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Having recently returned from Colombia where he worked for two years as a volunteer for Peace Brigades International (PBI), musician Flakito is doing a pilgrimage for human rights along a well-known pilgrim path in Spain in spring of 2006 with Amnesty International.
The objectives are to raise awareness for the work that PBI and Amnesty International do on behalf of human rights defenders whose lives are threatened because of their legitimate work investigating violations, and to raise awareness about exemplary peace initiatives by non-violent communities living in conflict zones in Colombia.
Three months of walking, enjoying the scenery, singing and playing in villages and towns along the way, with a target of 1000 CDs to sell to raise money for PBI. Supporters, friends and musicians are invited to come and join in for a few days whenever they can, or follow the pilgrim’s progress from the safety and comfort of this website.
This site has a fun side … 
and a serious side
(symbolised by fruit) (symbolised by vegetables)
1. The trek – aims and background
2. Brief outline of what AI and PBI do
3. More details about the hike
4. The CD
5. Contents of the website (diary, photos and rendezvous)
1. The Camino de Santiago de Compostela is an ancient pilgrims’ path dating from the Middle Ages that crosses Spain from the Pyrenees mountains that mark the border with France, right across northern Spain to the town of Santiago de Compostela, just to the north of Portugal. “Camino” means way, path or route. “Santiago” is Spanish for Saint James, the apostle whose mortal remains are kept in the cathedral. The town was built on the site of a battle between Christians and Muslims, but the idea of Flakito’s pilgrimage is to celebrate the contribution of ordinary people to peace-building and the non-violent resolution of conflicts.
The Camino can be started from various points as far afield as Le Puy in France, Berne in Switzerland, or Canterbury in England, but Flakito is setting out from the more modest departure point of Roncevalles on the French-Spanish border, a mere 750 km walk to Santiago. With his accordion in tow mounted on a customized two-wheeled shopping trolley, he is performing at organised events and impromptu happenings along the way. Amnesty International is hosting events in the major towns aimed at awareness-raising about the human rights situation in Colombia, and throughout the trek Flakito is selling his CD to raise funds for Peace Brigades International.
2. AI and PBI: Amnesty International and Peace Brigades International are two human rights organisations which advocate and support the rights of peaceful civilians and non-combatants in conflict zones around the world.
Amnesty International
- monitors the human rights situation of countries world-wide and issues well-researched and widely-respected reports
- applies the pressure of public opinion internationally to free people imprisoned solely for their political or religious beliefs, not for any crime
- has a large membership of ordinary people who write letters to officials pleading the case of the unjustly imprisoned civilians (prisoners of conscience) or asking for protection for victims of human rights violations
Peace Brigades International
- sends international teams of volunteers to conflict zones to accompany threatened human rights workers, community leaders and peace communities to provide a measure of protection to enable them to carry on their peace
- building work on behalf of the peaceful civilian population. The protection is furthered by networking of information among support groups, meetings with authorities, and lobbying of governments in many countries.
- is inspired by the principles of Gandhi, non-violence
- has a policy of non interference in the country’s affairs, and presence only at the invitation of local organisations
- has a horizontal structure: responsibilities are shared as much as possible between volunteers to make PBI a non-hierarchical organisation.
3. Flakito’s pilgrimage for human rights is taking place in April, May, to June 2006, starting in the Pyrenees mountains along the Spanish/French border, crossing the countryside and passing through many villages and the towns of Pamplona, Burgos, and León along the 750 km route to Santiago de Compostela in the northwest corner of Spain.
The Camino de Santiago has been an important pilgrim path since the Middle Ages, when people of all social levels would make the journey as a once-in-a-lifetime experience of travel and meeting other pilgrims from all over Europe. The Catholic church continues to maintain hostels where pilgrims can stay in return for a donation. There is also plenty of accommodation available for tourists who often come to enjoy the scenery and architecture for short sections of the route. The many statues and works of art depicting pilgrims, found in villages and churches along the way, attest to the rich history of the joys and tribulations of people on a spiritual quest.
This human rights pilgrimage project aims to raise awareness about human rights and ground-breaking civilian peace initiatives in Colombia while celebrating culture and good times. Flakito is playing at human rights events organised by Amnesty International in towns along the way. He is also setting up his one-man-band rig for ad hoc performances in villages along the way, where other musicians can join in, and people can sing, dance and shake fruit percussion. A performance of this kind can be inclusive of children, and allow adults to participate and enjoy in a similar way. It can equally be inclusive across boundaries of age, culture and political preconception, like an encapsulated event or bubble that simply allows people to share a moment, putting aside their worries and divisions.
Flakito believes that music, as well as being a life-affirming cultural experience, can be a way to open the door to talk about important issues. The heroic struggle of communities making a stand for non-violence in the midst of war, and human rights workers carrying on their work in spite of death threats is deeply inspiring and must not just be something that happens in a far-off forgotten part of the world.
4. Flakito “En Camino” CD (“On the Way”)
Recorded in London with a supporting cast of musicians from Mexico, France, England and Northern Ireland. It includes original songs and songs from Colombia and Latin America, based on Flakito’s experiences as a volunteer in Colombia, and also songs relevant to the idea of the Camino, walking the path of peace.
List of songs and credits
Song lyrics and notes
5. Overview of the Website:
- photos of scenery along the path and events along the way
- photos of volunteering in Colombia
- diary of the pilgrimage, flashbacks to volunteer work in Colombia
- endorsements from people who have participated in some way
- list of sponsors
- How to sponsor this trek (raising funds for PBI)
- How to buy a CD (raising funds for PBI)
- How to get in touch for rendezvous points and dates for people who want to join for a few days
- How to find out more about Amnesty International: www.amnesty.org
- How to find out more about Peace Brigades International: www.peacebrigades.org
