From Ireland to Colombia: Boston College & post-conflict engagement
Boston College has a long and deep history of engagement in Ireland and with Irish-American communities across the United States. Founded in 1863 by Jesuits to education Boston’s Irish immigrant community, Boston College incorporated Ireland and Irish-America its into culture and strategic vision. From our founding moment, Boston College was, among other things, an Irish university in America.
Today Boston College is a premier university-- ranked by US News as number 32-- in the Jesuit, Catholic educational tradition, with a cutting-edge research agenda, competitive collegial sports, and a focus on helping students develop themselves to their fullest in the service of others. So, what does it mean for Boston College as we carry our Irish heritage, culture, and vision forward?
There is no single answer to that question. Sometimes it means participating the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, sometimes it means new acquisitions for the Burns Library, and sometimes it means mashing tech and culture together in projects like JoyceStick, which reimagines Ulysses in VR. This weekend at Boston College, it meant growth and productive in Latin America, and, in particular, post-conflict peace, reconciliation, and development in Colombia.
The 5th Annual Latin American Leadership Conference-- Enabling Growth took place over the weekend at Boston College. A number of key business and social leaders from South America, such as Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor, Chairman of Innova Schools, spoke about their work, especially their attempts to foster a knowledge economy, and the opportunities and challenges in across the region. A real highlight of the conference was a keynote delivered by Eamon Gilmore, the European Union’s Special Envoy for the Colombian Peace Process. Eamon is also the former Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and head of the Labour Party in Ireland. And he connected Boston College’s Irishness to the Latin America in less than 20 minutes.
Speaking only days after participating in commemorations of the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement in Belfast, Gilmore highlighted the role of Ireland in sharing its experiences in peace and reconciliation with the Colombian people. In addition, Gilmore was keen to discuss the work of the European Union in promoting peace and stability in regions around the world. And the conversation quickly moved from the Irish peace process to the current conditions in Colombia and the prospects for peace and stability in that nation’s future.
Back in October 2016 the Colombian peace plebiscite narrowly failed to be ratified by the Colombian people. The European Union and the United State, however, continued to engage with the Colombian government and FARC guerrillas to develop the peace process. Although not all guerrillas in Colombia have embraced the peace process-- including “dissident” FARC units and the ELN-- the European Union has made more than to 600 Million Euro available to support political reform, demining and disarmament, land reform, and rural development. The EU is also working to develop innovative solutions to one of Colombia’s most pressing needs-- eliminating the farming of coca. While this has generated intense debate both within Colombia and abroad, it is clear that opportunities exist for the US, EU, and other organizations to help support post-conflict development in Colombia.
We will keep you updated as Boston College grows its links into and collaborations with partners in Colombia. We are eager to use our past as a guide to our future, and, so, we hope to grow from Ireland to Colombia.
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