Cuban "peace concert" attracts hundreds of thousands

Cuban singer X Alfonso (R) performs with his band during the "Peace Without Borders" concert in Havana's Revolution Square September 20, 2009.

BEIJING, Sept.21(Xinhuanet) -- An open-air "peace concert", headlined by the Colombian rock star Juanes, was held in Havana on Sunday attracting hundreds of thousands of Cubans. The crowd in the sprawling Revolution Square numbered 1.15 million people. It was hard to verify the number, but Juanes's visit was clearly the biggest by an outsider since Pope John Paul II's in 1998.

Most concert audiences chose to wear white to symbolize peace, and some held up signs reading "Peace on Earth" and "We Love You, Juanes."

The show lasted about three hours. Juanes said the concert was "the most beautiful dream of peace and love."

"We came to Cuba for love," he said. "We have overcome fear to be with you, and we hope that you, too, can overcome it."

Singers Juanes (L) of Colombia and Miguel Bose of Spain perform during the "Peace Without Borders" concert in Havana's Revolution Square September 20, 2009.

The concertgoers were very excited and enthusiastic. "We are going to stay as long as we have the strength," said Cristina Rodríguez, a 43-year-old nurse accompanied by her teenage son, Felix. They and thousands of others had arrived hours before the concert to get a good spot, ignoring government warnings not to turn up until noon.

Juanes recently met with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the concert even prompted comment from President Obama.

"My understanding is that he's a terrific musician. He puts on a very good concert," Mr. Obama said in the interview broadcast Sunday. "I certainly don't think it hurts U.S.-Cuban relations. These kinds of cultural exchanges — I wouldn't overstate the degree that it helps."