Stevie Wonder, one of the most important musicians in pop history, sent out an emotional message of peace for the people of Colombia in an interview with Caracol Radio on Monday.
The American singer, song-writer and multi-instrumentalist commented on the Colombian conflict from the White House after receiving a Presidential Medal of Freedom from the hands of the US President Barack Obama.
The Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States.
Wonder, who apart from being a successful musician, has been known for his human rights activism, said that Colombians have a great opportunity to put an end to more than fifty years of conflict and move towards peace.
“My message of peace for Colombia is that there is nothing, no problem that’s bigger than life. And so in life, let’s put an end to the war and find a place of peace, so that my family in Colombia can flourish and do the great things that they are meant to do. That’s my message to Colombia,” said the 25-times Grammy award winner in an interview with Caracol Radio.
Stevie Wonder also sent out a message to young Latin American artists who dream of contributing to peace through their creative work. “Music has always been a place of peace, so I encourage them to use the message in the music of peace to move Colombia forward,” concluded the musician.
The conflict between Colombia’s largest rebel group FARC and the Colombian government began in 1964, but political violence closely related to the current conflict began decades earlier. More than seven million Colombians have become a victim of the country’s conflict between 1956 and 2014, with a death toll of around 220,000 people.
MORE: Number of victims of Colombia’s conflict surpasses 7 million
The Colombian government has been engaged in peace talks with FARC since November 2012.
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Hay que ponerle fin a la guerra: Stevie Wonder sobre Colombia (Radio Caracol)