Colombian music icon and activist Juanes has managed to make it cool to go back to school by selling notebooks with a message.
The pop star and founder of Mi Sangre, a foundation which helps child landmine victims in Colombia, formed an alliance with paper company Scribe to sell notebooks promoting peace.
“We radically reject any expression of violence and that is what makes us true combatants, more intelligent, and stronger, more warriors in a fight that is freed with ideas, thought, and intellect; not arms, on the earth we cultivate with our own hands,” Juanes said.
The notebooks come in several sizes and feature pictures of guitars, doves and inspirational lyrics by Juanes.
The foundation hopes the product “will increase visibility of the conflict and open the hearts of young people to messages of peace, love, and reconciliation”. The notebooks have slogans including, “We have a right to live in peace”, “I beg you for one second of peace” and “Change hate for love.”
The notebooks also come with stickers. Proceeds from sales will aid youth education and victims of anti-personal mines in Colombia.
In 2009, almost 800 children were victims of landmines. It is estimated that as many as 14,000 children have been recruited armed groups in Colombia.
To find out more about the Mi Sangre foundation and products for peace, click here.