"Peace is not only the absence of war; as long as there is poverty, racism, discrimination, and exclusion, it will be difficult for us to achieve a world in peace."
Rigoberta Menchú
History
In 2016, a team of humanists and artists dedicated to the research of Anthropology of Dance and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) met to discuss the pressing need for tools to strengthen the research, training, personal and collective transformation processes in relation to corporeal, heritage-related and reconciliation practices.
Stemming from this, an ethnographic research model was structured, allowing the issuance of diplomas, courses, and publications while engaging in processes of accompaniment for communities in national and international territories.
“My territory can be visible in our culture, in my body; using my body I can create a living painting, do theater, or whatever else I want [...] ”
Eber Mercado / 17 years
Galeras, Sucre - Colombia
On the educational front, a series of pedagogical processes have been developed focused on: i) fostering ownership of the territory and Intangible Cultural Heritage practices ii) artistic and corporeal awareness; and, iii) the transformation of conflict. Additionally, a series of methodologies and practical activities for personal and collective transformation was created, designed for educational and cultural entities, environmental NGOs with a focus on human rights, foundations working on sexual and reproductive rights, racialized populations, the elderly, incarcerated communities as well as victims of the armed conflict.
Over time, the transversal axes of work at Embodying Reconciliation have been consolidated in five strategic lines: (i) Corporealities, (ii) Intangible Cultural Heritage, (iii) Interculturality, (iv) Memory, and (v) Wellbeing. As such, we offer a series of services that are focused on ethnographic research, training, consultancy, artistic residencies, and media production and communications.
Among our services stand out, the research and methodological consolidation of the book and virtual platform “Bodies for Empathy Museum” (2020); the construction of Diplomas, Courses, Workshops, and Conferences regarding our 5 lines of action (2016-2021); the international consultancy “Corpi per la Riconciliazione” in Bologna and Imola, Italy (2018); The “Ephemeral Museum for Reconciliation” in Galeras, Sucre (2016) and the publication “Different Women, Equal Rights: Tradition and Sexual – Reproductive Health Care for Indigenous Women” (2018) with “Oriéntame” Foundation- Colombia.
In accordance with our range of expertise, a series of national alliances were achieved with entities such as the Ministry of Culture; the District’s Institute of Arts (IDARTES); the Secretariat for Culture, Recreation and Sports (IDRD); the Secretariat for Education (SED), the Truth Commission; the “José Celestino Mutis” Botanical Garden, along with some collaborations for internship programs with the National University and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana of Colombia.
On an international level, alliances and collaborations were made with the European Union program “Choreomundus – International Master in Dance Anthropology and Intangible Cultural Heritage”; the Master Degree in “Performance in Other Media” from the University of the Philippines; the University of Theater and Film Arts from Budapest; “Jaya Cultural Association” from Bologna, “Animabianca” from Italy and the University of the Americas in Ecuador.
In 2019 we started the process to become a certified organization to provide advisory services to the ICH NGO Forum Committee, UNESCO.
© Copyright 2016 – Corporación Embodying Reconciliation – Cuerpos para la Reconciliación