World Youth Day at Home gets a taste of life in Colombia

César, Fredy, Jason & Maria

César Lopez and Fredy Gallego, two musicians from Bogotá in Colombia who use their music to teach young people an alternative to violent conflict, attended the World Youth Day Brightlights Festival at Aylesford Priory on Saturday 27 July with CAFOD.

César and Fredy shared their experiences of social justice, peace building and young leadership with the energetic crowd of young Catholics from the UK, Ireland and Spain. Fredy held a graffiti workshop in the morning and the pair performed in the afternoon.

César has been playing guitar for more than three3 decades, and now uses an AK-47 rifle that he has transformed into a guitar to play his songs of peace. Fredy is a 32-year old former gang member, who gave up the gang life to form a rap band, and now teaches young people how to avoid violence and instead channel their energies into creative graffiti, break-dance and rap.

During the festival, César and Fredy presented a Peace Award from CAFOD partner CINEP to young supporter Jason Balaquidan, 17, in recognition of the leading role he took in encouraging other young people to take CAFOD’s ‘Pass it on for peace’ action in the run-up to the London Olympic Games. Jason was one of the lead volunteers at the Flame Conference 2012 and continues to encourage his school mates to campaign for peace.

Jason said: “Being presented with the peace award by César, Fredy and CINEP is an absolute privilege. Meeting them has made me realise that the small actions I take with CAFOD really do have an impact internationally. Peace for me is being at one with one another and living in harmony. This is something that I will continue to campaign for.”

César said: “It’s an honour to be in the UK and meeting young people here. I want to thank everyone for their support of our peace work in Colombia. Art and Music are transforming how people in Colombia think about violence. I really hope that my visit will light up a flame in young people and inspire them to work for social justice.”

Fredy said: “People might think that rap and graffiti are for criminals but I use this art to change mindsets. I might not be able to bring peace to all of Colombia but I can help young people I work with to change their lives. I teach kids that they can be whoever they live; they do not have to follow their peers and neighbours into a life of crime but can use the power of their words and actions for good.

“It’s been great to see the young people at World Youth Day at home enjoy the graffiti sessions and really get a sense of how graffiti can be used to motivate young people. I want to thank everyone for their support for us in helping those facing huge challenges in Colombia.”

CAFOD supports the peace work of César and Fredy through its Colombian partners CINEP, a leading, independent think tank working on issues related to conflict and social policy in Colombia. Their project ‘CLICK’ supports young people to work and campaign for peace in Colombia, crucial efforts at a time when negotiations are ongoing to try to end 50 years of conflict in the country.

César and Fredy were accompanied to England by CINEP representative María del Carmen Muñoz Sáenz.