Operazione Colomba is the Nonviolent Peace Corps of the Association Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII. It was born in 1992 thanks to the wish of some volunteers and conscientious objectors to effectively experience a nonviolence approach in conflict areas.
How it started
The volunteers started operating in the former Yugoslavia, where they contributed to:
- re-join divided families because of the fronts;
- protect ethnic minorities with their nonviolent presence;
- create spaces for interactions, dialogue and pacific coexistence.
Given the acquired experience in the field Operazione Colomba could open stable projects in different conflict areas all over the world (Africa, Latin America, Caucasus, Middle and Far East).
Values
All the projects lie on three main pillars:
- nonviolence;
- sharing life with the victims;
- people involvement.
In the last 24 years, more than 1.500 volunteers and conscientious objectors have been operating in: protecting civilians, promoting dialogue and reconciliation between the parts, supporting local nonviolent realities, doing advocacy activities. Moreover, Operazione Colomba has established important collaborations with international and national institutions and organizations (UN, EU, NGOs, Human Rights centres, associations, local groups, religious institutions, etc.).
Currently it is present in Albania, Colombia, Lebanon (in the Syrian refugee camps), Palestine and Israel.
OPERAZIONE COLOMBA
