The Ruta Pacífica is a movement of Colombian women who have directly confronted the violence of the armed actors with large mobilizations of caravans, marches, and public events, crossing the country and entering conflict zones under military control. There, the women of the Ruta have broken the silence in order to mobilize the voices for peace in their country. With a clear pacifist and anti-discrimination message they have demonstrated that solidarity, courage, and active mobilization can reorient the debate and the conscience of peace in a country with more than fifty years of continuous armed conflict. Their mobilizations are characterized by rigorous organization that—ritually—protects and instills social and political awareness in its participants, communicating in effective and novel ways the images and messages it directs at national public opinion.

Year of Publication: 2006
Author(s): Amanda Lucia Camilo Ibarra