Love Conquers All
Unveil El Cerro de los Valores, a unique real-life story about overcoming war and violence with love, persistence and courage.
In Medellin Day Trips we have always been recognized by our customers for offering different tours and taking our guests to places that can´t be found by themselves or even other agencies.
Well… this place “El Cerro de los Valores” – Values Hill (in English) is one of them.
Cerro de los Valores Tragic Past
In the late 1990, this place was used for many years for the paramilitary rebels to fight against another party of paramilitaries, FARC and ELN guerrilla.
Since it was located in a strategical point due to its altitude and location, it was certainly a favorite place for battle.
Many were killed while others were held in captivity. Fire guns and weapons were also hidden in between the two hills where el Cerro was sitting: Picacho and Pan de Azucar.
The area was occupied by the Cacique Nutibara military front of the Paramilitary for more than 20 years, even before Pablo Escobar and Cartel of Medellin were wiped out.
In 2004, after many years of peace talks, the paramilitary finally gave up their weapons.
Those that opposed, were either killed or re-integrated into illegal forces.
Cerro de los Valores And Comuna 13: A Similar Past
In Comuna 13, where we offer the graffitour, they had a similar past in terms of the way the war affected them both.
However, there was a different situation with the demobilization of paramilitaries since they never volunteered to redeem themselves with a social project for the sake of the community.
Nevertheless, Comuna 13 is currently one of the most touristic places in Medellin, being actually one of the first destinations at our Medellin Day Trips agency.
Open air electrical escalators in Comuna 13, although not added with a touristic purpose in mind, have helped promote the place and bring a lot of tourism everyday, thanks to the support from the Government.
As you walk throughout this neighborhood you see hundreds of meaningful graffitis and breakdance and rap songs demonstrations in some of its corners.
Unlike Comuna 13, El Cerro de los Valores has barely received support from the government.
All the transformation in this place has been possible thanks to the persistence and courage of the social leaders (ex-paramilitaries) involved in it.
What do they do in El Cerro de los Valores?
Besides being a place where you can breathe peace, this place has everything to do with taking care of the environment.
Here is what they do:
- Dozens of beautiful figures made out of recycled materials
- Collect and transform the waste of more than 500 houses in their community to organic compost.
- Grow organic vegetables, fruits and plants to sell and give away to their community.
- Arrange original souvenirs like the tiny jeans used as planters.
Once you get there in around one hour you can go through all these processes.
What have they achieved?
They have received many awards for what they do. Among them 3 times the best Christmas lights in Medellin, 2 times the best environmental program and an international recognition from Mexico for social inclusion.
But more than these awards the most precious achievement is to be able to prove to people and themselves that you can change the direction of your life.
The community that used to suffer with them, now loves them and admires them and that is the biggest recognition for the founders.
How to go to El Cerro de los Valores?
You can take the Metro and change lines in San Antonio station, then you should take the tram until the last station, then you take the cable car and get off in the first station.
From this station you have to walk heading down around 10 minutes.
Once you get there you need to call Joaquin Calle the leader of this social project and he can receive you and tour you around (in Spanish).
Bear in mind this place is included in our Build your own Tour section and Medellin Heroes/ Graffitour.
Cerro de los Valores Contact Information:
Joaquin Calle: 3113674246
Address: Calle 53 # 10 c – 63
email: [email protected]
