ABSTRACT
Colombia is known for the protracted length of its armed conflict, often described as the longest in the Western Hemisphere. The Colombian peace process is a complex story of creative and historic efforts to make peace and construct a turning point in the national narrative. It demonstrates how much a Peace Accord is a necessary but insufficient step toward building peace. It also confirms the proposition that violence, not war or conflict, must be seen as the opposite of peace in order to understand how a Peace Accord can only open the possibility for building the conditions to live without violence. The chapter explores the roots of Colombia's protracted armed conflict before analysing the peace negotiations and journey towards the Accord. It highlights some of the challenges that still overshadow the prospect of building these conditions for peace.
