Maravi

Cubans demand better world

Cubans demand better world
Written by Larry Moonze in Havana, Cuba
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 5:27:46 PM

OVER one million people on Sunday filled Havana’s Jose Marti Revolution Square in a Peace Without Borders concert demanding real change for a better world.

Leading the concert Colombian artiste Juan Esteban Aristizabal popularly known as Juanes said it was time to put an end to divisions in Latin America and the rest of the world.

“It is time to change,” he sung to an emotionally overpowering Cubans. “We are all different, distinct in our thoughts but we yearn for peace, we are all brothers and sisters. This concert is the greatest dream of peace and love I have experienced after the birth of my children.”

Juanes raised the tempo with his famous songs Tengo la camisa negra [I have a black shirt] and A Dios le pido [I ask God].

He said music should fly everywhere freely despite differences of religion, ideology or race.

He said music and its artistic message should reach Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Mexico, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Argentina, Honduras, Puerto Rico, United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Bolivia and Costa Rica.

Juanes carefully selected his songs not to be controversial but could not hold much longer before he directly addressed his fellow countrymen, the Colombians.

He dedicated his song Sueno [Dream] to those still held captive in Colombia and elsewhere.

“We came to Cuba for love, we overcame fear,” Juanes said. “The young the world over must overcome fear and work to transform hate into love.”

Juanes, pioneer of the Peace Without Borders Concert, said Cuba had helped him understand many things.

“There will be a Juanes before and after this concert,” he said prior to the concert. “The Juanes after Cuba is the one I want to be. It is a dream that beats fear to emerge stronger. I think we have to be there, and not just in Cuba but also in Ecuador, Mexico, everywhere always remembering that we can no longer let them divide us.”

Despite the intense heat and typical tropical humidity that compounds it, Cubans were ready and defied its rigors for “a special Sunday in which the rule of peace sung its song”.

The estimated over 1,150,000 people had already turned the Revolution Square into a seething mass of people an hour before the five-hour concert started at 2:00 PM.

The multitude was vibrant from the onset dancing in all manner but with a unique message: the plea for world peace. At one point of the concert characterised by music delivered in Spanish, Cuban youths performed late King of Pop Michael Jackson’s Black or White song.

"I wish we could invite other artists to perform in Cuba and come more often here. We must begin to open up a little more to exchange art and culture," Juanes said.

Juanes hoped the show had positive impact on Cuba and other nations of the region.

The concert was staged from the same platform where late Pope John Paul II held a historic open air mass back in January 1998.

On hand were 15 artistes from six different countries alongside their top Cuban counterparts.

Juanes could not hide his happiness for being in Cuba.

This is the second Peace Without Borders concert ahead of the World Peace Day. The first Peace Without Borders concert was held on March 16, 2008 at the Simon Bolivar International Bridge, on the border between Colombia and Venezuela.

“This concert is a message of peace, love, energy and light… something the world needs today more than ever,” Juanes said. “Getting here and see all this happiness is in itself a reward for us. I believe that art has a huge mission. Through art, we can connect each other, respect each other, understand differences and tolerate each other, and all of this is very important.”

Juanes said he hoped through the concert and other related activities Cuba together with the rest of mankind could continue to move forward and become a single family.

“This is momentous for the future,” he said.

Juanes who was threatened by Cuban-American exiles in Miami, Florida where he resides expressed his appreciation for being able to sing in Havana for the Cuban people and for those who watched the show the worldwide.

“A very big hug and lots of love to Cubans and all who are able to watch the show,” he said.

Juanes also thanked people from Colombia and his followers across Latin America who supported his mission.

“They are like the gas and the motor driving it,” he said.

Juanes said thanks to his family and children, he had understood for a first time what “real love means and to dream is the most important thing in life.”

The 15 artistes included Amaury Perez [Cuba], Danny Rivera [Puerto Rico], Cucu Diamante and Yerbabuena [Cuba-Venezuela], Juan Fernando Velasco [Ecuador], Jovanotti [Italy], Juanes [Colombia], Luis Eduardo Aute [Spain], Miguel Bose [Spain], Olga Tanon [Puerto Rico], Orishas [Cuba], Silvio Rodríguez [Cuba], Los Van Van [Cuba], Carlos Varela [Cuba], Victor Manuel [Spain] and X Alfonso [Cuba].

For Cubans the event was a concert of a century staged in a place in Havana that was part of their history and their everyday lives.

The huge perimeter of the plaza was turned into an enviable open-air scenario, where 12 cameras on distinct structures allowed a dialogue of images, communication between artists and the public and the wealth of a spectrum with music as a communicating bridge.

Other than housing the Communist Party of Cuba headquarters and various ministries, former leader Fidel Castro used the Jose Marti Revolution Square for most historical speeches and proclamations.

But for this event, no political speeches were permitted.

The unique message of peace was delivered through melody. But the musicians sweated buckets in delivering their message to the expectant crowd and they did not disappoint.

All the artistes were in white and word had been spread way before the concert that the public should dress in white as a symbol of peace.

It was equally agreed that the concert would not include political messages of any kind.

Both local and foreign artistes were asked to sing only their most popular songs.

Although the event was broadcast live via satellite by Cuban television and any country, television channel, website or radio station requesting the service was able to use it without restrictions, over 160 international journalists were accredited to cover the event.

Puerto Rican songbird Olga Tanon opened the proceedings.

“We have only one purpose here. To sing for peace, peace without borders,” said Olga, the renowned merengue singer. “It is time to change. We’re going to make history together.”

In earlier exchange, Olga said she was never controversial but was quick to stress that she was a fighter and that was why people label her as a woman of fire.

Labels: CUBA, PEACE WITHOUT BORDERS

posted by MrK @ 4:28 PM