Prince Harry participated with several pop stars, including Jennifer Lopez, in a concert held in Los Angeles on Sunday to urge the acceleration and global expansion of vaccination campaigns against the Coronavirus, expressing his support for India in facing the severe surge it is experiencing. The concert was titled "Vax Live: A Concert to Unite the World" and included pre-recorded video messages from Pope Francis and U.S. President Joe Biden, along with live participation from several Hollywood stars, including Ben Affleck and Sean Penn.
**Recorded Concert**
The concert will air on television and YouTube on May 8, after being recorded on Sunday at the expansive California venue, attended by thousands of fully vaccinated spectators. Prince Harry took to the large circular stage in the middle of the arena wearing a blue shirt and described online misinformation about vaccines as an " escalating humanitarian crisis."
**Harry's Speech**
Harry, who received a standing ovation from the audience, stated, "We gather tonight in solidarity with millions of families across India grappling with a terrifying second wave" of the pandemic. He emphasized, in his first public appearance at a major event in California since he moved to the United States last year with his wife Meghan Markle, who did not appear with him, that "the virus knows no borders, and access to the vaccine should not be determined by geography."
**Purpose of the Concert**
The concert, organized by the international organization "Global Citizen," aims to combat misinformation about vaccines and to urge world leaders and companies to take action and make donations. Thousands of spectators gathered for the first time inside the newly completed SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with most attendees being frontline medical workers, many of whom wore nurse and doctor uniforms.
**Featured Artists**
Actress and singer Selena Gomez, who was soliciting donations, called for "doses and dollars" for the poorest countries in the world, as California and some western regions began to emerge from lockdown measures thanks to significant advancements in vaccination campaigns. Jennifer Lopez shared with the audience that she spent Christmas for the first time without her mother due to the pandemic, who shortly thereafter joined her on stage to perform "Sweet Caroline."
The American band "Foo Fighters" collaborated with surprise guest Brian Johnson of the band "AC/DC" to perform the song "Back in Black" by the Australian group. Foo Fighters founder and lead singer Dave Grohl remarked, "We haven't made it out of the woods yet... let's work as hard as we can so we can do this every night."
**Pre-Recorded Messages**
In pre-recorded segments, President Biden stated that he is "working with leaders around the world to provide more vaccines and bolster production," while Pope Francis said, "I urge you not to forget the most vulnerable groups." Other video messages were presented from French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in addition to Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan.
