Ancestral Wisdom and Justice: Colombia Showcases Its Cultural Diplomacy in the United States

As part of the Cultural Diplomacy Strategy of Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Colombia in the United States hosted a panel discussion entitled “Dialogue with Indigenous Women Leaders and Experts: The Impact of Indigenous Peoples on Law and Healing Processes in Colombia.”

Held at the American University Washington College of Law, the event explored the role of Colombia’s Indigenous peoples in justice, healing, and peacebuilding. It brought together Zenú and Arhuaco leaders Raquel Patrón and Belkis Izquierdo, who shared insights on reparation and social reconstruction from their ancestral perspectives. The event was co-organised with the National Centre for Historical Memory (CNMH) and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.

Opening the event, Ambassador Daniel García-Peña underscored its cultural and diplomatic significance:

“Listening to our Indigenous women leaders in Washington strengthens trust and cooperation with the United States around justice, memory, and healing, projecting to the world a plural Colombia that builds peace from its territories.”

The discussion also featured Sanaciones, a CNMH initiative intertwining healing, recognition of Indigenous nations, and territorial memory. María Gaitán, Director of the National Museum of Historical Memory, said:

“Sanaciones means repairing from the territory — recognising land as a living being and memory as the root of justice. Bringing these voices to Washington reaffirms the place of Indigenous peoples in shaping public policy and in the global conversation on truth and reconciliation.”

Ambassador Leonor Zalabata, Colombia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, joined the closing panel, highlighting the remaining challenges in connecting international, national, and Indigenous legal systems, as well as the need to protect memory, language, and territory as subjects of rights.

The event gathered academics, students, cultural institutions, and members of the diaspora, reinforcing Colombia’s image as a nation that draws from ethnic diversity and ancestral wisdom to strengthen peace and democracy.

The event concluded with a cultural reception that celebrated Colombia’s rich heritage through its traditional flavours. Through this initiative, Colombia reaffirms cultural diplomacy as a defining element of its foreign policy, a channel for dialogue and understanding, and a means to project a vision of reconciliation and justice grounded in Indigenous wisdom and built upon the strength of its territories.