Search Results for: FARC

Colombia’s Farc ex-combatants and police paddling together

Colombia’s Rafting For Peace raft team made a big impression on all who attended the 2019 World Rafting Champs in Australia earlier this year (see Rifles for paddles). They were touched by their amazing story and admired the strength these paddlers showed in not only taking on learning to raft, but to also step away

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Exchanging rifles for paddles: Ticos and ex-guerillas of the FARC

A Costa Rican rafting mission led by the company Rios Tropicales and the United Nations traveled to Colombia to meet with a group of ex-guerrillas from the FARC. Teaching them to tame the rapids of the Pato River, in complete peace, was the reason for the singular adventure. By Alexánder Sánchez It’s a quiet and

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Ex-FARC Guerrillas in Colombia train to be Raft Guides

By Shannon Farley Nine ex-FARC guerrillas in Colombia have a new future ahead of them in adventure tourism, thanks to river rafting guide training provided by the International Rafting Federation (IRF) and Rios Tropicales adventure company in Costa Rica. The new raft guides, who are former combatants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (known

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Continuing the legacy: Team RAFA headed to WRC 2022

Team RAFA is made up of young athletes from the town of Turrialba – Marcelo Omodeo, Sergio Jiménez, Enrique Segura, and Jose Contreras are the ones to be racing at WRC 2022. Marlon Bustos started the team in 2016 and after his first race was noticed by Rafa Gallo for the great work he was

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Awesome auction with Rivers and Forests Alliance (RAFA)

The Rivers and Forests Alliance (RAFA) have an awesome auction coming up where you can bid on some incredible adventure trips in all sorts of places around the world. An Alaskan multi-day rafting trip Two different California rafting trips A historic Colombia rafting and cultural adventure A multi-day, multi-sport adventure in Huasteca Potosina, Mexico Costa Rica

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Rafael Gallo leaves us in body but never in spirit or mind

The IRF, and indeed the entire rafting world, has been deeply saddened by the passing of Rafael Gallo, Honorary President of the IRF. The outpouring of messages has been huge and an indication of the respect that so many held for Rafa. A true show of the vast number of people from all round the

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From adversity to hope: Rios Tropicales passes the baton

A pillar of rafting operators the world over, Rios Tropicales has called time and is passing the baton. From adversity to hope is the message from Rafael Gallo, CEO of Rios Tropicales and IRF Honorary President. By Rafael Gallo. For 35 years, Rios Tropicales has led Costa Rica adventure travel and ecotourism. We pioneered whitewater

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Show your WhiteCard

April 6 was declared as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) by the UN General Assembly in 2013. This decision represented a significant step in recognising the transformative power of sport and its great potential in advancing positive social change. The International Rafting Federation (IRF) is aligned with the mission and

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