Lina Maria Betancur

Catalyst for Colombia's post-conflict reconciliation through community-based peacebuilding

Lina Maria Betancur is a Colombian social entrepreneur whose grassroots initiatives have redefined post-conflict reconciliation in Latin America. Born in Medellín in 1990, she grew up during the height of the country's armed conflict. After studying conflict resolution in Norway, she returned to Colombia in 2018 to found Nueva Vida Foundation, a network of community centers providing trauma support and economic opportunities.

Her signature project, the Peace Weaving Initiative, trained 2,000+ ex-combatants and victims in artisan cooperatives producing textiles from recycled bomb materials. By 2022, these cooperatives generated $2.5M annually, featured in TIME's 2021 list of 'Most Innovative Social Enterprises.'

In 2020, Lina pioneered Colombia's first Truth Circles program, facilitating dialogues between victims and perpetrators in 12 municipalities. This initiative reduced localized violence by 40% according to 2023 UNDP reports. Her work inspired the 2024 Peace Education Act, integrating conflict resolution into national curricula.

Her 2023 book Weaving Peace from Ashes became a bestseller in Spanish-speaking countries. Lina's recent partnership with the EU's Horizon 2025 program funds tech-driven reconciliation tools, including an app mapping Colombia's memory sites. She was named Fortune's 'Latin American Changemaker of the Year' in 2022.