The assault on Colombia’s Palace of Justice, the judicial branch’s headquarters, took place on Nov. 6, 1985, when 35 commandos of the M-19 guerrilla movement violently entered the building in downtown Bogotá. Their alleged purpose was to demand that the Supreme Court invoke a public trial of then-president Belisario Betancur. In their words, Betancur “betray[ed] a national desire to end the war through negotiations and public participation,” which was agreed upon with the signing of a ceasefire and the establishment of a national dialogue on Aug. 24, 1984. Within minutes Armed Forces reacted with a deployment of about 5,000 army and police members with heavy weaponry. According to the Truth Commission's report a massacre took place resulting in the estimated loss of at least 100 lives, the disappearance of 11 people, and the torture of several more at the hands of these security forces. In this lecture, Helena Urán Bidegain will focus on the question, “Why have the wounds caused by the attack on the Palace of Justice in Colombia not yet healed?” Her research contributes to the debate over how official and alternative narratives influence the recognition of victims and transitional justice in Colombia. Panelists: Helena Urán Bidegain, serves as an advisor for the Comprehensive System of Peace on measures for non-repetition. Her professional background includes working as a ministerial advisor at the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a researcher at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund on peace-related issues, and a parliamentary advisor on foreign policy (Latin America) in the German Bundestag, among others. She is the author of the book, "Mi Vida y el Palacio" (2020), a political-autobiographical account and investigation into the worst institutional tragedy of political violence in Colombia’s history. She has also contributed as a columnist for Revista Cambio, El Espectador, and ElDiario.es.Salina Kafle, Notre Dame human rights L.L.M. studentMonica Nuño Nuño, Notre Dame human rights L.L.M. student  Josefina Echavarría Álvarez, professor of the practice and director of the Peace Accords Matrix  Photo: The Palace of Justice during the 1985 siege. Credit: El Tiempo archive Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.

Cleek Schrey is a fiddler, improviser, and composer who specializes in the traditional musics of Appalachia and Ireland. During this public  talk/ performance, Schrey will discuss how to use printed tune collections like the recently publsihed Mulvihill collection or Notre Dame's own O'Neill collection to bring traditional repertoires to life.   Originally published at music.nd.edu.

Work-in-Progress Seminars are designed to generate in-depth discussion of new scholarly work. For the pre-circulated paper and to attend, please register with the link below. Room location information will be shared with preparation materials following your registration. Marianne KneuerKellogg Visiting FellowProfessor of Comparative Politics, Dresden University of TechnologyDirector, Institute of Political Science, Dresden University of Technology   More information here

Register hereDayna L. Cunningham is the Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Dean of Tufts University’s Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life. Jed Atkins is the director and dean of the School of Civic Life and Leadership at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Cunningham and Atkins are authors from the spring 2025 issue of Virtues & Vocations: Higher Education for Human Flourishing. They will discuss the issue, including issues around civic discourse. There will be time for audience questions.Virtues & Vocations is a national forum for scholars and practitioners across disciplines to consider how best to cultivate character in pre-professional and professional education. Virtues & Vocations hosts faculty workshops, an annual conference, and monthly webinars, and engages issues of character, professional identity, and moral purpose through our publications.virtuesvocations.org  

The Office of Institutional Transformation, in partnership with the Initiative on Race and Resilience, invites students, faculty, and staff to gather weekly for support and fellowship. Wellsprings: A Time for Connection and Care provides a safe space for members of the campus community to discuss fears and concerns related to social divisiveness. Some sessions may feature presentations or information from campus resources. To suggest a topic, please contact Eve Kelly at ekelly11@nd.edu. Originally published at diversity.nd.edu.

“Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last two hundred years. Yet we are called to be instruments of God our Father, so that our planet might be what he desired when he created it and correspond with his plan for peace, beauty and fullness.”Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on care for our common home, Laudato si’, offers both a stark portrait of the current global environmental reality and an urgent call to action. Many Earth Science scholars describe our current geological epoch as the Anthropocene, a newly destabilized state of the Earth where human action has an overwhelming impact on the functioning of the planet, leading not only to scientific and technological problems but also to political, economic, cultural, and ethical challenges. Climate change and environmental devastation have an outsize impact on communities in the Global South, but many of these communities are also at the forefront of developing strategies for resilience. Join us for a conversation with Church leaders on how the Anthropocene epoch changes the way we think about justice, the planet, the Church, and what we owe one another. This event will be livestreamed in both Spanish and English.  Ver el evento en español.Featuring:Cardinal Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno, S.J. Archbishop Emeritus of Huancayo, Peru Cardinal Barreto currently serves as the President of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA), a new international body linked to the Holy See. In this role, he promotes the recognition and appreciation of the charisms of all members of the People of God with an Amazonian identity, fostering a more participatory and synodal Church. He was created cardinal by Pope Francis in 2018, after serving as Archbishop of Huancayo since 2004. A Jesuit priest since his ordination in 1971, he has dedicated his life to the defense of human rights, ecology, and pastoral service. As Archbishop Emeritus of Huancayo, Peru, his trajectory reflects a deep commitment to social justice and the care of our Common Home.Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson Chancellor, Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences Since 2022, Cardinal Peter Turkson has been the chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. He was ordained a priest in 1975 and consecrated as Archbishop of Cape Coast in 1992 by Pope John Paul II, who also made him the first Cardinal Archbishop of Ghana in 2003. He has been a member of multiple pontifical councils, including president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (2009-2017) and prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Human Development (2017-2021). He has served as a mediator in numerous politically volatile situations on the African continent and been a tireless champion of human rights and sustainable human development. In addition to his knowledge of Latin and Greek, he speaks six languages.In conversation with:Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. President, University of Notre Dame Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., serves as Notre Dame’s 18th president, having begun his tenure as president in June 2024. A faculty member in Notre Dame’s political science department since 2004, Fr. Dowd earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and economics from Notre Dame, and a Masters in African Studies and a doctorate in political science from UCLA. Prior to his election as president, Fr. Dowd served as vice president and associate provost for interdisciplinary initiatives. He was ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1994 and has ministered to students on campus for many years as a priest-in-residence.Originally published at forum2024.nd.edu.