Colombia

SembrandoPaz (PlantingPeace) is a peace and development initiative of Protestant churches on the North Coast of Colombia facilitated by Mennonite peace leader, Ricardo Esquivia. Launched in May 2004, SembrandoPaz began this peace and development initiative from Montes de María, one of the poorest, most conflicted, and racially and culturally diverse areas in Colombia. It is also an area with a high concentration of Protestant Churches. These churches have participated for many years in the Peace Commission of the Colombian Council of Evangelical Churches (CEDECOL).

SembrandoPaz is helping these churches form a network of income-generating projects to rebuild communities torn by violence and displacement. To date, 230 churches from 29 denominations have the joined the initiative, forming 130 local associations, benefiting nearly 4000 church members and the surrounding communities.

In July 2005, Montes de María was designated a "laboratory of peace" by the European Union. The region will receive $42 million euros beginning in 2007 over a 5-6 year period. SembrandoPaz has joined with three Roman Catholic bishops to form a groundbreaking inter-church alliance, the Foundation for Development and Peace of Montes de María, to help channel this support to area projects and encourage the broader participation of civil society. Now is the opportune moment to build the capacity of church and community groups to develop larger-scale projects and prepare to apply for these funds.