The Latin American Institute (LAI) is a partner with the German-Colombian Peace Institute (Instituto CAPAZ) in supporting and overseeing the peace process in this South American country, through education and research. With its interdisciplinary approach and its lines of inquiry about Latin America, the members of the LAI have developed expertise in human rights, history, memory, reconciliation processes, post-conflict and trauma related psychosocial processes.

The main goal is to share the knowledge and skills generated within the LAI and to start a dialogue with the knowledge and experience of academics and activists in Colombia, to shift perspectives, understand differences and pave paths towards the fortification of a long lasting peace.

This collaboration, then, drives to:

1) Analyze the situation in Colombia from an international perspective, taking into account the liaisons and processes with regional and global contexts, comparing experiences of post-conflict reconstruction in Latin America and other parts of the world.

2) Undertake local viewpoints to study the particular needs and pressing issues of the actors who participate in these peace processes. Because of this, it is critical to link scientific knowledge with the experience and expertise of activists and other organizations who are also invested in this Colombian peace process, to find ways to uphold collective memory, compensate for damages, to administer justice for victims, for reconciliation and no repetition of the past.