An estimated 20,000 people turned out for a first-of-its-kind MTV concert in Dili on Friday night. The USAID-funded event was part of a nationwide initiative to fight human trafficking. Helping get the message out were some of Timor-Leste’s top artists and Indonesia megastars, Superman is Dead.
The International Center for Journalists was one of the partners for the event – with ICFJ providing equipment and facilities for the MTV producers to edit footage shown during the concert. The MTV producers used the www.timortoday.com studio and ICFJ’s Marcelino Pereira assisted with the editing.
The footage featured Timorese citizens describing the dangers of human trafficking. The idea is that greater awareness about the issue can save lives.
Two hours before the event, a late rainy season storm threatened, but the sun popped out just before sunset – concert-goers seemed unfazed by the mud puddles on the field.
Dozens of young Timorese men near the front of the stage waved Indonesian, Timorese, Portuguese and Brazilian flags as they rocked to local bands – Detective, 5 de Oriente, Rai Nain and Diosis Putri Band. One man band, Ego Lemos, slowed down the pace midway through the concert with his acoustic guitar and harmonica – keeping the beat with a peddle drum.
By the time the headliner, Superman is Dead, took the stage, the entire field was a sea of humanity witheven more people sitting on the concrete fence around the perimeter of the field. It was one of the largest, if not the largest, turnout for a concert in Dili. It was the first time that MTV had organized a concert in Timor-Leste.
If MTV and USAID have their way, it won’t be the last. Plans are already underway for a second concert in Timor’s second city – Baucau – sometime in October.
