By Belize Live News Staff: Between Belize and Guatemala sits a stretch of land where a lot of quiet work happens that most people never hear about.
The Adjacency Zone is where the Organization of American States keeps a permanent presence while the two countries wait on the International Court of Justice to rule on their territorial dispute.
Part of that work is what you would expect. Confidence building between the two governments and militaries. Investigating incidents when they happen.
The other part is less obvious.
Four centres operate in the zone under the name Ta’Amay, a Mayan term meaning tree that grows straight. They run courses for people living in communities far from more developed areas, covering peace building, coexistence, women’s empowerment and job skills.
Since 2022, more than 2,000 people have passed through them.
The centres sit at Santa Cruz, Benque Viejo, Melchor de Mencos and El Arenal. Italy funded the one at Santa Cruz, and its Permanent Observer Roberto Nocella visited all four before this week’s meeting.
He has suggested the model could be replicated elsewhere, starting with Haiti.
Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca attended the September 1 meeting alongside his Guatemalan counterpart.
