“We are the present and the future of Colombia”: the call from childhood to president-elect De La Espriella

Building a safer country, in peace and where the rights of children are respected was the main message left by the girls participating in the discussion “Children have the floor: For a country within reach of children and adolescents”, held during the Gabo Festival 2026.

Children and adolescents from different regions of Colombia shared their concerns and proposals regarding the challenges facing childhood, in a dialogue with representatives of the high courts and the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation.

One of the participants was 14-year-old Valerie, a member of the Children and Adolescents Advisory Committee of World Vision Colombia’s Niñez YA, who explained to De Último Minuto that the preparation for the discussion included training sessions on children’s rights and the main issues affecting the country.

“We had many learning sessions about the future of Colombia, the needs we have, and our fundamental rights. We are here so that the voices of children are heard and not violated,” the minor expressed.

The teenager pointed out that among the main concerns of Colombian children are violence, the lack of peace, and the impact of climate change. “Sometimes we don’t feel safe because there is a lot of violence. We also need peace,” she indicated.

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In view of the change of government, Valerie called on the next president to promote policies aimed at building peace and to guarantee the participation of children in the country’s decisions.

“May he try to promote peace and not war, and may he help the voices of children be heard throughout the world,” he stated.

For her part, Sofi, a 12-year-old speaker, insisted that children need to live in an environment free from violence and abuse.

“We need a safe country, because there is a lot of violence, rapes, bullying in schools, abuse. We want a country where there is peace and those events do not happen,” he/she expressed.

Likewise, he sent a message to the next Colombian president to include children in the development of public policies.

“We ask that you take us into account, that you not only govern for the elderly, but also for us, because we are the present and the future of Colombia,” he/she stated.

The discussion, inspired by the speech “For a country within the reach of children” by the Colombian journalist and writer Gabriel García Márquez, sought to make childhood the protagonist of public debate, promoting their active participation in building a fairer, more inclusive country that respects their rights.