César López

Colombian musician converting weapons into guitars to promote peace

Born in 1973, César López invented the escopetarra (a hybrid of shotgun + guitar) in 2003 as a protest against Colombia's civil war. He transformed over 50 decommissioned firearms into musical instruments, including one gifted to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. His collective Fundación Canto por la Paz trains youth in conflict zones to use art for reconciliation.

Featured in TED Talks, López's work inspired UNESCO's Cities of Music initiative. By turning symbols of violence into tools for creativity, he redefined post-conflict healing across Latin America.