Concerto Primo Maggio

l primo maggio, Giubileo dei lavoratori, ha rappresentato una data cardine dell'intero anno giubilare oltre ad essere un evento significativo per tutta la città. La giornata si è svolta nell'area di Tor Vergata che si estende su una superficie di sessanta ettari di cui venti attrezzati a sud est di Roma, a ridosso dell'omonima università, in grado di ospitare oltre 500.000 persone. Lo spazio ha fatto da punto d'incontro tra l'evento religioso e il tradizionale concerto per la festa del lavoro, legati dal tema "Lavoro per tutti: un cammino di solidarietà e di giustizia".

Al mattino Giovanni Paolo II, davanti a decine di migliaia di lavoratori e credenti riuniti attorno al palco, ha presieduto la celebrazione della Messa. Nel suo discorso ha lanciato un forte appello per la riduzione del debito dei paesi poveri, ricordando come numerose nazioni siano oppresse da un debito che ha assunto proporzioni tali da renderne impossibile il pagamento. Con il sostegno della Chiesa, la Campagna per la riduzione del debito ha già raccolto e consegnato oltre 17 milioni di firme al vertice G8 di Colonia del giugno 1999 con l'obiettivo di eliminare il debito dei paesi con redditi annui pro capite inferiori ai 1000 dollari.

La giornata è proseguita con l'omaggio al pontefice da parte del cantante Andrea Bocelli accompagnato dall'Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia. Quindi l'esibizione della cantante israeliana Noa che ha cantato "Life is beautifu", tratta dalla colonna sonora del film La vita è bella di Roberto Benigni.

Nel pomeriggio, alle 17, è partita la maratona musicale, il grande "Concerto per un mondo senza debiti". Sul palco si sono succediti artisti di fama mondiale: Eurythmics, Lou Reed, Alanis Morissette, Youssou N'Dour, Max Gazzè, Giorgia, Irene Grandi e, in chiusura di serata, il gruppo di Jesus Christ Superstar guidato da Carl Anderson. Ad ascoltarli e acclamarli erano per lo più giovani, soprattutto italiani, provenienti da nord, sud e dalle isole oltre ad un gran numero di romani. La lunga giornata ha visto la partecipazione di 600.000 persone, tra mattina, pomeriggio e sera.

    ROME, May 1 -- Pre-empting the trade unions' traditional hold on May 1, Pope John Paul II presided over a workers' rally today that combined a solemn Catholic Mass with a raucous rock concert dedicated to third world debt relief.

"All must work so that the economic system in which we live does not upset the fundamental order of the priority of work over capital," the pope said in his homily. "Globalization is a reality present today in every area of human life, but it is a reality that must be managed wisely. Solidarity too must be globalized."

The Jubilee of the Workers, a Holy Year event that throughout the day drew hundreds of thousands of people to Tor Vergata, a field in suburban Rome, was unusual in many ways.

Government officials, union leaders and workers' delegations from more than 40 countries attended the event, which also drew pilgrims eager to attend a Mass celebrated by the pope. By late afternoon close to 200,000 young people, their tattoos and body piercing providing a sharp contrast to nuns carrying rosaries, packed the area to hear Lou Reed, Alanis Morissette and the Eurythmics.
 

The pope, who began his papacy by backing the Polish labor union, Solidarity, in its struggle against the Communist authorities, has long made workers' rights a major theme of his social message. And the Vatican's campaign to coax industrialized nations to forgive or reduce the foreign debts of the world's poorest nations drew well-known pop stars eager to be associated with a cause that targets the injustices of globalization.

But the day, dedicated to international labor, also was one of precedents that said less about the Vatican or pop music than about Italy, which still has one of the most inflexible sets of rules protecting labor in Europe. For the first time since May Day celebrations began, city buses ran in Rome today and shops in the city center were given the option of opening -- and some did. State museums all over Italy were open to visitors.

On May 21, Italians will vote in a referendum, sponsored by the center-left government, that among other things would make it easier for companies with more than 15 employees to lay off workers.

To allow the Vatican to hold its event -- broadcast live on Italian television and on Eurovision, a Europe-wide television hookup -- Italy's three major labor federations agreed to suspend their annual labor day rally and youth concert. Union leaders said, though, that they considered it a onetime-only break with their tradition.

"We have always shared the social concerns of the church, and I don't see why today we shouldn't participate in this event," said Pietro Larizza, secretary general of the Union of Italian Laborers.

But some other unions ignored the decision, leading a wildcat May Day parade of many thousands of people through central Rome, with red flags, hammer-and-sickle insignias and Marxist and gay pride slogans.

 
"We don't want to go to Tor Vergana and kneel with bankers and industrialists," said Luciano Muhlbauer, 34, a representative of Cobas, a leftist union, as he marched a few yards ahead of a demonstrator who was dressed as the pope in a glittering gold miter. "Especially when we are threatened by a referendum that will bring us to the same situation as the United States, where everyone works but they are poor."

John Paul shared a concert stage with Bob Dylan in Bologna in 1997, recently gave a papal audience to Bon Jovi, and has produced his own CD, a medley of his rendition of hymns. He has rarely shied away from popular culture.

He did avert his eyes, however, while the Israeli pop singer Noa sang the theme song from the Holocaust movie "Life is Beautiful" in a low-cut white top with a bare midriff. (She covered herself with a wispy chiffon scarf to shake the pope's hand.) He also shook hands with a few selected rock performers, including Ms. Morissette but not Mr. Reed, a one-time gender-bending performer whose repertoire includes the song "Heroin."

The pope left the stage before the rock concert began at 5 p.m. and went on for hours. It ended with songs from "Jesus Christ Superstar" as the finale.

Vatican officials had been asked all week about the incongruity of having Mr. Reed take part in a solemn papal event. "Rock music, when it is performed by great artists, is stupendous," said Bishop Fernando Charrier, who organized the event. "There is no diabolical rock; if anything there are diabolical people."

Concert organizers said that the Vatican did not seek to censure the artists or their material and that they had used their own judgment in recruiting stars.

"We avoided inviting performers who might try exploit the media attention, brandishing crucifixes, or something," said Ricardo Corato, president of Network, a rock promotion company that organized the concert. "I didn't invite Madonna, not because I don't respect her but because it would have been inappropriate. Madonna needs to exploit media attention to exist."

The pope, whose 80th birthday will be on May 18, looked to be in good form. He was alert and smiled often throughout the event. "Happy May First holiday to all the workers in the world," he said shortly before he left the stage.