Bogotá, 4 August 2020. Today, at the headquarters of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, the Special Representative and Head of the Mission, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, along with national and international officials, paid tribute to the memory and work of Mario Paciolla, a Mission volunteer who died last 15 July in San Vicente del Caguán, Caquetá.

The ceremony began with a minute of silence. Then, the Special Representative, Ruiz Massieu, remembered Pacciolas's life and dedication to the Mission during the two years he was on assignment. It was followed by a video message from the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers program, Olivier Adam. Then the Public Information Officer of the Florencia Regional Office, Laura Santamaría, intervened. She met and worked with Mario and dedicated a moving letter to him. To conclude, a video was shared with photos of Paciolla's work and stay in Caquetá, and the Honor Guard to his remains in Bogota before being repatriated to his native Italy.

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