Juan Pablo studied philosophy at the Universidad del Valle-Cali (Colombia) and is currently pursuing a PhD in philosophy at the University of Buenos Aires. For two decades he studied the contemplative practices of the Asian traditions that include the Tibetan as well as Zen traditions along with yoga, of which he is an accomplished practitioner and international instructor. Juan Pablo is the South American representative for The Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW) and for the past five years has lead immersive programs and dialogues for young environmental leaders from throughout the continent. He is the recipient of the ITRI Young Visionary Leaders Award and used this grant award to create the Gaia Refuge in Patagonia, Argentina. Gaia Refuge is a community-focused place for dialogue, ecological exploration through contemplative practice that brings in guest speakers as well as representatives from the local indigenous communities. He continues to organize dialogues between faith leaders and environmental activists looking at the global challenges, particularly focusing on climate change. He spoke in Madrid at COP25 and additionally organized a program open to the public in Madrid on ‘The Inner Dimensions of Climate Change’. He is an active member of the Núcleo de Etnografías Amerindias at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, University of Buenos Aires.