Colombian Entertainment Unites to Raise Funds After Earthquake

Colombian entertainment figures are joining musicians, athletes and communities abroad in a fundraising campaign for people affected by the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug. 10. The response has included benefit concerts in Bogota and Miami, a football match featuring Colombian legends, donation centers for food and clothing, and fundraising events in Spain and Australia. The main concert takes place Sunday, Aug. 23, in Bogota.

The latest government balance from Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) lists 329 deaths, 4,600 injured, and 247 missing people. The earthquake has affected 314,751 people in 154,014 families across 481 municipalities in 16 departments. It destroyed 31,183 homes and damaged another 171,273.

Colombian music begins the earthquake fundraising effort

The first major benefit concert in Bogota took place on Aug. 15, when the Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra performed at the Fabio Lozano Auditorium of Jorge Tadeo Lozano University. Venezuelan conductor Enluis Montes Olivar led the orchestra, with pianist Daniel Diaz Padilla. Organizers directed ticket proceeds toward people affected by the earthquake, while the venue also received humanitarian supplies.

The Colombian music industry also organized “Colombia: Voces por la Vida” (Colombia: Voices for Life), a larger benefit concert scheduled for Aug. 23 at the Vive Claro District Cultural complex. The event brings together Colombian and international performers, with donations directed to Presentes Corporacion for reconstruction and housing projects in affected communities.

Miami concert brings international artists into the response

On Aug. 16, the fundraising campaign moved outside Colombia with “Unidos por Los Nuestros” (United for Our Own), a benefit concert and telethon at Miami’s Kaseya Center. Organizers originally planned the event to support earthquake victims in Venezuela, then expanded its purpose to include Colombia after the Aug. 10 earthquake.

More than 25 Latin artists participated, including Marc Anthony, Chayanne, Luis Fonsi, Ricardo Montaner, Feid, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Chino y Nacho, Olga Tanon and Silvestre Dangond. The broadcast reached audiences in the United States, Colombia and Venezuela through Univision, ViX, Caracol TV, RCN and other networks.

The event raised nearly US$1,380,000, according to Univision. The Univision Foundation and Maestro Cares Foundation are overseeing distribution through All Hands & Hearts, CARE, Global Empowerment Mission and TECHO. Organizers also identified World Central Kitchen as a recovery partner.

CAF, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, announced an additional US$500,000 contribution during the broadcast for recovery efforts in Colombia and Venezuela.

Former Colombia captain Mario Alberto Yepes organized the “Levantamos a Colombia” (We lifted up Colombia) benefit match at Bogota’s Nemesio Camacho El Campin stadium on Aug. 21. The event attracted 30,807 spectators.

The participants included Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama, Radamel Falcao Garcia, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, Rene Higuita, Jackson Martinez, Giovanni Moreno, Fredy Guarin and Camilo Zuniga. Alberto Gamero and Francisco Maturana coached the two teams.

The match raised more than 2.5 billion Colombian pesos (about US$810,000), according to figures reported during the broadcast by Win Sports. Donations were also received via a QR code displayed during the event. The proceeds will support affected families through the Colombian Red Cross and Solidaridad por Colombia.

The fundraising comes as Colombia begins planning a recovery that the government estimates could cost about 30 trillion Colombian pesos (US$9.5 billion).

“Colombia: Voces por la Vida” takes the stage

More than 30 artists will perform Sunday at Vive Claro in Bogota for “Colombia: Voces por la Vida.” The public can support the campaign through donations linked to concert tickets, with contributions ranging from 100,000 to 1 million Colombian pesos(about US$33 to US$330).

The lineup includes Colombian artists Maluma, Sebastian Yatra, Manuel Turizo, Greeicy, Andres Cepeda, Mike Bahia, Silvestre Dangond, Grupo Niche and ChocQuibTown. International performers include Spanish singer Miguel Bose and Puerto Rican artists Draco Rosa and Pedro Capo.

Karol G will participate remotely from the United States. Other artists, including Eladio Carrion and Daniel Habif, are also part of the program.

Presentes Corporacion will receive the campaign’s donations and direct them toward reconstruction and housing in affected communities. People who cannot attend can contribute through the campaign’s donation channels.

Where people can donate money, food and clothing

Bogota authorities have designated the Palacio de los Deportes as a collection center for humanitarian donations. The center accepts food, hygiene products, household supplies, construction materials and clothing in good condition.

For clothing, the Banco de Ropa del Minuto de Dios operates collection points in Bogota. It accepts clothing, shoes, belts and bags in good condition, but not used underwear or pillows.

For monetary donations, the Colombian Red Cross Bogota-Cundinamarca branch has opened a donation account. Bogota’s government also lists @8600703011 as a Bre-B payment key, an identifier used for instant transfers within Colombia’s financial system. International donors can contribute through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which is collecting funds to support the Colombian Red Cross response.

UNICEF Colombia accepts donations for its earthquake response, with funds supporting water, sanitation, health, education, nutrition and child protection in affected communities.

Colombian communities organize events in Spain and Australia

The fundraising effort has also reached Colombian communities overseas. In Burgos, Spain, the association Soy Colombia Burgos will hold a benefit concert on Sept. 11 at Sala Anden 56. Colombian singer Dani Zapata will perform with Irene La Serna, Elena de la Tierra and Bumper. Tickets cost €10 (US$11.68), with proceeds going through local NGOs to affected areas in Valle del Cauca, Buenaventura, Pereira and Choco.

The group has also collected 760 kilograms of food and essential goods with Fundacion Madrina in Madrid and plans to reopen collection points in Burgos through Sept. 10.

In Darwin, Australia, the Colombian-Australian Association of the Northern Territory is organizing a fundraiser with Colombian food, cultural performances and raffles. The group aims to raise AUD$20,000 (about US$14,300) and is coordinating with Colombia’s embassy and other Colombian associations in Australia. A GoFundMe campaign had already collected more than AUD$4,000 (about US$2,900) before the event.

The response now spans Colombia, the United States, Spain and Australia, with musicians, footballers and Colombian communities contributing to relief and reconstruction efforts after the earthquake.