Lanús, Argentina—Ambassadors for Peace Dr. Rubén Contreras and his wife, Dr. Laura Navarro, recognized the lonco (tribal chief) Lorenzo Salvador Cejas Pincén, descendant of lonco Pincen, as a “Chain of Peace.” The initiative was promoted by the Training Center on Human Rights (Centro de Formación en Derechos Humanos) and the Human Rights Foundation “Proyecto Vida.”
One special moment of the event was when Eduardo Corales, an Ambassador for Peace, who was also recognized, hugged the lonco, after confessing one of his ancestors was part of the army which commanded the Conquest of the Desert, a military campaign in the 1870s with the intent to establish Argentine dominance over Patagonia, which was inhabited by indigenous peoples.
During the recognition of local civil society, faith and political groups, the importance of values, such as respect for life, human rights, forgiveness and love, was highlighted. “When we look outside, we see problems; but when we look within ourselves, we find solutions,” said Fabio Zerpa, a researcher.
The event included a tribute to native peoples to support the International Day of Indigenous Women, which was established in 1983 in Bolivia to honor Bartolina Sisa, who led an uprising against the Spanish.