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Galaxy of Stars Sing Out for Africa's Poor

Posted on: Sunday, 3 July 2005, 18:00 CDT

After a galaxy of stars rocked the world in the largest live concert ever held, organizers yesterday looked to a summit of rich nations to see if people power would change policy on poverty.

Over a million people listened to rock and pop musicians at venues across four continents on Saturday to demand that leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries meeting in Scotland on Wednesday relieve African debt and boost aid.

"For God's sake, take this seriously. Don't behave normally. Don't look for compromises. Be great," Live 8 organizers said in a joint statement after the concerts ended.

More than 26 million people worldwide sent text messages on Saturday in support of Live 8, setting a world record for a single event, organizers said. They had also expected up to two billion people to tune into the show worldwide.

In Edinburgh, close to where the G8 meets, 200,000 demonstrators marched peacefully through the city to back the Make Poverty History campaign.

The media in Britain, where the build up to Live 8 has had a higher profile than in other countries, hailed organizer, rocker Bob Geldof, and the 170 pop acts who appeared.

"A beautiful day," read the front-page headline in the Independent on Sunday. "Is that loud enough for you?" asked the Sunday Times. But others are more sceptical.

Hosting the Philadelphia show on Independence Day weekend in the United States, actor Will Smith said people had united for a "declaration of interdependence."

"Today we hold this truth to be self-evident: we are all in this together," Smith said. He was beamed around the world by satellite as he led the global audience in snapping their fingers every three seconds to signify the child death rate in Africa.

Hip-hop ruled the day in Philly, with sets from host Smith - reprising his past life as the Fresh Prince, alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff - as well as Kanye West. West delivered some of the harshest words of the day, lamenting "politicians who drive home in their Bentleys every night and watch thousands of Africans die."

Earlier Bono, dressed in black and wearing his trademark wraparound shades, wrapped the London crowd around his finger, getting tens of thousands to sing along to the anthemic "One" and "Beautiful Day." The crowd cheered when a flock of white doves was released overhead.

"So this is our moment. This is our time. This is our chance to stand up for what's right," Bono said.

In Philadelphia, singer Alicia Keys questioned the United States' interest in helping Africa.

"America has a sense of disconnect when it comes to Africa or places that are very far away because many of us, most of us, won't get the opportunity to see those places," she said.

And limited television coverage in the United States could also dampen the impact of such an impressive show of people power.

All-star cast

Tokyo kicked off Live 8, which was also staged in the Circus Maximus in Rome and before a crowd of 150,000 in Berlin.

In Barrie, near Toronto, 35,000 people turned out for the musical feast, while France's concert boasted the Chateau de Versailles as its elegant backdrop.

The numbers in Moscow's Red Square were low, perhaps unsurprising in a country where more than a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line. In Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela addressed nearly 10,000 people.

London's Hyde Park had the strongest line-up, with Paul McCartney, Bono, Madonna, Elton John, Pink Floyd, The Who and George Michael entertaining 200,000 people.

The raucous crowd fell silent when Live 8 organizer Geldof replayed Live Aid footage of dying Ethiopians. After freezing on the image of a girl on the verge of death, the same person, a now healthy Birhan Woldu, was introduced on stage.

Geldof, behind the Live Aid concerts 20 years ago that raised US$100 million for Africa's starving, is pushing this time for a doubling of aid to Africa, forgiveness of debts and fairer trade rules.

"Mahatma Gandhi freed a continent, Martin Luther King freed a people, Nelson Mandela freed a country. It does work. They will listen," he said.

Geldof appeared onstage to introduce Microsoft billionaire and philanthropist Gates, whom the crowd greeted with a rock star-scale roar.

"We can do this, and when we do it will be the best thing that humanity has ever done," Gates said.

The crowd joined in as REM sang "Man on the Moon," then heard UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan declare: "The whole world has come together in solidarity with the poor."

Source: China Daily; North American ed.

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