CARTAGENA, Colombia, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC commander in chief, Timoleon Jimenez, signed a historic peace deal on Monday afternoon in the city of Cartagena, ending a 52-year conflict.

In a special ceremony attended by world leaders, the two men signed the peace agreement to begin a new chapter in the country's history.

On a platform accompanied by presidents of Cuba, Ecuador and other Latin American countries, as well as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Santos and Jimenez signed the agreement with pens made from bullets to symbolize the transition to peace.

Planes flew overhead trailing the colors of the Colombian flag.

This day comes after over four years of negotiations in Havana, Cuba. The two sides came to an agreement on five points: rural development, the participation of the FARC in political life, the end of the conflict, the struggle against drug trafficking and reparations to victims.

The last step will be taken on Oct. 2, when the Colombian people will vote on whether to accept the agreement. Recent opinion polls showed a large majority in favor of it.

The conflict between the Colombian government and the FARC started in the 1960s as an uprising over land rights. It has left around 220,000 people dead and millions displaced.