On Thursday, November 4th, 2021, I had the privilege of meeting with Mr. Jose Velasco, District Governor Elect for 2022-2023 over the Utah Rotary, District 5420. As President, I represented the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition of student clubs at Utah Valley University, and UVU Rotaract as a member under the umbrella of the UIMF coalition. This introductory meeting allowed us to discuss the opportunity for me to be involved myself and involve UIMF members and UVU Rotaractors in the initiative on peace building in Colombia, in which Utah District Rotary and Mr. Velasco has been involved since 2019. The meeting also allowed to strengthen ties between members of the UIMF and Velasco family established since our joint collaboration and contribution in 2019 to the activities of the 68th United Nations Civil Society Conference in Salt Lake City.
Mr. Jose Velasco, District Governor Elect 2022-23, Rotary District 5420 Utah
Jose Velasco, will become the next District Governor for the Utah District of Rotary International. The UIMF enjoys a close relationship with the UVU chapter of Rotaract, and the Orem-Lindon Rotary club. These organizations share many related goals with us and collaborate regularly on initiatives and service projects in the local and international communities. As such, it is important for us to build and maintain networks to enhance our effectiveness and create opportunities for involvement through the Student-Engaged Learning (SEL) model implemented at UVU.
Mr. Velasco and Dr. Baktybek Abdrisaev, UIMF mentor, listen intently as I speak about future collaboration.
I have expressed a desire to involve myself and UIMF in the ongoing District Rotary peace building initiative in Colombia. The District Governor elect is pursuing renewal of a Global Grant for Peace with a project called: "Hagamos las pases" throughout the Northern districts of Colombia. A previous Grant was created in 2018 in conjunction with the Institute for Economics and Peace.
Dallas Karren during meeting
This project implements reconciliation and peace among the Colombian people, who have been torn during a 54 year civil war with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and other guerilla factions. Rural, mountainous populations have been affected the harshest by the Colombian Armed Conflict. Previously, the project had focused on the South of the country and the next phase of the project will focus on the mountainous communities. Through Northern Colombia There, the local elementary and junior high schools will receive the education in positive peace, approximately 10,000 students.
As a result of our meeting, Mr. Velasco also kindly agreed to connect the UIMF and UVU Rotaract with Rotaractors from Mexico & Colombia. We are planning on collaborating with them in several capacities throughout the next year and participating in joint activities. I will follow up our meeting and discuss with Rotaractors and Rotarians the possibilities of cultural exchanges with both groups during summer 2022.
The peace process in Colombia is a topic of significant importance to me. I served as a volunteer representative for my church in Colombia from 2016-2018 and became familiar with and learned to appreciate the culture, people, language, and issues present in the country.
Dallas Karren in Bogotá, Colombia, 2018.
As one of my long-term academic research priorities, I have studied the importance of SMD in Colombia, and the impact on it from the armed conflict, as well as the ongoing crisis in neighboring Venezuela. I have continued efforts through activities such as advocacy of the mountain communities at the United Nations Sixty-Fifth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65), my publication on Colombian security challenges in the UVU Security Review academic journal, and supporting a documentary on the Venezuelan refugees, produced by a colleague of mine following completion of our mission.
I am proud to announce these events and excited for this great next step for our clubs and students.
Dallas Karren, UIMF President
