English Translation follows
Por Luisa Montes
La mañana comenzó con sonrisas de familiaridad entre un grupo de personas que hacÃa un par de dÃas no nos habÃamos visto. Algunos sÃ, pero ahora nos mirábamos de diferente manera, tenÃamos mucho en común, confiábamos más en el otro, sabÃamos sobre el otro, sentÃamos paz.
Comenzamos a prepararnos para compartir en plenaria los resultados de tres dÃas de trabajo, asà que comenzamos a intercambiar ideas, a dibujar mapas conceptuales, imágenes evocadoras, palabras, lÃneas, conceptos y más, organizamos un plan de difusión, estábamos emocionados por mostrar los logros obtenidos y en solidaridad nos vestimos de bichos para hablar en su nombre y posibilitar la empatÃa.
Volvimos al lugar donde un hotel para insectos y un estanque todavÃa en proceso nos esperaban, habÃamos sido observados por la comunidad escolar mientras trabajábamos los dÃas anteriores, un niño que visitaba el college el dÃa anterior vino a sumar su esfuerzo y energÃa al proyecto, pero no venÃa solo, traÃa a su mami de la mano, ambos, nos acompañaron varias horas trabajando hombro a hombro para alcanzar nuestro objetivo y no se fueron hasta que hubimos terminado.
Terminamos¡¡¡ y fuimos a cambiar las ropas de trabajo por algo más presentable, era tiempo de compartir, escuchamos los interesantes resultados de los proyectos hermanos y fuimos escuchados con atención al momento de exponer nuestra experiencia. Concluimos que la restauración urbana puede fungir como agencia para la paz, estuvimos preparando un lugar para atraer especies de animales e insectos a un espacio seguro, y al tiempo, reconectábamos lazos en  todos los niveles mencionados en la charla del dÃa anterior por el DR. Bidar… esto funciona pensamos, esto en verdad funciona, concluimos.
Restauración paralela, hacia adentro y hacia afuera, la jornada terminó con canciones nacidas en el proceso y pasaba el tiempo y todos allÃ, sin querer irnos todavÃa, abrazándonos, tejiendo redes que no saben de distancias o de idiomas o de colores de piel, igualito que la naturaleza, que nos cobija y nos protege a todos porque todos somos parte de esta tierra y giramos en el mismo universo y porque recordamos a través de esta experiencia que todos tenemos la responsabilidad y la oportunidad de construir comunidad y convivencia sana en pro de la paz.
Gracias por esta oportunidad que no termina en su tercer dÃa, sino que inicia para lo futuro.
Symposium for Peace / Urban Restoration Day 3
By Luisa Montes
Translated by Gisela Frias
The morning began with smiles of familiarity among a group of people that only a couple of days before did not know each other, or knew eachother in a different light. We were now looking at each other differently. Â We had much in common. Â We relied more on the other. We knew about the other. Â We felt peace.
We began to prepare to share in plenary the results of three days of work. We started to exchange ideas, to draw concept maps, evocative images, words, lines, concepts and organize our presentation. We were excited to show the achievements obtained and solidarity we dressed up as bugs to speak on their behalf and allow empathy.
We returned to the place where an Insect Hotel and a pond in process awaited for us. We had been observed by the school community while working during the prevoius days. A child who was visiting the college for the day came to give us a hand and to add his effort and energy to the project. He was not alone, he brought his mom. Both accompanied
us for several hours working shoulder to shoulder to achieve our goal and did not leave until we finished.
We finished! and went to change our work clothes for something more presentable. It was time to share, listen to the interesting results of the other projects and we were listened to with attention while we shared our experience. We concluded that, urban renewal can act as an agency for peace. We were adapting a place to attract animal species and insects to a safe space, and at the same time, we reconnected ties at all levels, as mentioned in the presentation by Dr. Bidar on the previous day. This works, we thought. This really works we concluded.
A parallel restoration, inward and outward. The day ended with songs born in the process. It was getting late but everyone was still there. Nobody wanted to leave. We hugged each other, weaving networks that do not know of distance or language or skin colors, just like nature, that shelters and protects us all because we are all part of this land and turn in the same universe and because we remembered through this experience that we all have the responsibility and the opportunity to build community and healthy coexistence towards peace.
Thank you for this opportunity that does not end in its third day, but that is a starts for the future.