The French-Colombian politician and former hostage Ingrid Betancourt was in New York Tuesday for an appearance at the UN. Betancourt was among fifteen hostages freed in July after being held since 2003 by the Colombian rebel group FARC. On Tuesday, Betancourt said her experience reinforces the importance of dialogue among warring groups.

Ingrid Betancourt: “I think that by opening the dialogue, by talking to people that have to have in their heart human feelings, this must be a possibility to save lives. And I think that life is so important that we cannot just say that we are not going to discuss to save a life because this person is from another religion or from another political side.”

Betancourt was speaking at a UN symposium on victims of terrorism.