Designing and implementing a contemplative practice-based program for ex-combatants in Colombia’s peacebuilding process

Colombia has recently made unprecedented progress towards ending one of the longest armed conflicts in the world, entering a peacebuilding process which will include the demilitarization and reintegration of current combatants into society. However, psychosocial support is currently a small though critical component for ex-combatant reintegration. This presents an urgent call for the use of creative tools for personal and societal transformation. The goal for this project is to develop and implement a framework using contemplative practices for healing and peacebuilding with ex-combatants in the demilitarization process in Colombia. Over two years, the project team will work in Medellin, Colombia with a local non-profit to develop and refine this framework through a combination of qualitative, behavioral, and physiological research methodologies. In the end, this framework will be integrated into our local partner's core programming and we will produce a manual for use in Colombia and in other global peacebuilding contexts.