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New York organisait ce samedi un grand concert sur la pelouse de Central Park. Un concert avec une trentaine d'artistes: Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Paul Simon ou encore Andrea Bocelli. Un concert pour célébrer la « renaissance » de la ville qui était il y a un an et demi l'épicentre mondial de l'épidémie de Covid-19.">
New York organized this Saturday a big concert on the lawn of Central Park. A concert with thirty artists: Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Paul Simon or Andrea Bocelli. A concert to celebrate the “rebirth” of the city which was a year and a half ago the global epicenter of the Covid-19 epidemic.
With our correspondent in New York, Loubna Anaki
From the first guitar notes, Carlos Santana leads the crowd: 60,000 people come to Central Park to celebrate the recovery of New York after a year and a half of pandemic: ” I missed the concerts. And come back with a concert like that, it’s great! Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen they are legends! I am so happy ! Exclaims a woman in the audience.
« Being like that, in the middle of the crowd, it’s such a feeling of freedom! Another woman in the crowd echoes.
Stay optimistic despite the Delta variant
Dubbed “We Love New York”, the concert was announced when the city only had a few cases of Covid-19. With the resumption of the epidemic because of the variant Delta, the party is a little mixed. But New Yorkers want to remain optimistic: “ I hope this will not be the start of a new confinement, but that we can continue to party », Explains a New Yorker.
« After the year that we have lived, the bereavements, the pain, it is the best way to find ourselves and to celebrate. »
Since the start of the pandemic, New York has deplored more than 33,000 victims of Covid-19. More than 68% of adults in New York City are fully vaccinated, but the number of infections has rebounded recently in the city with more than 1,800 cases daily, up 19% from the situation two weeks earlier.
A party cut short by the arrival of the rain
Only vaccinated people could have access to the concert. One way for the city to encourage those who still resist getting vaccinated.
The party, which was to last five hours, was nevertheless cut short due to the rain that invited itself to New York. ” Nature is unpredictable Said Patti Smith who had to go on stage. « But that doesn’t stop us from celebrating life », Added the singer, thus illustrating the optimistic spirit of New York.
►To read: Vaccines against Covid-19: the United States announces a recall campaign in September
(with AFP)
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