TO DO Award 2025
In 2016, recent graduates from the Universidad de Cauca in Popayán, Luisa Romero and Miguel Carvajal, launched "Get Up and Go Colombia." They started with city tours for tourists in the Spanish-colonial-style center of the southwestern Colombian city, introducing visitors to their hometown. Conflict victims were trained as guides, alongside disadvantaged youths, displaced indigenous people, and international volunteers. By 2019, 10,000 tourists had taken part in their tours, supporting the peace process and discovering Popayán.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the organization hard, but it did not shut it down. City tours and excursions to the surrounding countryside, including extensive bike treks, resumed in 2021 and were complemented by the opening of Café Tiuspa, a unique meeting place in the city center. The café became a hub for sharing information about Popayán, holding discussions on social and political issues, and fostering connections between locals and visitors. Spanish courses for tourists and English, German, and French courses taught by tourists for locals were introduced, alongside cultural evenings with games, music, dance, and coffee art. Many passing travelers became long-term visitors.
Recent conflicts in the Departamento de Cauca have impacted the organization. Excursions are now limited to the city’s surroundings due to safety concerns, making treks to the El Tambo mountains impossible. In response, Café Tiuspa has strengthened its role as a community hub.
“Get Up and Go Colombia” is both an invitation for foreigners to visit Colombia and a call to Colombians to take action and make their country a more attractive tourist destination. The project has become a source of inspiration for the country, promoting local pride through tourism and strengthening awareness of the importance of peace in society.
Contact:
Miguel Angel Carvajal Palacios
Get Up And Go Colombia
Popayán, Cauca, Colombia
phone.: +57 323 463 7404, e-mail: info@getupandgocolombia.org, web: https://getupandgocolombia.org/