  There is no single mechanism by which fast particles are accelerated in
astrophysical environments, and it is now recognized that the data require a
rich variety of different mechanisms operating under different conditions. The
mechanisms discussed in the literature include varying magnetic fields in
compact sources, stochastic processes in turbulent environments, and
acceleration behind shocks. An alternative, much less explored mechanism so
far, involves particle acceleration within magnetic reconnection sites. In this
work, we explore this mechanism in the AGN framework and show that particles
are efficiently accelerated through a first-order Fermi process and have an
exponential growth of energy. We also address briefly the propagation of cosmic
rays (CRs) in the intergalactic medium (IGM). Since the latter is a
collisionless environment, kinetic effects must be considered which will affect
the turbulent magnetic field distribution and therefore, the CR propagation.
