On October 9, the municipality of Solano, in Caquetá, hosted a new IRI-Colombia training session, where the protagonists were members of the local chapters IRI-Solano, IRI-Puerto Tejada, and IRI-Campoalegre.
Thirty-five participants—including religious leaders, community action board presidents, indigenous authorities, teachers, representatives of social organizations, and members of rural communities—gathered at the Mirador del Río to participate in this knowledge-sharing event, part of the second training cycle promoted by IRI-Colombia.
The central theme of the session was the protection of Amazonian tropical forests and water, an essential source of life for communities. “This process seeks to strengthen our commitment as guardians of our common home. May we leave today with the conviction to care for and wisely manage all the beauty that the Creator has entrusted to us,” said Francisco Rodríguez, coordinator of the local IRI chapters in Solano.
Water, a gift from God
The day began with a theological reflection on water, led by Carlos Augusto Lozano. From a Christian perspective, the senior advisor to IRI-Colombia explored the spiritual value of water as a symbol of life, purification, and transcendence.
“As religious leaders, teachers, or community representatives, we have a moral responsibility to remember that caring for water is a shared task; it is up to all of us,” said the sociologist and human rights expert during his speech.
Biologist Diego Fernando Campos then explained the role of Amazonian tropical forests in the water cycle and in the moisture flows known as flying rivers, which are essential for water supply in much of South America.
The day concluded with a seminar on political advocacy, led by José Adolfo Castañeda, an organizational psychologist with a PhD in Political Science and International Relations. This workshop provided participants with the basic conceptual tools to promote local actions that contribute to the defense of Amazonian forests and water, through the process of formulating and monitoring territorial development plans and the creation of citizen oversight committees, for example.
“With these training sessions, we seek to strengthen their capacities so that they can spread this knowledge in their communities, raise awareness, and promote collective action to end deforestation and protect the Amazon,” concluded Carlos Augusto Lozano, senior advisor at IRI-Colombia.
With this educational event, IRI-Colombia concludes the second training cycle in Caquetá, where more than 230 leaders, members of the 15 IRI chapters in the department, deepened their understanding of the practical and symbolic value of water, the urgency of protecting tropical forests as an effective strategy for defending this natural resource, and the essential value of community action to achieve environmental justice.
Best moments!
José Adolfo Castañeda during the political advocacy workshop.
