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- A commitment to digital collaboration: Training in “Effective Virtual Collaboration”
In a region where regeneration also involves strengthening our networking capabilities, the Barichara Regenerative Territorial Foundation, together with TerritoriA and CoLab International, is launching a new training initiative: “Effective Virtual Collaboration.” This proposal stems from listening carefully to the promoter groups and regional foundations that are part of the TerritoriA ecosystem, and responds to a pressing need: to learn together how to use digital tools to collaborate better, organize ourselves more efficiently, and strengthen collective leadership. This training is made possible thanks to the financial support of the Barichara Regenerativa Territorial Foundation and TerritoriA , who have joined forces to strengthen the technological capabilities of territorial networks. The implementation and facilitation of the process is being carried out by CoLab International , an organization specializing in collaborative methodologies and virtual learning environments. Over the course of five virtual sessions, this free training course aims to strengthen the organizational and technological skills of people who drive territorial processes. With an ethical, practical, and regenerative approach, participants will work on platforms such as Google Workspace, Zoom, Miro, Canva, and artificial intelligence tools applied to writing, creativity, and idea synthesis. The sessions are designed to be experiential, with support between meetings, practical exercises, and a support log to ensure useful and contextualized learning. This experience seeks to strengthen the fabric between foundations, collectives, and communities that are transforming their territories through collaboration. Because networking is also something that can be learned, and doing it well is a way of caring for what we want to regenerate.
- The future of Barichara is planned together: this is how the EOT 2025 Citizen Forum is progressing
Afiche de la campaña del Foro Ciudadano EOT 2025 “There is only one path, the one we take together... on foot.” In Barichara, a town steeped in history, beautiful landscapes, and community life, we are experiencing a pivotal moment. After 22 years, the time has come to update the Land Use Plan (EOT), the plan that defines how we want our municipality to grow and be cared for over the next twelve years. The EOT is not just another technical document: it is the roadmap that will set the course for the countryside, water, landscape, infrastructure, heritage, tourism, trade, public services, coexistence, among many other issues. It is, in essence, a reflection of what we dream of and what we decide to protect. And for the first time in Barichara, this plan is being developed with the active participation of the community. This process, promoted by the Community Water Board (MESETA) , seeks to ensure that the new EOT is based on the feelings, knowledge, and proposals of the community. An EOT designed with and for Barichara. A sum of wills that make it possible This shared dream does not stand alone. The Autonomous University of Bucaramanga (UNAB) has joined the process as an academic partner, contributing its expertise to strengthen the workshops and educational spaces. Local people, professionals, and young people have given their time, knowledge, and energy without expecting anything in return. In addition, MESETA has entrusted the Barichara Regenerativa Foundation with the management and administration of the Citizen Forum's financial resources. This task has been undertaken with the utmost responsibility, as part of the Foundation's ethical commitment to active participation, transparency, and territorial regeneration. Activations for everyone to participate From July to September, Barichara will be the scene of multiple community activities that open up space for listening and dialogue: Workshops in villages and neighborhoods Territorial tours and walks Social cartography and affective maps Contests in schools, meetings with Community Action Boards, and sectoral spaces Neighborhood dialogues and spaces for art and memory Each of these actions will gather what the territory wants to preserve and what it needs to transform. We will soon share the calendar of events so you can join the conversation! See you on September 21 at the Forum! All this community work will culminate in the Barichara 2025 EOT Citizen Forum , to be held on Sunday, September 21 , in the municipality's main park. It will be a day of community celebration, gathering, clear proposals, and shared dreams. On that day, Barichara will look at itself in a mirror made of maps, words, and agreements. A day to say, loudly and joyfully, what we want to inherit as a territory. The EOT belongs to everyone. Your voice also counts. Participating is not just a right: it is a way of caring for what we love. This is not a political or institutional process: it is a citizen-led, open, honest, and collective journey. It is an opportunity for every farmer, every child, every artisan, every rural or urban dweller to say: “This is what I want to preserve, this is what I want to change.” At the Barichara Regenerativa Foundation, we believe that regeneration also means planning with purpose . That is why we gratefully accepted MESETA's commission and continue to support processes that arise from the heart of the territory. Today, Barichara calls us. And the future is built with small but steady steps taken as a community.
- The North Andean Regeneration Fund and the power of territorial alliances to sow the future
Participants of the National Meeting of Territorial Foundations, where the North Andean Regeneration Fund was officially born. The collective birth of a fund with purpose We had already told you that last March 6, at the National Meeting of Territorial Foundations held in Bogota and El Rosal, the Bioregional Fund for North Andean Regeneration was officially born. However, we were indebted to share more details of this powerful initiative, in whose gestation the Barichara Regenerative Foundation has played a key role, along with TerritoriA and other territorial foundations in the country. This fund was designed to restore ecosystems, strengthen communities and generate autonomy in resource management, under two fundamental approaches: regenerative and bioregional. Regenerating with Bioregions in mind The regenerative approach seeks to maximize the health and vitality of ecosystems and the human fabric over time, understanding that each territory has its own ecological and cultural context and unique potential. In this vision, human beings are not only mitigators of damage, but active agents in the evolution of territories, in reciprocal relationships with nature. Moreover, the bioregional approach proposes planning territories on the basis of living systems rather than political-administrative divisions. Thus, it promotes governance based on ecological connections. In the case of Fundación Barichara Regenerativa, it is the bioregion, framed -from the hydrological and climatic perspective- by the basins of the Fonce, Chicamocha and Saravita (Suárez) rivers. Axes for territorial regeneration The fund works along four thematic axes: Environmental regeneration, Regenerative economy, Regenerative education and Regenerative culture and territorial healing. From ecological restoration and integrated water management, to strengthening community governance and protecting cultural memory, each line of action see A local alliance with local projection This fund connects the local with the global by being made possible through the collaboration of strategic partners committed to community regeneration, such as The NoVo Foundation , Humanity United and CUSO International . The resources channeled, which so far amount to USD 164,000 , support regenerative initiatives, collective learning and the creation of collaborative networks at the national level. This articulation of efforts between private, public and social actors in the territories is key to building shared visions of regenerative development. What's coming in 2025 This year, the fund will advance in the allocation of resources to mapped initiatives, using mechanisms based on trust and flexibility. In addition, a funding campaign will be launched to increase available resources and thus benefit new territories in the process of incorporation. Another key step will be the strengthening of collaborative budgets and participatory territorial planning, with the aim of consolidating the fund in the North Andean region and expanding its reach to other territories in the country. Finally, a monitoring, evaluation and learning framework will be implemented to provide a transparent account of the impact achieved and the use of resources, thus feeding a process of continuous improvement and collective knowledge building. Territorial and local approach The heart of this fund lies in its territorial approach, which values the knowledge and decision-making capacity of local communities. Collaboration and collective participation are fundamental principles, where the Territorial Foundations lead and define priorities and investments. These types of alliances strengthen our local processes, opening up a range of possibilities for new ways of inhabiting and caring for our territory, based on reciprocity and solidarity. A lighthouse in times of crisis In a context of ecological and climate crisis, this initiative becomes much more than a source of funding, it is a beacon that illuminates regenerative paths for our territories and can inspire others to join this urgent and necessary transformation. With passion for life and territorial commitment, we are sowing together a more resilient and regenerative future for generations to come.
- Learning Laboratory between Barichara and Montes de María
Ojo de Agua Cultural Foundation in Dialogues of Territory with community organizations and leaders in Montes de María From March 11 to 13, a living bridge was woven between the mountains of Santander and the Montes de María. The Barichara Regenerative Foundation, represented by the Ojo de Agua Cultural Foundation, traveled to meet with the Chócoro Creativo Foundation, the Sowing Seeds of Peace Association, the Montes de María Regional Peacebuilding Space and community leaders from the territory. A learning laboratory, promoted by the national movement of territorial foundations with the support of TerritoriA as a support organization, made this meeting possible. Hike in the Morrocoy Reserve: memory of water and forest In the Morrocoy Reserve, the shared steps guided a tour 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 - the ecosystem that unites both territories - were recognized and stories were intertwined. The memory of the well, dried up by the war, became a symbol of an open wound that still seeks healing. Towards a School of Arts for Montes de María In the dialogues among community leaders, the perspectives of caring for the territories with a focus on peace with nature resonated. The creation of a School of Arts for Montes de María was envisioned. A school rooted in the territory, which would promote narratives of poetic justice and heal the relationships between human beings, nature and local spiritualities. This vision includes the voices of water, of the creators of the territory and of the regional autonomous corporations. The proposal is for this school to be itinerant and collectively built. 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 opened with a sensitive and creative exercise: the creation of a 4D map of actors in Montes de María in relation to the Reserve, using theater methodologies and deep listening tools. In the Casa de Tabla of the Morrocoy Reserve, farmers, public and private organizations, and more than human beings took their place in this living scenography of the territory. Lessons learned from the Brasilar Reserve In San Jacinto, the visit to the Reserva Brasilar provided valuable lessons on community organization and collective care. The experience showed how, by uniting neighboring properties as peasant reserves and creating common areas, strategies to protect the territory are strengthened. They learned about peaceful coexistence with the non-human beings that inhabit the reserve and collaborative work for their permanence, through the planting of fruit and food trees, the restriction of cattle grazing and the care of water sources. Voices of La Pelona: memories of resistance and water In the village of La Pelona, municipality of San Onofre, Sucre, the dialogue with the community allowed us to listen to their narratives of peace after the forced displacement and return of 12 families. Today, water care projects are being developed there as a means of restoring the link with the territory and memory. Narrating the war and narrating peace become acts of collective healing. Exchanges that seek to germinate From this meeting between both territorial foundations - Barichara Regenerative Foundation and Chócoro Creativo Foundation - new seeds emerged: the design of a map of actors of the Tropical Dry Forest, the participation in the Festival of Reconciliation in December 2025 with the documentary Peace, human privilege? and the next steps towards the School of Arts for Montes de María between the Sembrando Paz Association and the Ojo de Agua Cultural Foundation. These meetings were much more than exchanges of information; they were moments of deep connection, where experiences intertwined, seeds changed hands laden with intention, and shared dreams blossomed with renewed strength. Hope was strengthened by feeling part of a collective movement, understanding that regeneration is a path that is traveled in company.
- La Siembra, a meeting to weave links for territorial regeneration
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, a group of almost sixty people gathered with hearts full of expectations at the first meeting of the Regeneration Cycle: Weaving Links, which we called La Siembra. There we not only presented the results of the study that mapped actors in the territory that work in regeneration, but also made visible the shared hopes and dreams. The study 'Regenerative Synergies', by Fundación Barichara Regenerativa and researchers Makis Medina and Ingrid Rodríguez, carefully collected the experiences and lessons learned from 29 active initiatives in Barichara. Their analysis made it possible to understand how local dynamics, challenges faced and visions for the future intertwine in a landscape rich in diversity and vitality, in which there are projects that took root in the 1980s and young initiatives that have recently flourished strongly. Each process demonstrated a common yearning to rebuild the bond between community and nature. And as happens in life, despite achievements and progress, the study also pointed out challenges, such as insufficient economic resources, local connections that still need to be strengthened and water governance that seeks greater cohesion. However, far from dampening the spirit, these challenges call for meeting and working together. During the workshop, participants recognized each other and came together to propose ways to consolidate the regenerative tapestry: creating clear mechanisms for collaboration, opening continuous spaces for dialogue and ensuring that the voices of children also nurture this construction. The creation of three thematic networks was proposed to strengthen community work: The Ecological and Landscape Restoration Network, The Water Governance and Community Strengthening Network, The Socio-environmental Education and Regenerative Entrepreneurship Network. These networks are not just simple structures, they are living roots that seek to weave together resources, knowledge and relationships, to weave a web that drives collaboration, amplifies impact and consolidates a shared vision of integral regeneration for Barichara. This Siembra meeting was the first of four proposed by Fundación Barichara Regenerativa. And like any seed, this proposal needs to be cared for with constancy and hope so that it grows, is harvested and renewed. Because in Barichara the future is sown with hands that join hands, voices that dialogue and hearts that beat to the rhythm of the earth.
- Territorial Dialogues in Montes de María: rethinking peace from nature
From March 11 to 13, in the Montes de María, a space for meeting and reflection will be opened in the XIII edition of the Dialogues of the Territory: "Peace, human privilege? This is a learning laboratory that seeks to broaden our view of peace, taking it beyond the human. This space is organized by the Fundación Sembrando Paz and the Fundación Barichara Regenerativa, through the work of the Fundación Cultural Ojo de Agua, and the Espacio Regional de Paz de los Montes de María. It is supported by TerritoriA, the Film Development Fund, the CNACC, Proimágenes Colombia and the Ministry of Cultures. The dialogues will explore the relationship between peace and nature, focusing on the Tropical Dry Forest ecosystems and the processes in the Morrocoy Reserve and in Barichara. How can we make an alliance with the beings of nature to stop the violence towards the Tropical Dry Forest, Is this possible, Is this desirable, Is there a precedent, Is this possible, Is this desirable, Is there a precedent, Is this possible, Is this desirable, Is there a precedent? The tour of the Morrocoy Reserve will allow us to get to know different perspectives: from those who dream of its conservation to those who see it as a challenge for their agricultural and livestock activities. An open and inclusive dialogue that will help us imagine paths towards the regeneration of the territory and the construction of peace, in alliance with nature.
- A satellite journey through water and territory
Yesterday morning, students from the Aquileo Parra Technical Institute undertook a special journey: through a satellite flight simulation, they explored the natural water management in Barichara and neighboring municipalities. Thanks to the joint work of the Institute's Environmental Education Program, the Móncora Biopark and the Barichara Regenerative Foundation, Mariana Atuesta and Sergio Barrera -from the Foundation's Bioregional Learning Center- guided this innovative experience based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS). During the exercise, students learned to recognize watersheds and micro-watersheds in the territory, to identify permanent and intermittent watercourses, and to understand the importance of protecting and regenerating these vital ecosystems. The participants were invited to reflect on water as a living tissue, capable of storing, transporting and sharing the memory of the territory. Its fundamental role in the sustainability and resilience of local ecosystems was addressed, highlighting the need to strengthen the connection between the community and its water sources. More than a resource, water is life and balance. Therefore, we close with a call to action: to become guardians of water and territory. Because the protection of our bodies of water and the restoration of ecosystems is not only an environmental responsibility, but a collective task that guarantees the balance and well-being of present and future generations.
- A space for weaving futures: this is how the National Meeting of Territorial Foundations 2025 was experienced
A great explosion of ideas, learning and commitment to the territories. This is how we could summarize what happened during the first week of March at the National Meeting of Territorial Foundations 2025 , a space that reaffirms the growth and strength of this movement in Colombia. In Bogota and El Rosal, Cundinamarca, 35 people gathered to share experiences, strengthen ties and outline routes for joint action. Representatives of nine territorial foundations (some already established and others in the process of becoming so), together with the TerritoriA team and three guests from the Nos X Otros Foundation (Arequipa, Peru), participated in these events facilitated by ECCO-Plan. A meeting of connection and action The purpose was clear: To strengthen links between already consolidated foundations and those in the process of formation. To exchange lessons learned about the challenges and opportunities in each territory. Define key actions to promote the Territorial Foundations Movement in Colombia. And the objectives were more than met. During the working sessions, the voices of Paisano (Bogotá), Creamos (El Tambo, Cauca), Sembrando Paz (Montes de María), Agua, Vida y Paz (Florencia, Caquetá), FUNIMOS (Medellín), Putumayo Florece (Alto Putumayo), Alta Cuenca del Río Bogotá, TAMSA (Guasca) and Barichara Regenerativa, among others, were intertwined in an enriching and hopeful dialogue for the movement. North Andean Regeneration Fund is officially born One of the most significant moments of the meeting took place on Thursday, March 6, when the birth of the North Andean Regeneration Fund was made official. Its structure, members and internal regulations were defined. For now, the fund will be integrated by TerritoriA, Paisano and Fundación Putumayo Florece, with other adherent territories, and with the possibility of expanding in the future. This is a major step towards the sustainability of the movement, as it opens the door to financing mechanisms that will strengthen the regenerative processes in the different territories. New alliances for regeneration On Friday, another key space of the meeting allowed for an inspiring dialogue between Nos X Otros (Peru), Paisano, TerritoriA and Fundación Barichara Regenerativa. The objective? To explore strategies to channel resources to territorial processes, learn from models of governance and community participation in the management and care of their territories. Closing with energy and purpose The participants said goodbye with a shared certainty: when we work together, anything is possible. More than a meeting, it was a reminder that the regenerative fabric in Colombia continues to grow, with more and more hands and hearts committed to the territory. This is only the beginning, let's continue weaving regenerative futures!
- Weaving as a movement: National Meeting of Territorial Foundations 2025
From March 3 to 6, Bogota and the municipality of El Rosal, Cundinamarca, will be the convergence point for more than 30 participants from 9 territories, including three people from our Barichara Regenerative Foundation. The Territorial Foundation of Arequipa, Peru, will also be present as an observer. This will be a meeting where the Territorial Foundations, supported by TerritoriA, will strengthen their ties, share lessons learned and recognize the opportunities and challenges they have as a movement. This space will be more than an exchange of experiences; it will be a common heartbeat, a dialogue between knowledge born from the land itself. We will reflect on the living systems in the territories, explore community mapping tools and project the future of this Movement, weaving local wisdom with collective strategies. The North Andean Regeneration Fund, as the Movement's commitment to support regeneration processes in the different bioregions of the country and connect them with other bioregions of the world, also has its place in this meeting. Because when we talk about regeneration, it is not only about restoring what has been damaged, it is also about weaving networks of trust, solidarity and action. It is to find ourselves in doing, in speaking, in listening attentively. It is to recognize ourselves as part of an ecosystem where each territory contributes its unique seed to flourish together. We prepare for these days of deep connection, convinced that each encounter strengthens the fabric of the Movement and brings us closer to the vision of a world that is more just, resilient and in harmony with life.
- Discovering Barichara: a living laboratory for regenerating the planet
The initiatives that we articulate from the Barichara Regenerative Foundation are preparing to receive, from 24 to 28 February, the visit of 40 people from the five continents who work in the regeneration of vital ecosystems of the planet in a bioregional way or who are in the process of organising themselves to do so. The Design School for Regenerating Earth is leading this immersion whose focus is to gain clarity among all participants on how to engage the local community in the different bioregions to move towards the regeneration of the world's ecosystems. Barichara will serve as an example to analyse strategies that can be replicated in other bioregions, promoting a global regeneration network. For five days, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the regenerative processes that are part of the Foundation and that are carried out in places such as the Moncora Biopark, Sueños del Bosque, the Origen del Agua Reserve, the demonstration Syntropic Plots, Casa Común and the Caney Colibrí. Each of these spaces is a living testimony to how collaboration between communities can lead to innovative solutions that transcend borders. Through guided walks, conversations and reflections, they will seek to articulate new forms of engagement with the regeneration of the planet. Beyond a simple tour, this immersion is a collective learning exercise, a unique opportunity to rethink our role in protecting the Earth. Barichara opens its doors as a living laboratory, inspiring other regions to join this movement of planetary regeneration.
- The North Andean Fund, a catalyst for territorial transformation
At Fundación Barichara Regenerativa we are proud to be part of the search for new paradigms of transformation. Our leadership in the creation, design and structuring of the North Andean Regeneration Fund, together with Fundación Paisano and TerritoriA, has contributed to the weaving of relationships that have already given life to the fund at a financial level, thanks to the initial support of Humanity United and the subsequent contribution of NoVo Foundation. This fund is a commitment of the Movement of Territorial Foundations of Colombia to support regeneration processes in the different bioregions of the country and connect them with other bioregions of the world, seeking to change the paradigms of regeneration. Currently, the Movement of Territorial Foundations, with TerritoriA as its support organization, is made up of Paisano (Bogotá), Barichara Regenerativa (Barichara), Putumayo Florece (Putumayo), TAMSA (Guasca), CreAmos (El Tambo), Sembrando Paz (Montes de María), Funimos (Medellín), Florencia, Agua, Vida y Paz (Florencia). Through a series of workshops led by the people of the movement, we are in the collective construction of knowledge that allows us to feed what we understand by regenerative approach from the eight territories, to know the social maps on the regenerative initiatives of each one, and to learn from the experiences of the various foundations. And in the medium term, we seek to prototype in practice the links of trust, collaboration and weaving, and to give birth to a model of financial sustainability, which will allow us to transform intentions into actions consistent with the care of life. We are very excited to be part of building a collective path towards territorial regeneration, transforming paradigms and strengthening communities in Colombia.
- Casa Común's second birthday
Casa Común celebrated its second anniversary in December, during which it has explored and experimented with regenerative economies. And it celebrated its existence with music, yoga with drums, a fair of clothes and used things, hundreds of products and sharing with the attendees a great sopón in firewood (soup in a huge pot). It was not only a celebration of the number of years, but also of the abundance present in the territory, the relationships established, the valuation of local resources, as well as the weaving and dialogue between the different processes and neighboring territories. Entering Casa Común is like witnessing the flourishing of an ecosystem in constant transformation. Its commitment is to migrate from an extractivist economy to one that builds, supports, generates abundance and understands the ecosystem as a living organism that we must also take care of. To cite some figures of what is happening there: in these two years, 415 million pesos have been sold, which is money that remains circulating in the territory. There are more than 600 registered clients. They have worked with 115 producers, 15 of them are associations. They have codified 900 products, 95% of which are from the territory, and the remaining 5% provide a service in the territory. Their exploration in regenerative economies has brought them innumerable and valuable learnings. What began as a store with a percentage contribution system, and then with a time bank, has evolved in two years into a much more complex and nuanced business and participation model. Sustainability, as a fundamental pillar, no longer depends solely on the store and Café Ensamble, but is also nourished by the transformation of local products. The raw materials brought in by producers from the countryside are turned into flour, jams, granolas, condiments, beverages, natural cosmetics and many other products that enter the circuit. The passage of time has also shown them that the true heart of this model beats in the flexibility it offers its producers. Casa Común now understands that each person has a different reality and therefore allows them to choose their level of participation, from simply delivering their products to being involved in processing, sales and distribution. This approach has woven a network of trust and collaboration, where each producer contributes from his or her place, without pressure or judgment. In the store and the café there is a constant dialogue. They are spaces for listening to the customer and understanding their needs. Products that do not find their place are modified or let go, while those that resonate with the public are promoted and improved. In this last period, the incorporation of Los Comunes took place, which more than a community currency, is a system created to encourage and facilitate exchanges and the movement of goods and services in the territory of Barichara, seeking to strengthen relationships and the local economy. A cell phone application, which works as a virtual wallet, allows storing Los Comunes, to make or receive payments. On the other hand, wonderful things happen in the caney. A great number of people have passed through it, willing to share their knowledge and to learn. There have been workshops of different arts, cooking, agriculture, yoga sessions, photography and a lot of other things. During these two years Casa Común has become a laboratory of experimentation, where not only products are developed, but also new forms of relationships. The community is strengthened through the constant exchange of knowledge, shared lunches and workshops offered there. In the future, Casa Común seeks to materialize its dream in two focuses. One is the construction of a community production plant. And the other is to strengthen the entrepreneurial processes of actors in the territory towards a regenerative model, so that the model is consolidated and projected towards a more abundant and collaborative future. A dream that we hope will be fulfilled and that will undoubtedly bring wellbeing to all.