The School of Law and Political Science at the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) helped organize the roundtable discussion “Weaving Paths: Institutional and Community Responses to Enforced Disappearance,” a forum for academic dialogue, reflection, and remembrance that included representatives from entities such as the Unit for the Search for Missing Persons and the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences.
“This roundtable is part of the commemoration of the International Week of the Disappeared, during which we aim to pay tribute to our disappeared through vigils, exhibitions, art displays, and spaces like this one, where we seek to vindicate their names and fight against the victims being forgotten,” noted Aura María Díaz Hernández, vice president of Guardians of Memory.
The event also facilitated dialogue among participating institutions, relatives of missing persons, and UIS students. During the session, progress in the search and identification of victims in Santander was shared, and the importance of coordinated work between academia, social organizations, and government entities was emphasized.
“We discussed the progress made in the search for people reported missing in Santander and informed family members and organizations that, together, we can find ways to locate those who disappeared during the armed conflict. In Santander, there is a registry of more than 5,300 missing persons, and thanks to institutional efforts, we have made progress in specific searches,” said Manuel Guillermo Criales, coordinator of the Santander regional team of the Unit for the Search for Missing Persons.
For their part, the attending students highlighted the importance of this type of academic and reflective setting, noting that it strengthens critical thinking and broadens knowledge of social and human rights issues.
“I think it’s very important to discuss this issue because, especially in academia, topics related to armed conflict and extrajudicial killings are often not addressed sufficiently. Participating in these forums allows us to understand the magnitude of these issues and reflect on them,” said Elizabeth Jerez, a social work student.
