You can find the full interview with Colombian human rights defender, Angelo Cardona at: bit.ly/AskActivist
Joe (CND): …as an activist ever since you were 11, I wondered wheter you have any reflections on that, are you proud of what you’ve achieved? has it come.. like the sacrifice of other things in your life at all?
Angelo: Yes! Of course, I have had to sacriface lots of different things, things like a normal teenager would do I really never did. The other thing is the security issue which I already mentioned, obviosly that’s been stressing but it is a sacrifice that we are pretty much doing. At the same time I ‘m happy because since I was 11, I found my purpose in life and I think there is no greater thing in life that knowing your purpose in this world. I think in that sense I am happy, since I was a teenager I have been involving in politics, international matters so, I was always very concious about what was going on in the world. I think the desire to make an impact was stronger than living the same things that teenagers my age were doing at that time. I really wanted to do a change, so this is not something that you would care to much about.
Joe (CND): What does it mean to be a global citizen and what are your thoughts about how we can achieve global peace together?
Angelo: I always say if we really want to change the world we have to understand that our country is only one and it is called earth and our citizenship is only one and it is called humanity. I think when we come to understand the world in that way we will be able to achieve peace to some degree. Since we are children we are taught at school that we’re unique. For example in your case that you are British and you have to admire your country, your heroes, you are special, and is pretty this nationalistic narrative which I think that divide us, and if we could get rid of this nationalistic ideologies we could make the world a better place…