This pre-launch in Colombia is the first of five planned. The following launches will take place in Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador and Bolivia with the official launch in Cusco, Peru, on December 1, 2025.

Bartering: An Exchange of Knowledge and Food

The centerpiece of the pre-launch was a massive and vibrant barter activity of the Misak people. These Andean people live in an ecosystem of scale that includes cold land (at about 2,600 meters) where potatoes, carrots, peas, beans, milk, cheese, among others, are produced, and hot land (in the lower part of the valley), where bananas, plantains, oranges, lemons and other types of fruit are planted, which generates a wide diversity of products.

On this ceremonial date, Misak families and households from both areas gather to exchange food and products without a fixed equivalence table,based on what each one needs. The bartering took place in a didactic and festive way, with activities that encouraged exchange, such as awards for the largest products, the best dish, the best dessert or the diversification of products.

A key aspect of the activity was that it took place primarily in Nam Trik language of the Misak people, with occasional translation into Spanish.