(Brussels) During the 50-year armed conflict in Colombia, eight million people were killed and thousands of children were forcibly recruited as soldiers. According to the estimates of the Salesian news agency, there are still between 8,000 and 14,000 child soldiers in Colombia today. This will be the focus of an event in Brussels on Monday, 6 February, (12.30pm-2pm, Square de Meeus, Brussels), organized by the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), Justice & Peace Europe, and Don Bosco International. “Colombia: from child soldiers to peace-builders” is the title of the event which will tell the stories of the children rescued by the Salesians from the Institution “Ciudad Don Bosco” in Medellin. The latter has helped over 2,300 former child soldiers over the past 14 years through the programme “Construyendo sueños” (Building Dreams), aimed at the restoration of their psychological and emotional wellbeing and their reintegration into society. This experience will be presented by Fr. Rafael Bejarano, Director of the Ciudad Don Bosco in Medellin; José Antonio Sanmartín, Director of Misiones Salesianas; and by some protagonists of the documentary that will be presented during the event: “Alto el fuego” (Ceasefire) on the individual rehabilitation and social reintegration of child soldiers. The 21-minute documentary, directed by Raul de la Fuente and made by the Salesians, is about the experiences of two of them, Catalina and Manuel.