New York (AFP)
Stuck at home, confined spectators from around the world were preparing for an extraordinary online event on Saturday bringing together dozens of stars, including Taylor Swift and the Rolling Stones, in support of caregivers battling the new coronavirus.
Initiated by singer Lady Gaga, the virtual world concert "One World: Together At Home", supported by the Global Citizen movement in collaboration with the World Health Organization, began to 2:00 p.m. on the American East Coast (6:00 p.m. GMT).
While at least 4.5 billion people are forced or encouraged to stay at home to fight the spread of the Covid-19, the party started with a first six-hour show, which can be viewed online. Many celebrities must participate, including stars Christine and the Queens, Annie Lennox and Luis Fonsi, or football star Megan Rapinoe.
Then an event broadcast on the big American chains must follow, with on the poster a string of stars: Billie Eilish, Elton John, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder ...
The four members of the Rolling Stones - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood - will be there from home, a member of Global Citizen confirmed to AFP.
Before the show, Lady Gaga explained that the event should be seen as a "love letter to the world", in order to "bring it together" in the face of this disease which had caused the death of more than 150,000 people in total.
"We can do something to bring joy and a little respite to the four corners of the planet," she said.
In addition to being entertaining, the event is intended to be a "rallying cry" around medical staff and locally organized charity initiatives.
The Global Citizen organization also intends to urge donors and governments to support WHO in its response to the coronavirus, and claims to have raised $ 35 million for this purpose.
"Music gives us the opportunity to take a break and think to unite in one humanity," Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans told AFP.
© 2020 AFP