‘One World: Together at Home’ salutes medical workers across the globe

A cadre of renowned musicians held an online concert to help overcome the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday (local time). Instead of taking the spotlighted stage, they sang rather soft songs of healing at their own homes this time.

The epic “One World: Together At Home” was organized by Lady Gaga with an aim of raising funds and encouraging healthcare workers who risk their own lives to fight the pandemic.

The concert continued for six hours and was involved more than 110 superstars, including Celine Dion, Rolling Stones, Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift. Being nicknamed “Corona Aid” to compare to “Live Aid,” which was convened in 1985 to raise funds to help Ethiopian refugees, Saturday’s event was webcast live on YouTube and Twitter.

Taylor Swift, Rolling Stones, Billie Eilish, and Steve Wonder, clad in casual attires and dressing gowns, held the concert without any audience in attendance at their own homes. The BBC said that scenes of the musicians singing at their own homes pleased people who are in shelter in place.

Video footages of medical workers in South Korea were shown halfway through the concert as a tribute to the heroes. The video said their dedication enabled South Korea to hold the recent general elections and to start preparing for the opening of this year’s professional baseball league.

Leaders and celebrities including former U.S. First Ladies Michelle Obama and Laura Bush and show host Oprah Winfrey also sent video messages to thank healthcare workers for their endeavors. The organizers said the global concert raised more than 127 million U.S. dollars for the World Health Organization and regional charities working to address the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.


Ji-Sun Choi aurinko@donga.com