Antonio Peña, an Irwin Cotler Fellow for 2024-2025 from Colombia, returned to Israel after completing a two-year law internship at the Colombian Embassy in Tel Aviv, following the tensions that escalated with the outbreak of the war in the region.

At 25 years old, Antonio has already made significant steps in his career. Born and raised in Bucaramanga, a city near the border with Venezuela, Antonio comes from a family with a strong sense of community and cultural values. He completed studies in law and alternative conflict resolution mechanisms. He witnessed firsthand the significant migration crisis of Venezuelans in his city, a situation that allowed him to experience the vast security and legal challenges that his region faced.

Aside from Spanish and English, Antonio speaks Hebrew fluently due to his time in Israel, where he grew up from the ages of 10 to 14 and was immersed in the local culture, an experience that has been one of the most enriching of his life. Antonio lived in both Ramla and Ramat Gan between 2009 and 2013. During this time, he not only learned Hebrew fluently but also immersed himself in the local culture, making strong friendships and connections and experiencing the cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity of Israel. During these formative years, Antonio also faced personal challenges, such as adapting to a new educational system and dealing with the emotional impact of being far from his home country. However, these challenges helped him develop resilience, independence, and a strong sense of belonging to his new community. When Antonio returned to Colombia in 2013, he was pleasantly surprised at how easily he adapted again to his home culture.

In December 2021, after eight years away, Antonio returned to Israel for his law internships at the Colombian embassy in Tel Aviv, a period that brought him joy as he reconnected with a place that had always felt like home. This experience lasted until November 2023, right after the region saw a dramatic escalation of violence following the Hamas attacks.

In Israel, Antonio enjoys visiting his Druze friends in the villages of Yarka and Julis. There, he delights not only in the traditional local cuisine but also in exploring the rich history of the region by touring the Druze villages in the north of the country (Yarka, Julis, and Majdal Shams). He also enjoys walking through the streets of Bursa Ramat Gan, where he greets old friends, a place that served as his home for two years during his time at the embassy. Although Antonio enjoys visiting historical places such as the Old City of Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and the gardens of Haifa, as well as exploring the markets of Tel Aviv, he always prefers to return to places throughout the country where, years ago, he met people who are now like family to him and with whom he has established a strong bond of friendship.

In his free time, Antonio enjoys reading news about the Colombian and international penal systems, traveling, going to the gym, and engaging in outdoor activities like golfing, bungee jumping, and paragliding, which allow him to connect with nature and reflect on the diverse cultures and regions he has experienced. Antonio has traveled to around 20 countries and is grateful for the new adventures and cultures he has encountered. He's also passionate about volunteering for causes related to human rights and democratic exercises, and he often participates in projects organized by AGLOJOVEN and Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga that support displaced populations, promote intercultural dialogue, and enhance transparency in local and international elections.

Although diplomatic relations between Colombia and Israel are not at their peak in 2024, Antonio is confident that this is temporary and deeply believes that the political situation between both countries will be strengthened again, considering that both states have maintained diplomatic ties for more than 70 years. Colombia was one of the first countries in Latin America to formally establish relations with Israel, a partnership reflected in areas such as trade, defense cooperation, and cultural exchange.