Being young is closely linked to exposure to conflict—a conflict that, far from being an accomplice to violence, has been the means through which injustices have been brought to light in the pursuit of social transformation. To understand the epistemology of “conflict” through the lived reality of the streets of Manizales, one must first recognize that, in addition to being the first step toward violence, conflict arises in young people’s lives from inequalities in access to a dignified life, from the invisible barriers in neighborhoods made vulnerable by the system, from the mental health crisis, and from the rivalry arising from the instrumentalized politicization of social issues.

That conflict (which remains unresolved) has caused administrative, institutional, and social delays on the path toward building peace in these territories. Thus, within the current neoliberal system, young people in the city of Manizales have been caught up in the logic of the overexploitation of bodies and the individualization of communal life; in this social context, diverse youth groups from different regions of Colombia coexist, reflecting possibilities for the future in Manizales. For these reasons, the mental health crisis, in addition to being a public health issue, is also a biopolitical matter influenced by a lack of connection to the local territory, the pressure to build a solid academic and career path, and a city that still faces challenges in including young people’s voices in decision-making.

In Manizales, the “institutional” has been perceived by citizens across different generations as a strong, solid, and unassailable structure. In this setting, where norms and social control take precedence over participation, young people have identified a space that is sensitive to the manifestation of conflict; in such a context, where young people experience conflict through the institutional framework, no problematic situation is apparent. Rather, it is there that debate and opposition must be encouraged in order to protect democracy; however, young people, exercising their autonomy and political stance, have not developed the skills for negotiation, dialogue, and reaching agreement.

In the realities of Manizales’ youth, the constant presence of conflict has not meant the absence of peace, for within cultural practices and the community, young people have found in their “political subject” alternatives for building peace from within their own territories. This peacebuilding emerges from the most intimate and grassroots levels of communities—from combos, fan clubs, and political movements—when young people see in their gatherings and solidarity the possibility of moving beyond violence and frustration outside the institutional sphere.

That “political subject” takes shape in young people through their experiences, through what happens to them in their immediate contexts and realities: in the neighborhood, on the sports field, and/or on the street. All in all, politics is seen as an opportunity to take a stand, to acknowledge the reality into which one is born and in which one grows up, and, subsequently, to recognize the need to defend oneself against the Other, the system, or one’s own environment. Consequently, it becomes evident that it is this “political subject” who ultimately throws their weight behind the “politics of voting,” campaigning, and elections—a sphere in which young people in Manizales have grown stronger and gained greater influence in recent years.

Young people must take a stand even when the conflict is not their own, which means they must assume responsibility for what others have brought about. This responsibility is social; therefore, in Manizales there are many ways in which young people seek peace: by standing with the other and, at the same time, against them. The ultimate goal of everything young people do in Manizales is peace: from a game on the neighborhood court to the creation of political movements; from access to education to fan culture; from protecting Nevado de Cundinamarca to the fight for the rights of sexually diverse communities.

In short, for young people, the search for peace means finding a place—something that is finally their own, something no one can take away from them. Not even a bullet.