Leyner Palacios

Colombian peacebuilder transforming conflict zones through grassroots reconciliation

Leyner Palacios (b.1976), a survivor of the 2002 Bojayá massacre [2], pioneered territorial peace models in Chocó department. When 119 civilians died in church crossfire between FARC and paramilitaries, Palacios - then a young teacher - organized the Victims' Committee.

His three-pillar approach:

Community truth commissions blending African-Colombian oral traditions
Ecological reparations protecting biodiversity
Youth peace orchestras replacing child recruitment

Palacios' 2016 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech (as part of Colombian Peace Delegation) [3] went viral for demanding 'peace without impunity'. Despite assassination attempts, he established 17 Local Peace Councils.

Key milestones:

2018	UN-appointed SDG Advocate
2020	Chocó included in UNESCO Creative Cities Network
2022	Launched Amazonas Peace Laboratory

Palacios redefined transitional justice through comadreo (community godparenthood) systems, detailed in Harvard's 2023 case study.

Literary Appearances

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Cinematic Appearances

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