US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA5218

UNCLAS BOGOTA 005218 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/WRA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, KHDP, CO 
SUBJECT: LANDMINE CONCERT RAISES AWARENESS AND MONEY 
 
 
1. (U) On May 23, the Vice President's office of Landmine 
Coordination (Observatorio de Minas) and the United Nations 
Fund for Children (UNICEF) co-sponsored a fund-raising 
concert to benefit the University Hospital Rehabilitation 
Center in Bucaramanga, Santander Department.  The performance 
was part of the Colombian government's "Arts and Mines" 
series, which encourages local artists to raise awareness and 
support for humanitarian landmine action much like the "Night 
of a Thousand Dinners."  Spanish pop star Miguel Bose and the 
Bogota Philharmonic performed for roughly four hundred people 
and made headlines in leading daily El Tiempo with landmine 
statistics for the three days preceding the concert.  UNICEF 
has not yet reported the total raised from the event. 
 
2. (U) Vice President Francisco Santos, who is both 
personally and professionally engaged on the landmine issue, 
asked Bose, a family friend, to perform for the fund-raiser. 
Future Arts and Mines concerts planned with famous Colombian 
singers such as Shakira, Juanes, and Carlos Vives may raise 
funds to expand the rehabilitation centers to other large 
urban areas over the next year. 
 
3. (SBU) Comment: This performance confirmed that the 
Observatorio can raise funds and media coverage for mine 
action projects from the local population.  However, the 
event changed venues at the last minute, was understaffed, 
and demonstrated a level of disorganization already 
criticized by other donor nations during the April Policy 
Assessment Visit (PAV).  End comment. 
WOOD