Well, where to start with this interview?!

It's that time of year when we endeavour to discuss more hopeful and positive episodes and then an email hit my inbox from Rick DellaRatta and Jazz for Peace.

 And thus the episode came into being.

Rick DellaRatta is a multi instrumentalist, pianist, composer and founder of Jazz for Peace and we discuss what can be done to try and use music as a common ground for good.

 Rick shares the story of how Jazz For Peace began and what he is doing with it, We discuss Colombia, Brazil, India and then Rick plays some jazz on his keyboard live for us during the episode, can you guess the tracks (only available on YouTube: )?

 Check out: jazzforpeace.org

We've never done this before, but heck, why not?! So, here is the first ever Colombia Calling Christmas Appeal in our 11 plus years of being on the air. Cartagena Paws and their supported Foundation of Tu Fiel Amigo in Cartagena have been on our radar for some time and a certainly deserving of some welcome help. We speak to

Maureen Cattieu about the work of Cartagena Paws and Tu Fiel Amigo. ​

Cartagena is home to nearly 400,000 street animals and the population is ever growing. As a way to help combat the overpopulation and contagious illnesses, Cartagena Paws has begun conducting large scale spay and release clinics, in addition to vaccine clinics in and around Cartagena. Spay and Neuter clinics serve two purposes: wide scale vaccination of both pets and strays and spay/neutering of stray animals. Maureen Cattieu founded Cartagena Paws in 2015, when she was living and teaching abroad in Cartagena, Colombia.

Maureen spent over 10 years in Colombia working to help save the animals on the streets while focusing her instruction in the classroom on teaching empathy and compassion for all animals and living things.

She currently lives and teaches in Key West, Florida, but continues to run Cartagena Paws, Inc. to the fullest of her abilities and saves countless lives throughout the years. She is dedicated to continuing out her lifelong mission to create positive change and awareness in the community and construct the first ever Educational-Based Animal Rescue Center in Cartagena, Colombia.

 There's WishList of Amazon if you feel like contributing.
 https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3C93C87TISSII?ref_=wl_share