And I got goosebumps. I remember it clearly because I showed my arm to the person walking beside me as we ascended the ramp leading to the auditorium. She, a well-known artist; I, her fan. The background music, which moved me so deeply, was percussion: a group of children and young people of various ages were playing Colombia, tierra querida:
“Cantando, cantando yo viviré, Colombia, tierra querida.”
I also felt like crying—not out of patriotism, but because children’s choirs always make me cry. Always.
They kept playing. Between songs, they swapped places and instruments. In each child and young person, I saw enjoyment, concentration, satisfaction, pride, skill, and the harmonious result in each song was proof of their discipline. They gifted us with three songs from different genres: cumbia, pop, and rap. There were drums, maracas, tambourines, timbales, voices, claps, and other instruments that I’m sure I missed.
At the end of the session, a boy approached me and asked, with the spontaneity only a child can have:
—Did you cry?
I replied without hesitation:
—Yes, and I got goosebumps.
He laughed mischievously and ran off. I continued getting to know the team behind the Música para la Paz project, which today operates in the Las Flores neighbourhood of Barranquilla.
The Project
On this visit, I was accompanied by Silvia, the coordinator of the psychosocial component, and Kevin, the professional who works with the kids involved in the project. They shared with me how crucial this support is for the children, explaining the work they in the understanding of emotions and how they approach them collectively. Childhood is not an easy moment in life; this is true for most people, but it can be especially difficult when the family, environmental, and social context is hostile, marked by emotional and material deprivation, and with no one to turn to for sharing concerns, fears, or sadness.
Children Change Colombia celebrates the joy that music brings to the children and young people in Música para la Paz, and we take great pride in contributing to the psychosocial component. I witnessed the enthusiasm of each child and young person as they played an instrument, the motivation they felt being led by the conductor, and the happiness they experienced making music together. We are obliged to our partners in this project. Long live music!
Written by: Carolina Giraldo | Chair of the Board of Children Change Colombia
