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Latin music stars Marc Anthony, Luis Fonsi, Chayanne, Feid, Jay Wheeler, and many others will perform in an international benefit concert streamed live from Miami on August 16 to raise money for those affected by devastating earthquakes in Venezuela and Colombia.
Proceeds from online donations and ticket sales collected during the "Unidos por los nuestros" (United for Our Own) concert will address immediate and long-term needs, including the reconstruction of homes, the repair of schools and community spaces, support for children, and mental health assistance, among other initiatives.
"Unity with a single purpose, taking action and contributing to other human beings who are in difficulty, is a duty for everyone," said Marc Anthony, a multiple Grammy Award winner. The funds will be managed by his non-profit organization, the Maestro Cares Foundation, along with the Univision Foundation.
Proceeds from the concert will support the non-profit organizations All Hands and Hearts, CARE, Global Empowerment Mission, Techo, and World Central Kitchen.
The event was initially created to benefit Venezuela after 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck areas in the north of the country just 39 seconds apart on June 24, causing the deaths of at least 6,300 people. Those plans changed on Monday, when parts of western Colombia also recorded a deadly 7.4 magnitude earthquake, prompting organizers to include the neighboring country.
Authorities and residents are just beginning to comprehend the devastation in Colombia, where at least 181 people died and more than 2,500 were injured; experts have labeled it the country's worst earthquake this century.
For Venezuela, the fundraising comes at a crucial time, as public and media attention fades in the face of a humanitarian crisis that will last for years, noted Rodner Figueroa, co-founder and vice president of the I Love Venezuela Foundation, which channels resources to non-profits working in Venezuela and is a partner of the Global Empowerment Mission.
"The biggest challenge right now is keeping the momentum alive," said Figueroa. "The need in Venezuela remains of an incredible magnitude."
Tens of thousands of displaced survivors need housing, clean water, and sanitation, in addition to ongoing medical care. More than six weeks later, people are still searching for missing friends and family, often without any official help.
¿Dónde se podrá ver el concierto benéfico por Venezuela y Colombia?
The benefit concert will take place on August 16 at 6:00 PM Eastern Time at the Kaseya Center in Miami and will be broadcast live on Univision, ViX, WAPA, and radio stations of TelevisaUnivision, iHeartLatino, and Venevision Play in Venezuela.
Viewers can donate by scanning the QR codes that will appear on screen, texting the word UNIDOS to 707070, or visiting univision.org during the broadcast.
Other participating artists include Piso 21, Gente de Zona, Elena Rose, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Ricardo Montaner, Olga Tañón, as well as Mau y Ricky. The artists span Latin genres, from salsa and reggaeton to pop, and are joining from different parts of Latin America, including Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.
Dozens of Latin television personalities, journalists, and other celebrities will help host the event, including Don Francisco, the historic host of the television show "Sábado Gigante," and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres.
"We have all witnessed the devastation that has affected our communities at some point — we have seen it time and time again in many of our countries and around the world," commented Marc Anthony, who also promoted and raised funds after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017. "The need is immense."
Some Colombian artists committed to the fundraising long before they knew an earthquake would soon affect their own homeland. Urban musician Feid, born in Medellín, has reached out to his more than 14 million followers on Instagram this week to support aid groups there.
Latin music also shares a special connection with Cali, Colombia, one of the salsa capitals of the world and one of the cities hardest hit by the earthquake.
"Unidos por Los Nuestros" is organized by Cárdenas Marketing Network, Maestro Cares Foundation, TelevisaUnivision, and PIMIENTO Entertainment.
[Publicidad]