Challenges and Opportunities on the Recognition of the Indigenous Cultural Diversity in Colombia

This talk addresses the cosmo-vision, meaning of land and their way of life of the tribes inhabiting the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Understanding this perception helps us to underline the importance in acknowledging the cultural diversity, the protection of rights of indigenous peoples enabling them to survive as a culture. The reality of the indigenous peoples in Colombia presents paradigmatic situations. Although they are formally protected by the highest international standards, by the legislative and jurisprudential developments, the effectiveness of these formal mechanisms of protection only partially coincide with reality. Solutions to this situation will be discussed. About the Lecturer: Amanda Bernal-Carlo, full Professor at the Natural Sciences Department at Hostos Community College of the City University of New Yor