Giulia Piccolino is Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Loughborough University. She was awarded her PhD at the University of Florence in Italy in 2012, with a dissertation where she explored the political use of nationalism during the conflict and peace process in Côte d’Ivoire. From 2014 to 2016, she was a Post-doctoral researcher sponsored by the Alexander Von Humboldt foundation at the GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies in Hamburg. She has carried out extensive fieldwork in West Africa on conflict resolution and peacebuilding and has worked in the field of post-conflict electoral observation and assistance for the United Nations and the Carter Center. Her current research focuses on non-liberal forms of post-conflict reconstruction and on the redeployment of state authority in former rebel-controlled areas. Dr Piccolino has published widely in peer reviewed journals, including African Affairs, Development and Change, Third World Quarterly and Democratization.

Carolina Escobar-Tello Ph.D. is a progressive researcher, designer, and facilitator working across industrial, product, service, and systems design. Happiness and wellbeing, sustainability, social innovation, creativity, systemic thinking, and a pro-active mind-set underpin her role as agent of social change that responds to the complex global challenges of today. With a PhD in Sustainable Design, an MSc degree in Sustainable Product Design awarded at Distinction level allied to a BA (Hons) in Industrial Design, Carolina is at present a Lecturer in Design at Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University, UK. With extensive professional multicultural design and management experience in the industrial, non-for-profit, and governmental arena (UK; USA; Europe; South America), her work has been published in journals and international peer-reviewed conference proceedings. She is an expert in Design for Happiness, Sustainable Design; Social innovation, and co-convenor of the Design Research Society Special Interest Group on Sustainability; and the Design Research Society Special Interest Group on Design for Health, Wellbeing and Happiness.

Kevin Orlando PAC, Geographer of Universidad del Valle and Technician in Administrative Assistance, has advanced knowledge in the management of Geographic Information Systems-GIS and spatial database management. During the last years he has worked in research projects related to the reduction of vulnerability to climate change of the Tropical Dry Forest and Montane-low Humid Forest ecosystems, the conservation of biodiversity and the development of Rural Land Plans. He considers himself a passionate person for what he does and sensitive to socio- territorial issues; One of his great goals is to pursue the profession in the service of the environment and the communities.

I am a professional in social work with emphasis in education and community development, I am currently in my last semester of studies for a master’s degree in sustainable development, I have experience in implementing programs of organization and community development, participation of research teams in the social field in which I have formulated projects and systematized experiences in rural and urban contexts, developed environmental impact studies and socio-environmental management plans for protected areas and areas of special interest. In addition to socio-environmental audits for road infrastructure and hydraulic engineering projects. I have also designed and oriented education processes aimed at human development, environmental education and sustainable development, life plans, conflict resolution, and change awareness. I focus my graduate studies in the research line of rural sociology.

James Iván Larrea Mejía is Geographer (Universidad del Valle), with experience in the technical and organizational support to peasant communities on issues of territorial planning, human rights, and production and food sovereignty. He has worked in projects with rural communities (peasants, indigenous and afro-descendants) in land use planning and GIS. Currently, he is student of the Master’s Program in Sustainable Development at Universidad del Valle and research assistant in projects on Food Sovereignty and Territorial Peace.

Biologist-Zoologist with a Master’s degree in Wildlife Management and Conservation and a Doctorate in Sciences – Biology. He has experience in conservation of native species of threatened fauna. He works as an advisor in ecological restoration, wildlife and flora inventories, ex situ conservation programs and currently a is teacher at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Palmira.

Agricultural Engineer, Master in Biological Sciences from the National University of Colombia. With experience in accompanying participatory processes of peasant communities in organizational and educational aspects; in formulation, coordination and implementation of productive projects of food sovereignty, agroecology and agriculture with peasant communities; in construction and application of tools and methodologies for comprehensive rural and productive diagnostics; in participatory land planning; in the elaboration and implementation of strategic planning methodologies for rural communities; in the evaluation of agro-biodiversity and phytogenetic resources of peasant farms; in the accompaniment and training of agroecological producers and in technical assistance for the establishment and maintenance of peasant economy crops. With knowledge in history and agrarian struggles in Colombia and diverse topics related to the national rural situation, the final agreement for the termination of the conflict and the construction of a stable and lasting peace; as well as the knowledge and management of proposals of the peasantry for the dignification of the life of their communities and the preservation and conservation of their territories. With the ability to lead and coordinate collective work and work as part of a team.

Is a postdoctoral research associate at the Department of Geography and Environment of the University of Loughborough. Completed her M.A and Ph.D studies in anthropology at the University of Arizona and has a B.A in anthropology from the Universidad Central de Venezuela.  She was a researcher and professor at the Center for Anthropology of the Venezuelan Research Institute and has coordinated participatory projects with indigenous Afro-descendant, and peasant organisations and with cocoa producers. She was a postdoctoral researcher in the project «Latin American anti-racism in a ‘Post-racial’ age” at the University of Manchester, examining how racial inequalities have been contested through territorial, political, legal and aesthetic strategies in Colombia. Her academic interests focus on ethno-racial mobilizations and nation-state institutions, territorial struggles, and racism, anti-racism and multiculturalism in Colombia and Venezuela.

Bladimir Bueno Arenas, Geographer of Universidad del Valle and Technician in Administrative Assistance, has advanced knowledge in the management of Geographic Information Systems-GIS and spatial database management. During the last years he has worked in research projects related to the reduction of vulnerability to climate change of the Tropical Dry Forest and Montane-low Humid Forest ecosystems, the conservation of biodiversity and the development of Rural Land Plans. He considers himself a passionate person for what he does and sensitive to socio- territorial issues; One of his great goals is to pursue the profession in the service of the environment and the communities.