LOS ANGELES (Juanes Official Website) - In order to raise money for children victimized by antipersonnel mines in his native Colombia, Latin rock's leading social activist
Juanes has organized the "Colombia sin Minas" ("Colombia Without Mines") benefit concert. Set to take place May 24th at the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles, the "Colombia sin Minas" concert will be a special night of all acoustic music with ALEJANDRO SANZ, ANA GABRIEL, CARLOS VIVES, JUAN LUIS GUERRA, LAURA PAUSINI, LUIS FONSI, RICARDO MONTANER and JUANES.
In the last 15 years 4,500 people in Colombia have died as a result of stepping on anti-personal mines and many of these victims have been children from the countryside. The explosions of these mines also permanently disable over 1000 additional people per year. With the number of annual victims increasing each of the last several years, the figures of those killed and wounded already in 2006 show the likelihood of the most devastating year yet.
The "Colombia sin Minas" concert of May 24 intends to denounce this abuse, advocate for the protection of the public from this danger and directly assist 500 disabled Colombian children that are in constant need of new prosthetics (legs, arms, hands) as they continue to grow. Since the start of his career, Juanes has been working to help the victims of anti-personal mines and to appeal to the conscience of those responsible to not use these types of weapons in the country's conflict, as they effect the lives of all Colombians. "Many people, including the media are not reporting on the seriousness of this problem in Colombia where an average of three people now die each day as a result of these deadly mines," explains Juanes. "I am very thankful to all the artists that have accepted my invitation for this event that will help many victims, especially the 500 hundred children that have been mutilated by the mines and are in need of prosthetics. By performing at this show, these artists will be able to permanently help the victims"
The "Colombia sin Minas" concert is being produced by Juanes' recently started Mi Sangre (My Blood) Foundation, with the support of the Observatorio de Minas Antipersonal (Antipersonnel Mine Observatory) office of the Vice-president of Colombia, UNICEF Colombia, Adopt-A-Minefield, and the United for Colombia foundation, for which Juanes works as an international Ambassador.
ALEJANDRO SANZ, ANA GABRIEL, CARLOS VIVES, JUAN LUIS GUERRA, LAURA PAUSINI, LUIS FONSI, RICARDO MONTANER and JUANES will all be performing in an acoustic format, accompanied only by acoustic guitars and piano in order to reduce the expenses of production and provide the largest percentage possible of money raised through ticket sales to the needs of children disabled by the antipersonnel mines. The cost of tickets for the concert range from $40 to $200 per person and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Gibson Amphitheatre box-office starting at 1PM on Friday, March 31st.
In addition to money raised through ticket sales, The Wheel Chair Foundation has announced that they will deliver wheel chairs equaling double the value of funds raised at the concert in order to assist victims. The Rotary Club of Conejo Valley and the Rotary Club of Medellin, Colombia have also announced that they will match the sum collected from the concert with deliveries of prosthetics, wheels chairs and rehabilitation work.
