Bogota’s central plaza covered with white sheet of victims’ names

Record ID: 84347

  • Title: Bogota’s central plaza covered with white sheet of victims’ names
  • Date: 11th October 2016
  • Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (OCTOBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) VOLUNTEERS SEWING WHITE SHEETS IN FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL IN BOLIVAR PLAZA A WOMAN SEWING WHITE SHEETS A WOMAN TAKING PICTURES OF EVENT A WOMAN SEWING PARTICIPANT, MARIA CECILIA, SEWING CLOSE-UP OF MARIA CECILIA SEWING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PARTICIPANT, MARIA CECILIA, SAYING: "It is only seven percent of the names of victim of the violence, only a few of them. We are here to remember and honour them and give them a grave, that is why each sheet is the size of a grave, we are giving them a collective funeral." PEOPLE SEWING CLOSE-UP OF A WOMAN TAKING PART PEOPLE SEWING CLOSE-UP OF A YOUNG BOY YOUNG BOY LEANING OVER SHEET HIS MOTHER IS SEWING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VICTIM, ANDRES FELIPE DUQUE GIMENEZ, SAYING: "I was displaced by the FARC by the guerrillas. All we want is that they pay. They killed my father and my brother, and I don't think I am going to say I forgive them." PEOPLE PREPARING NEEDLES AND THREADS CLOSE-UP OF NEEDLES AND THREADS A YOUNG GIRL WITH A NEEDLE AND THREAD CLOSE-UP OF YOUNG GIRL SHEET WITH VICTIM'S NAME BLOWING IN THE WIND (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARTIST AND PRODUCER, MARIA BELEN SAEZ DE IBARRA, SAYING: "That is why each and every one of us has to sew, with our own hands, with patience, bit by bit, willing to repair the country which is broken by pain, by hate, by this war which has no justification." A GIRL HOLDING A PIGEON THE COLOMBIAN FLAG GENERAL VIEW OF EVENT
  • Embargoed: 26th October 2016 21:29
  • Keywords: FARC Bolivar Plaza Santos quilt
  • Location: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • City: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Art,Arts/Culture/Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA00153KADS3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Artists and volunteers gathered in Bogota's central plaza on Tuesday (October 11) to sew together a white sheet displaying the names of some 2,000 victims of Colombia's 52-year civil war with Marxist rebel fighters.
    The all-day installation was intended as a demonstration in favour of peace, after voters narrowly rejected a peace agreement already signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia little over a week ago.
    The names were written using ash on white sheets measuring 1.50 by 2.50 metres (5 by 8.2 feet), to symbolise a grave.
    "It is only seven percent of the names of victim of the violence, only a few of them. We are here to remember and honour them and give them a grave, that is why each sheet is the size of a grave, we are giving them a collective funeral," said participant, Maria Cecilia.
    The initiative was led by renowned Colombian artist Doris Salcedo at the National University's Art Museum, where volunteers have been invited throughout the last week to write the victims' names.
    Salcedo refused to speak at the event, which she intended as a solemn act of mourning.
    For Andres Felipe Duque Gimenez, who came to watch the event, it was just another day of a life in mourning, after the FARC rebels killed members of his family and forced him from his home.
    He voted "No" in the referendum due to the terms he said are too lenient on the FARC, demonstrating the complexity of the country's attempts to achieve peace.
    "I was displaced by the FARC by the guerrillas. All we want is that they pay. They killed my father and my brother, and I don't think I am going to say I forgive them," said Gimenez.
    Artist and producer, Maria Belen Saez de Ibarra, said the only way such suffering and division could be overcome was if the country comes together, and said Tuesday's event was an important step in that direction.
    "That is why each and every one of us has to sew, with our own hands, with patience, bit by bit, willing to repair the country which is broken by pain, by hate, by this war which has no justification," said Ibarra.
    The government is expected to respond to demands put forward by the "No" camp on Thursday (October 13), to determine if renegotiations are a viable option.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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