(L to R) Prof. Celina Realuyo, Admiral (ret.) Hernando Wills-Velez, Dr. David Spencer, Dr. William Godnick

The Perry Center, in partnership with National Defense University’s International Student Management Office (ISMO), organized an academic panel on the state of play in the Colombian peace process. The panel was moderated by WJPC Professor of Practice Wiliam Godnick. The keynote presentation was made by Admiral (ret.) Hernando Wills-Velez the former Commander of the Colombian Navy and NDU alumni. He provided an overview of the peace process, including the military strategy that led to the negotiations with the FARC guerrillas and the results of the laying down of arms by the insurgents and their subsequent encampment. WJPC Professor David Spencer provided commentary on the challenges of funding post-peace agreement implementation commitments while WJPC Professor of Practice Celina Realuyo generated a critique on the evolving role of the Armed Forces and National Police as the context moves to address organized crime in the vacuum left by the demobilized FARC. The academic panel was convened in the context of NDU’s Quadrennial International Alumni and Security Seminar and Reunion 2017.