The Kroc Institute has established a new international field site in Cartagena, on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia, partnering with three highly respected organizations where Kroc master’s students will receive training and serve as interns.
The new site is the Kroc Institute's first in Latin America. (Other Kroc field sites are in South Africa, Uganda, Israel/Palestine, the Philippines, and Washington, D.C.)
The organizations in Cartagena are:
- Fundación Mario Santo Domingo, dedicated to developing and supporting programs for the country’s poorest communities, including improving living conditions, education and economic development.
- The Corporación Desarrollo y Paz de Canal del Dique Zona Costera, which supports community participation in peace processes, economic development, democratic processes, and the development of public policy.
- The Observatory for Internal Displacement at the University of Cartagena, which produces accessible academic information to support peace processes and will provide cultural and academic training to students assigned to work in Colombia.
“Colombia has shown resiliency and creativity in its efforts to promote reconciliation and healing during more than half a century of violent conflict,” said Theresa Ricke-Kiely, associate director of the master’s program. “This is particularly true in cities on the Caribbean Coast, where many diverse peoples and local communities are actively working for peace.
“In Cartagena, master’s students will have tremendous potential to learn and grow and see how their theoretical work applies to real-life situations,” Ricke-Kiely said. “They’ll be working alongside people who are making a real difference in the region.”
Nearly all Kroc master’s students undertake a six-month internship during their second year of the program, working at Kroc field sites in Uganda, South Africa, Israel/Palestine, the Philippines, Washington, D.C., and now Colombia.
In Cartagena, students will acquire skills that include negotiation, conflict mapping, and program monitoring and evaluation, Ricke-Kiely said, while contributing insights on conflict transformation and peacebuilding theory gained from their graduate coursework.
Contact: Theresa Ricke-Kiely, 574-631-9532, ricke-kiely.1@nd.edu