Colombian professor Alvaro Velandia was recently recognized with the international Global Non-Violence Award in Dubai for his work capturing the memory of Colombia’s armed conflict. In a conversation with Colombia One, he reflected on this deep, ongoing reality and the hope that rebuilding is possible.
With a background that bridges theory and creative practice, Velandia is a social communicator and audiovisual producer from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, and holds a PhD in audiovisual communication and advertising from the Complutense University of Madrid. Today, after years of teaching, he shapes communicators at Universidad Sergio Arboleda in Bogota.
Passionate about storytelling, he has dedicated much of his work to exploring the narrative depth of Colombia’s recent history through documentaries and books. His focus often centers on the construction of characters within these stories—particularly the figure of the uniformed hero and how this archetype is portrayed in war-related representations.
Documenting the Colombian armed conflict: from national memory to stories of uniformed lives
Velandia began with a written chronicle for El género del coraje (The Gender of Courage), a book published with the Colombian National Police as part of a post-peace accord effort to recover institutional memory.
This initiative opened the door to a deeper collaboration, eventually leading to the feature-length documentary Comandos Jungla: Honor y Gloria por Siempre (Jungle Commandos: Honor and Glory Forever), created to honor the elite jungle commandos—a special forces unit trained for high-risk antinarcotics operations.
“It’s a very emotional story. It’s a group of commandos who had to defend themselves while aboard a helicopter, at a time when Caqueta was heavily controlled by the now-defunct FARC. So, it’s a very emotional narrative, and through these stories, I began to understand the traits, composition, and identity of the national hero,” the professor reflects.
The film also served as evidence before Colombia’s Truth Commission and has accumulated over one million views on YouTube. Through narratives and images, Velandia explores the lived experiences of uniformed men and contributes to broader efforts to acknowledge their realities and highlight their value.
Alongside it, Garra Jungla (Jungle Claw), a short film portraying the human experience of fear, brotherhood, and sacrifice within the same unit, left a lasting impression on the nation.
In recent years, he has produced around six documentaries—some of them interactive and designed as digital experiences—that not only revisit episodes of collective memory, but also delve into issues such as environmental crimes and the actions of public security forces like the former ESMAD, Colombia’s now-defunct riot control unit.
“There have been many opportunities to guide this work toward dignifying victims and recognizing what happened, so that hopefully it never repeats—but lately, that feels like a utopia,” Velandia explains to Colombia One.
Colombian Alvaro Velandia honored in Dubai with Global Non-Violence Award for peace storytelling
After years spent mentoring students and fostering a deeper connection to Colombia’s history through audiovisual works, Alvaro Velandia received the Global Non‑Violence Award last April. The donor was presented at the Global Justice, Love & Peace Summit in Dubai, during the EIRENE Awards ceremony held on April 12–13, 2025.
Organized by the “I Am Peacekeeper” movement, the summit brought together over 2,800 peacebuilders and 72 speakers, including 10 Nobel Peace Laureates, under the theme “One Planet, One Voice: Global Justice, Love and Peace.” As one of the world’s most significant gatherings for peace and reconciliation, the event highlights voices working to heal divisions, honor memory, and inspire global action toward non-violence.
“At that summit, maybe three or four of us spoke Spanish. From Latin America, it was just one Chilean citizen and me. That gives you a sense of the scale—and the gratitude I felt for being included. It’s a prize heavily influenced by Asia and Africa. The gathering was incredible—a meeting of people working on spirituality, peace, and bringing different ideas from places like the UAE, India, or China,” Velandia recalls.
The Global Non-Violence Award was also a recognition of Colombia’s ongoing peacebuilding efforts and the role of those who work to transform conflict through empathy and understanding. For him, it is both an honor and a motivation to continue believing in dialogue over division. As he put it, “the only real solution is peace, empathy, understanding others, and working for one another.”
Among the reflections he brought back, the professor spoke of peace as something that begins from within. Beyond institutional efforts, he emphasized the importance of cultivating empathy, gratitude, and the ability to truly listen.
“If we are not at peace personally, if we are not open to dialogue or to understanding others, it’s impossible to build peace collectively,” he said. For him, love is not just a feeling but a daily practice—one exercised in families, workplaces, and everyday interactions.
Velandia also emphasized the power of stories in shaping identity and restoring national self-worth. He believes that narrative tools—like documentaries, books, and podcasts—help societies recognize themselves and imagine different futures.
“Peace must become an inspiring movement,” he added. “It cannot rely solely on a few people who refuse to accept a tragic fate. When people from around the world come together and say, ‘This is how peace is built,’ it becomes clear that justice, empathy, and balance are essential—and that anyone can change the world through the decisions they make.”
The power of narratives to heal, connect, and inspire change in Colombia
Velandia, in his role as professor of Scriptwriting and Narrative at the School of Communication and Digital Industries at Universidad Sergio Arboleda, has applied a pedagogical vision that connects storytelling with the human experience. He works from a clear premise: every powerful story is rooted in inner conflict and personal transformation.
For him, narratives—whether fictional or documentary—must explore themes like fear, pain, resilience, and love. These are not just dramatic devices, but reflections of the lived realities of those who have endured armed conflict.
With this approach, he has taken his students to places still marked by violence and displacement—contexts where the echoes of conflict remain. There, many discover not just the power of telling real stories, but a deeper vocation: to draw closer to others and recognize their shared humanity.
In his closing thoughts, Velandia spoke to the storytellers—the journalists, filmmakers, and communicators whose work can shape minds and move hearts. He believes these fields must be grounded in purpose—not in ego or recognition, but in the responsibility to raise awareness and contribute to others’ growth. Storytelling, he insists, should challenge ideas, confront hard truths, and uplift self-worth.
The Global Non-Violence Award he received in Dubai also highlights the urgent relevance of storytelling that promotes empathy, memory, and peacebuilding—especially in a country where conflict still touches many regions and continues to affect the daily lives of Colombians.
“We all can be peacemakers,” he said, “through our daily actions, our way of treating others, or simply by listening to someone who needs to be heard.” His words are a reminder that peace is not only a political project—it’s a human one.