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On the eve of the Nobel Peace Prize that will be presented to Colombian President Santos, UNI Americas received this message from the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo thanking Colombian unions for the work they have done in bringing about the peace process and urging them to continue.

Message from Nobel Peace Centre to UNI Americas

"Dear comrades,

While you are sitting in Medellin, we here in Oslo are all preparing for the great Nobel peace ceremonies over the week-end. And your president Juan Manuel Santos is on his way over the Atlantic to receive the Prize on behalf of the Colombian people.

We are all happy that there is now a Peace Agreement in Colombia. We also know, however, that there is a demanding process ahead of you. Top priority now is to make sure that the peace agreement becomes much more than a signed document. It has to become the actual peace, trust, reconciliation and not the least welfare that you and Colombia deserves

It is you, and the ordinary people of Colombia, who have carried the burdens of the war and the suffering.

We all know that resources have to be redistributed, poverty alleviated and workers paid decent wages in order for real peace to have a chance.Trade unions are the real peace movement. It is in your hands to actually fight for the wages and welfare necessary for peace to materialise. Trade unionists also have the negotiation and bargaining skills needed for demands to be met. And unions have learnt through long struggles that it is only with organising and collective muscles elites will listen.

We saw that when the Tunisians won the peace prize last year. We have seen it in the support of the Colombian unions to the peace process over the past years. And we will see it in the unions commitment and struggle to improve workers’ wages and welfare over the next few months

Viva UNI Americas, viva!"