Miguel Antonio Ceballos Arevalo

Lawyer from Javeriana University (Bogotá, Colombia) and a philosopher from the Gregorian University of (Rome, Italy), PhD. in Law from Sergio Arboleda University (Bogotá,Colombia and Madrid, Spain), with an emphasis on environmental issues and Human Rights.

Deputy Minister of Justice (2009-2010) and High Commissioner for Peace (2018-2021), and founder and director of the human rights institutes of the Javeriana University (1,995) and Sergio Arboleda University (2010).

As High Commissioner for Peace, besides his responsibilities to search peace will and venues for dialogues and negotiations with armed groups, was in charge of implementing part of the peace agreement with the FARC (former guerrila group) in Colombia. Was also responsible for economic development projects, specially related to reforestation, in the region of Cauca, and Antioquia, as a path to help communities to get alternative developing tools. Finally was the leader of the National Policy of Demining, helping communities to return to their home towns in more than 200 municipalities freed from land mines.

Has an extensive international experience, having worked as a researcher and professor at Georgetown University in Washington DC, where participated in the design of the economic development and local governance component of Plan Colombia.

At Georgetown created and led the “Colombia Program” at the School of Foreign Service, supported by a USAID´s grant on the amount of 4.5 million dollars, aimed to strengthening local Governance and Economic Development at the rural area in Colombia.


Has an extensive theoretical and practical training in conflict resolution, as well as an extensive experience in the public and private sector, in the academic world and in the field of professional consulting on social issues, conflict resolution and social development.

Was also the founder and director of the social foundation created by Coca Cola company in Colombia, dedicated to strengthening local development in low-income educational environments in areas of high conflict in the country, implementing a grant of 10 million dollars.

Currently is working as lawyer and advisor, as part of a prestigious Law Firm in Bogotá. Is also part time professor at Javeriana University, Department of Public Law, where he leads de "Public Law Observatory", professor of Restorative Justice in the Law School, and also teaching at the Master and Doctoral levels, courses on Labor Law, International Law, Philosophy o f Law, Social Dialogue and Human Rights.