NewsWhore
07-20-2009, 06:00 PM
Despite rumors that the concert had been canceled and rains that threatened to have that effect, the free concert "Musica por Los Haitises" took place to an impressive capacity crowd at the Plaza de Espana in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone.
DR1 News correspondent Lu Olivero attended the 5-hour concert and described it as something he had never seen, and even less expected. "I was extremely proud of young Dominicans at this moment. To see them standing together, 5,000 strong, for a cause they believe in. They came to support the natural beauty of the Dominican Republic, something I was excited to experience."
Some 20 musical stars, including folk legend Xiomara Fortuna, Calor Urbano, Pavel Nunez, Son Abril and others rocked the crowd with a vibe that could only be described as full of energy. Concertgoers danced through the night in support of a cause that has become dear to many Dominicans from all walks of life.
The message of the night was clear: that the nation's youth would not stay silent in reaction to a decision that could affect millions of Dominicans.
Event coordinators said that T-shirt sales had generated an estimated RD$300,000 in revenue, which was not enough to cover the more than RD$1 million production cost.
However, private citizens donated the lights, the stage, sound and other facilities, and all the musicians performed free of charge.
The positivity in the air, great music, and the conscious effort by young people to support Los Haitises was capped by the singing of the Dominican national anthem, which received the largest cheers of the night.
The concert has been the most visible of events and protests against the building of a cement factory on the edge of Los Haitises National Park. Proponents say there would be no harm done if the cement factory were to be built, arguing that the factory site is nowhere near the park. At the event, opponents of the proposed factory said the decision was made without the consent of the community that is likely to suffer tremendous environmental effects and this could set a precedent for politicians to continue to make decisions without consulting the people.
During the event, a video was screened with explanations about the natural resources of Los Haitises and its cultural value.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)
DR1 News correspondent Lu Olivero attended the 5-hour concert and described it as something he had never seen, and even less expected. "I was extremely proud of young Dominicans at this moment. To see them standing together, 5,000 strong, for a cause they believe in. They came to support the natural beauty of the Dominican Republic, something I was excited to experience."
Some 20 musical stars, including folk legend Xiomara Fortuna, Calor Urbano, Pavel Nunez, Son Abril and others rocked the crowd with a vibe that could only be described as full of energy. Concertgoers danced through the night in support of a cause that has become dear to many Dominicans from all walks of life.
The message of the night was clear: that the nation's youth would not stay silent in reaction to a decision that could affect millions of Dominicans.
Event coordinators said that T-shirt sales had generated an estimated RD$300,000 in revenue, which was not enough to cover the more than RD$1 million production cost.
However, private citizens donated the lights, the stage, sound and other facilities, and all the musicians performed free of charge.
The positivity in the air, great music, and the conscious effort by young people to support Los Haitises was capped by the singing of the Dominican national anthem, which received the largest cheers of the night.
The concert has been the most visible of events and protests against the building of a cement factory on the edge of Los Haitises National Park. Proponents say there would be no harm done if the cement factory were to be built, arguing that the factory site is nowhere near the park. At the event, opponents of the proposed factory said the decision was made without the consent of the community that is likely to suffer tremendous environmental effects and this could set a precedent for politicians to continue to make decisions without consulting the people.
During the event, a video was screened with explanations about the natural resources of Los Haitises and its cultural value.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)