Caravana received the ‘Valors’ award for its ongoing commitment to improve access justice and respect for the rule of law in Colombia.

Caravana received the ‘Valors’ award for its ongoing commitment to improve access justice and respect for the rule of law in Colombia.

Picture: Colombian Caravana representatives (Sara Chandler, Sasha Duncan, Sue Willman, Gemma Sunyer and Carme Clavel)

The Colombian Caravana was honoured to receive last week the 2023 ‘Valors’ award by the Council of Catalan Bars (Consell de la Advocacia Catalana) under its 10th edition for its continued support to the legal profession and those who defend human rights in Colombia, providing access justice and upholding respect for the rule of law.

Long-standing members of the Caravana travelled to the astonishing site of La Seu in Lleida (Spain) to collect the award: Sara Chandler (co-founder), Sue Willman (former President), Sasha Duncan (Director), Gemma Sunyer (former Director and Coordinator) and Carme Clavel Arcas (current Coordinator).

The Caravana was delighted to share with an impressive cohort of awardees, including the Basque activist Maixabel Lasa, the association Fruita amb Justícia Social, and the Table for Mexico. During the ceremony, recognition was also given to the Human Rights Commission of the Lleida Bar Association, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its establishment.

The prize  was presented by Encarna Orduna, president of  Consell de l’Advocacia Catalana and Antonieta Martí, Dean of the College of Lawyers of Lleida.

This award is an encouragement to continue our ongoing work in solidarity with our colleagues at risk in Colombia; we receive the award on their behalf to be “…a different bulletproof vest…” built on information, and international solidarity, in other words, to bring to light what was happening in Colombia to stop the bullets and prevent them from continuing to kill our colleagues there… words of Sue Willman caravanista receiving the award.

Here you can read Sue Willmans’ speech for the ceremony, in English and Spanish

 

 

 

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