Engagement with
ethnic communities
Ethnic Consolidation Program:
Diversity Training
Ecopetrol, by means of a proof of concept, assesses the advancement of a virtual and in-person training program titled “Diversity Training,” which seeks to strengthen dialogue processes with ethnic groups. The program is based on the right to permanent education, by using information and communication technologies – ICT (instant messaging -chatbots-) as an innovative tool to reach different territories (easily, free of charge, and above all, asynchronously).
The proof of concept was deployed with Indigenous communities from the municipalities of:
Dialogue with the U’wa People:
The U’wa Reflection Center is an effort between Ecopetrol, Asou’wa, and the Governorship of Boyacá. The purpose is to secure a space where the community can hold activities to strengthen its own governance and cultural practices. The agreement for the construction of the center was signed in 2022 and a protocolary act was held to place the first stone for the start of the construction.
U’wa Reflection Center
The U’wa Reflection Center is an effort between Ecopetrol, Asou’wa, and the Governorship of Boyacá. The purpose is to secure a space where the community can hold activities to strengthen its own governance and cultural practices. The agreement for the construction of the center was signed in 2022 and a protocolary act was held to place the first stone for the start of the construction.
Promoting the Health and Nutritional Security of Indigenous U’wa Children and Youth:
this health project was planned jointly with the authorities of the U’wa People, considering that the specific cultural conditions of the U’wa must be a priority for the effective and successful deployment of the project.
Intercultural Dialogue with the Unuma Meta Indigenous Reserve
The dialogue and consensus with the Alto Unuma Meta Reserve of the Sikuani ethnic group, adjacent to the Rubiales field, allowed its members and Ecopetrol to not just become neighbors but also friends. The foregoing was a process based on trust, respect for cultural differences, and indigenous self-governance. Two (2) large meetings were held in 2022 between Company executives and authorities of the Unuma Reserve, one in their territory and the other in the Bogotá offices.
Provision of Collective Equipment for the Ethnic and Non-ethnic Communities of the Jardines de Sucumbíos Townships in Ipiales, Nariño.
The community councils of the Liberación y Futuro and Nuevo Renacer Black communities, as well as the Cofán Santa Rosa, Ishu Awá, and Ukumari Kakhe Indigenous reserves, and the Inga Nukanchipa Yuyai Town Hall, were endowed with field work equipment to strengthen their traditional practices.
Institutional Dialogue with the Municipal Mayor’s Office of Ipiales, Together with Ethnic and Non-Ethnic Communities of the Jardines de Sucumbíos Township in Nariño
The ethnic and non-ethnic communities of the Jardines de Sucumbíos township where Ecopetrol operates in, are located almost one day away from the municipal capital of Ipiales, Nariño, which makes it necessary to schedule spaces for dialogue with the municipal mayor and the secretaries in office, where the community raises different issues and actions are adopted to reach solutions. Ecopetrol, as a stakeholder in the territory, facilitates and partakes in these sessions.
Agreement to Sponsor Artisans from Ethnic Groups
in EXPOARTESANO AND EXPOARTESANIAS
Expoartesano:
Craft fair fostering a cultural gathering of all regions in the country, where the protagonists are the transmitters of their ancestral knowledge, whose trade is the production of Colombian handicrafts. In 2022, Ecopetrol sponsored the participation of eight (8) artisans from the Inga and Camentsá del Putumayo ethnic groups in the fair.
Expoartesanías:
This is the most attended craft fair in Colombia, with the participation of artisans from all over the country. In 2022, Ecopetrol sponsored the participation of 124 artisans from different ethnic communities from
17 departments around Colombia, in order to keep the traditions and ancestral knowledge of our country alive, as well as to promote the
cultural heritage of the nation.
World Indigenous Business Forum:
Ecopetrol supported the World Indigenous Business Forum in Villavicencio (Meta), with the participation of different delegations from 23 countries. The Sikuani Indigenous communities of Puerto Gaitán (Meta) had the opportunity to participate and learn about the entrepreneurial experiences of other ethnic groups.