabit the reserve and the importance of collaborative work for its preservation, through planting fruit and food trees, restricting livestock grazing, and protecting water sources.
Voices of La Pelona: Memories of Resistance and Water
In the village of La Pelona, in the municipality of San Onofre, Sucre, dialogue with the community allowed them to hear their narratives of peace following the forced displacement and return of 12 families. There, water conservation projects are now being developed as cornerstones for restoring their connection to the land and their collective memory. Narrating the war and narrating the peace become acts of collective healing.
Exchanges that seek to germinate
From this meeting between both territorial foundations - Fundación Barichara Regenerativa and Fundación Chócoro Creativo - new seeds emerged: the design of a map of actors in the Tropical Dry Forest, participation in the Reconciliation Festival in December 2025 with the documentary ¿Paz, privilegio humano?, and the next steps towards the School of Arts for Montes de María between the Asociación Sembrando Paz and the Fundación Cultural Ojo de Agua.
These gatherings were much more than exchanges of information; they were moments of profound connection, where experiences intertwined, seeds were passed from one intentional hand to another, and shared dreams blossomed with renewed strength. Hope was strengthened by feeling part of a collective movement, understanding that regeneration is a path traveled together.
