Juanes to head possible Cuba concert

Colombian pop-rocker Juanes is not shy from organizing concerts for peace; he was one of the main minds behind the March 2008 “Peace Without Borders” gig along the Colombia-Venezuela boundary. Yet it appears that Juanes is planning a second set of the “Peace Without Borders” series next month in Cuba.

According to execs at the Cuban Music Institute, Juanes will give a concert in Havana on September 20th. The Cuban press reported that the concert will be attended by several musicians from Latin America and Juanes have traveled to Cuba last June to speak with officials. Juanes' manager- Fernan Martinez- gave more details to the AP including Juanes’ personal meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

For now, Martinez said, the show will feature at least Juanes and Spanish singer Miguel Bose.

"Following the lead of the first concert ... the event will use music as a tool to transcend politics and demonstrate unity of peoples beyond borders," Martinez said.

He said Juanes, who has started a foundation to help land-mine victims, met with Clinton "to present the concept for the concert" and that "the requests for U.S. artists are currently in process with the Treasury Department."

Martinez said the singer also met recently with Treasury officials and Congress, as well as leaders of key Cuban exile groups in Miami to help ensure U.S. stars come for the show.

If Juanes is able to pull off this concert, would it be fair to compare him to better known humanitarian musicians?

Image- El Espectador
Online Sources- Escambray, AP, The Latin Americanist