19 considering the logistical difficulties it implied, make their best effort to coordinate and decide on an appropriate date for the holding of the act, so as to guarantee the presence of the next of kin of the victims. 42. That the State informed that on March 4, 2009 it held the act of acknowledgment of international responsibility in coordination with the representatives and the next of kin of the victims. The Minister of Defense, the Attorney General of the Republic, the Ombudsman, the General Director of the National Police, and other high authorities were present at the act held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, approximately 190 next of kin were present, among which were those who live in Bogotá and those who came from other places. Several guests of the representatives of the victims, such as civil society organizations, academicians, and representatives of several state institutions, such as the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministries of Social Protection and Internal Affairs and Justice, the Presidential Human Rights Program, the National Reparation and Reconciliation Commission, among others, were also present.13 The State considered that the public act was held in attention to the highest standard of reparation and it at all times respected the opinion of the next of kin dignifying and respecting the memory of the victims and their next of kin; the public acknowledgment of responsibility; a request for forgiveness for the damage caused; criticism of those actions and the direct participation of the next of kin, becoming an unmistakable sign of the State’s desire to recover their trust and establish new relationships with the victims. It requests that the Court declare that the thirteenth operative paragraph of the Judgment has been complied with. 43. That at the hearing the representatives stated that they had accepted that the public act of acknowledgment of international responsibility be performed by the Minister of Defense. In their final observations they stated that the act celebrated was the result of a very important agreement between the Government and the representatives of the victims and their attorneys, which led to “the proposals made by the next of kin being heard and developed in their majority” with the corresponding satisfaction with the results obtained. They stated that the photographs that were to be delivered during the act were not received because they did not comply with what was requested (that they be placed on an altarpiece); that the cost of the master of ceremonies was covered by the Government and the representatives, as agreed; that the appointment of the Minister of Defense was a unilateral decision of the Government, but that they understand that it obeyed their prior request for a change of ministry. Thus, they “acknowledge the disposition, seriousness, and transparency with which the officials in charge of carrying out the act of acknowledgment acted” despite the fact that there were disagreements, all of which were overcome. As informed by the State, the authorities took care of the transfers from different parts of the country toward the city of Bogotá – where the act was held -, as well as of the lodging, food, and security during their stay. The act had the participation of a musical group from Medellin; a master of ceremonies proposed by the representatives to participate with words of support and acknowledgment for the victims and the next of kin was hired; diplomats were invited, as well as different state institutions, organizations of the civil society, international organizations, and the media. On the other hand, the elaboration of 43 silhouettes in a heroic size were hired and they would be located at the site were the act would be held as a symbol of the disappeared people, as well as the elaboration of altarpieces with photographs of the fortythree disappeared people that will be handed over to the next of kin at the act, even though on the day prior to the event the coordination group of the next of kin decided that the photographs would not be delivered in the act, circumstance that the State respected. A banner made by the next of kin was hung in the auditorium. The act was widely broadcast by all the media and at the end of it there was a space for the media to interview the next of kin and the representatives. The State promised to send the next of kin a written memoir signed by the Ministry, it forwarded to the Court the transcripts of the words spoken by the Minister of Defense and announced it would send the videotape of the act. 13