Diana Paola Herrera Castañeda

I am a researcher and community process facilitator with a career dedicated to working with populations in contexts of vulnerability and armed conflict in Colombia. My academic background integrates philosophy, education, communication, and social innovation. I hold a degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies, a specialization in Virtual Learning Environments, a Master's in Communication, Development and Social Change from Universidad Santo Tomás, and a Master's in Education, Innovation and Citizenship from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. I am currently a PhD candidate in Communication, Languages and Information at the same university, where I focus on the relationship between spirituality and communication for social reconstruction. My research focuses on popular education, communication for social change, and peacebuilding processes, with an emphasis on the participation of women and communities affected by armed conflict. I have developed participatory methodologies and action research to strengthen organizations, recover territorial knowledge, and build collective narratives of memory and reconciliation. Among my publications, I highlight Territorial Experiences Along the Path of Knowledge (USTA, 2023) and Peace, a Path of Hope (CLAR, 2025), which reflect my commitment to making visible and systematizing experiences of resistance and hope in the territories.