The governor of Mendoza, Alfredo Cornejo, received Argentine and British veterans of the Malvinas War at Government House who took part in the humanitarian project Aconcagua 2026 – Summit for Peace, a joint expedition that reached the summit of Mount Aconcagua with the aim of conveying a message of peace, understanding, and reconciliation to the world.
The meeting was attended by the Undersecretary of Institutional Relations of Mendoza, José María Videla Sáenz, and by the representative of the British Embassy in Argentina, Sally Cawdery, in addition to the former combatants from both countries who took part in the journey. During the meeting, the British veterans and the diplomat presented gifts both to the Argentine participants and to the governor himself, in a gesture of respect and fraternity that reflected the spirit of the project.
A humanitarian message with international reach
When addressing those present, Cornejo emphasized the deep symbolic significance of the initiative and its impact beyond the sporting or personal sphere. “The project that you have led has great significance for our countries and, above all, for humanity, because it conveys a clear message of peace, understanding, and the resolution of conflicts through peaceful means,” stated the governor.
The governor also highlighted the physical and emotional effort involved in the expedition, stressing that climbing one of the highest mountains on the planet also constitutes an example of self-improvement and commitment for future generations. “It is a very encouraging sign for those who come after us, a demonstration that it is possible to transform painful experiences into constructive gestures,” he maintained.
Peace as a shared path
Cornejo thanked the presence of the veterans from different Argentine provinces and from the United Kingdom, and he highlighted the importance of supporting and spreading the humanitarian meaning of the project. “For us it is essential to help this message reach further. This initiative is, in essence, a project for peace,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Sally Cawdery stated that the meeting made it possible “to honor all the veterans on both sides” and she valued the expedition as a metaphor for the path toward reconciliation. “Peace is built step by step, in the same way that a mountain is climbed meter by meter. Aconcagua reminds us that moving forward together takes us further,” she expressed.
An expedition full of symbolism
The summit was reached by a group of veterans between 60 and 70 years old, which reinforces the exceptional nature of the journey. Among the Argentines, retired senior non-commissioned officer Ricardo Ezequiel González, a native of Uspallata in Mendoza, stood out, as he made the ascent accompanied by his son, adding a strong intergenerational value to the project.
The Argentine patrol was made up of Omar Rubén Godoy, Julio César Peñalba, José Luis Ameri, Horacio Javier Núñez, Ricardo Vicente Pannunzio, Ricardo Ezequiel González, Ezequiel González, Fernando Torres, and María Soledad Frías. On the British side, the participants were Will Kevans, Gary Fortuin, Stephen Crowley, and Chris Jacko Jackson.
The initiative was born in April 2025 from joint work with the Malvinas War Veterans Association Mendoza. Without attempting to rewrite history or settle past debates, the project sought to open a space for dialogue and to demonstrate that, even after an armed conflict, it is possible to build gestures of unity with global impact.
