The Ministry of Culture will award a total of 935 million pesos to the work that has contributed to the recognition and equal opportunities of different ethnic groups in Colombia.
Ancestral rituals, cultural management and research, among other activities that contribute to the recognition and strengthening of the various population groups in Colombia (black communities, Afro-Colombian, indigenous, peasant, LGBTI, victims of the armed conflict , youth, women and people with physical, visual, auditory, intellectual, psychosocial disabilities, among others), will be part of the stimuli of the Ministry of Culture in 2015.
"The visibility of cultural and ethnic diversity is a fundamental commitment of the current government. In the last four years we went from having one scholarship for people with disabilities, to a whole portfolio of awards for all population groups in the country. The regional impact has been significant for most of the previous winners, who live in municipalities affected by violence or in disadvantaged or remote areas, and have had access to cultural resources of the state, "said Moisés Medrano, Director of the Directorate of Populations of the Ministry of Culture.
According to the guidelines of the National Government, the Ministry of Culture hopes to expand equity and peace by providing:
(1) Recognition for the enrichment of the ancient cultures of the black, raizal, palenguera and Afro-Colombian communities. This award can awarded to people in these communities who are at least 50 years of age and have demonstrable experience in proving ancestral traditions and culture in communities through community work or entities.
(2) Recognition for the enrichment of the ancient cultures of indigenous peoples of Colombia. This award can be awarded to all indigenous persons who are at least 50 years and have documented, written or audiovisual records of experience and recognition in their communities.
(3) Recognition for the cultural narratives of different interest groups. This award category is open to all individuals, companies and organized groups, whose trajectory is not less than five years and who are recognized for their work on behalf of the peasant communities, Arabs, LGBTI, victims of the internal armed conflict, youth, women, people in the process of reintegration, elderly, homeless people, people of small stature, female heads of household, displaced persons and mentally disabled.
(4) Recognition for the strengthening of social inclusion through culture for people with disabilities. This award category is open to individuals and public or private entities with minimum of five years of experience in the field to developing cultural activities of social inclusion of people with physical, visual, auditory, intellectual, psychosocial disability or blindness, among others.
(5) Recognition for the strengthening of endangered indigenous languages. This award category is open to indigenous councils, associations of traditional indigenous authorities, teachers speaking indigenous languages (accredited by the community), educators that can prove that their work supports conservation of indigenous languages.