For this piece, I wish to avoid the debate between 'yes' and 'no' which has separated the Colombian population for years. I don’t see the need to increase divisions; we cannot end a conflict caused by segregation with polarisation and hate. The people who voted 'yes' had the intention of giving the country a new beginning of reconciliation with peace, and those who voted 'no' didn’t vote against peace, but for the same peace but with better conditions. They both have valid arguments, and they both must be respected.

Seeing The Refugee Nation represented at The Olympic Games this year was a feat that we should acknowledge. To many refugees including myself, such events fill us with hope that the world sees refugees as more than a statistic.

As a proud One Young World Ambassador, I was equally pleased to see The Refugee Nation represented at the One Young World 2016 Summit in Ottawa, Canada. 

Despite the result of the referendum held on October 2, Colombian citizens have been engaging in peaceful marches in many cities, especially in Bogotá where the youth have frequently called for unity and reconciliation in a series of peace camps. One Young World 2016 attendees residing in Canada decided to take action and organize marches in two different cities, Montreal and Ottawa, with a single message: we want peace now.

One Young World. 196 countries. One hundred and ninety six countries. Allow me to repeat that one more time; 1-9-6. That’s a lot of countries. Depending on who you ask, that’s pretty much every country in the world.

A lot of countries.

1300 young people. Young leaders. Young human beings who want the world of 2026 to be better than the world of 2016. Not only “want” it to be better, but most of whom are actively fighting each and every day to ensure that becomes a reality.

I was introduced to One Young World in 2013 when the Summit was held in my home town of Johannesburg, South Africa. In fact, some of the Summit activities were held just a stone’s throw away from my home in the Maropeng, the Cradle of Humankind. Since hearing about this life changing event, I was unsuccessful in raising funds or securing sponsorship to attend one of the Summits.

Doesn’t every girl deserve the opportunity to exercise their human rights, fulfill their potential, be able to make decisions about their own bodies and have the power to decide about their own future on terms equal to boys? Of course they do. The only problem is this is not a reflection of the reality.