The Mayor of Medellin, Daniel Quintero Calle, was awarded this Wednesday, June 14, with the Luxembourg Peace Prize 2023, in the category “Outstanding Public Efforts for Peace”, which recognizes the work of the District Mayor in the struggle for the construction of territorial peace in the city.
This category seeks to recognize a political figure with global coverage in the construction or promotion of peace through a style and model of government. Thus, during his administration, the current mayor of Medellin created the first Secretariat for Nonviolence in Colombia to guide the construction of territorial peace in the district, with the promotion of restorative justice that allows the transformation of conflicts and the protection of life as a fundamental value.
The award was presented by the Schengen Foundation for Peace and the World Peace Forum at the European Convention Center in Luxembourg.
On behalf of Mayor Daniel Quintero, the recognition was received by the Colombian artist Duván López, author of the work “La Silla de la Paz” (The Chair of Peace), a sculpture that is also given to those recognized with the award. This work represents a chair with only three legs, distinguishing the winners as the fourth leg for peace building.
“When we took office as Mayor of the city, we came with a dream, with a commitment, to transform our city into a place of peace and reconciliation. Medellín has faced enormous challenges and has been recovering throughout these years, however, many of these wounds have remained open. That is why, from the mayor’s office, we firmly believed that we could heal them and build a better future,” said Mayor Daniel Quintero Calle.
These actions for non-violence and the consolidation of territorial peace together with the Articulated Strategy Against Homicide, have consolidated the last three years as the least violent in 40 years and the best results of the decade in clarification and arrest of those responsible for the crime.
“There is still much to do. Peace is not a final destination, but a continuous path that we must travel together, I call on all citizens of Medellin and the world to unite in this purpose. Let us continue working together to build a society based on concord, justice and mutual respect. We cannot allow the wounds of the past to define us and remain forever hurting us. We must learn from them and build a brighter future,” said the district governor.
The ceremony, organized by the Schengen Foundation for Peace and the World Peace Forum, was held at the European Convention Center in Luxembourg. Also honored were global activists, educators, leaders and artists such as Ali Abu Awwad, who has fought for nonviolence in Israel and Palestine; Mariia Levchenko, who has worked for peacebuilding in Ukraine, among other leaders and entities.