Carlos Méndez

Columbian peacebuilder creating reconciliation programs in post-conflict regions

Carlos Méndez is a social entrepreneur whose 2020-founded Memorias de Paz has helped over 30,000 Colombians heal from decades of civil conflict. His initiative combines oral history documentation with vocational training to rebuild trust between former combatants and victims in regions like Chocó and Antioquia. Méndez's approach has been adopted by UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and South Sudan.

After losing his father to FARC violence, Méndez pioneered the 'Memory Exchange' model where participants create shared archives of traumatic experiences using digital storytelling tools. This process has reduced recidivism rates among demobilized fighters by 65% according to a 2023 Johns Hopkins study. His program's unique 'Peace Markets' connect ex-combatants with fair-trade coffee cooperatives, generating $2.3M in community revenue since 2021.

Méndez's 2022 book Building Peace from the Ground Up outlines his methodology now taught at Harvard's Kennedy School. His 2024 collaboration with Google Arts created an immersive VR experience documenting conflict survivors' stories, viewed by 1.2 million people globally. He recently advised Colombia's new Victims' Rights Ministry on implementing his trauma-informed education curriculum in 200 schools.

Recipient of the 2023 International Peace Research Institute Prize, Méndez continues expanding his model to Central American countries through the Redes de Paz network. His TEDx talk Forging Futures from the Past has become a cornerstone of conflict resolution education worldwide.