The UN teams up with Costa Rican musicians to reduce infections

Julio Nájera, a renowned reggae singer from Costa Rica, tunes his guitar; he stretches his fingers and adjusts a pair of strings. You can feel the anticipation in the air; a concert is about to start.

He performs a sound check, tweaking the knobs on his console. Julio is very detail-oriented and always wants everything to be perfect, right up until the very last moment. He carefully places his smartphone on the stand and checks for the correct framing. Thirty seconds to go until air time.

Today, his audience will not be watching up close. They will be lounging on their bed, sitting on their couch, in their kitchen, even, maybe playing with their dog in the yard. But all of them are getting ready to tune in remotely through their mobiles. The concert will be live-streamed through Instagram.

Thirty-five kilometers away, Alonso, a singer from Talawa, a group performing the same reggae genre, rehearses with his band members, carefully selecting their sets. He knows the list can change at short notice, because fans will request their favorites, and the audience is always right.

The living room of the house where they are is small, but it is the only space available during these times of physical distancing. The band members focus their attention and review the latest messages received from the United Nations and the Ministry of Health.

In 45 minutes, Julio will finish his sets and it will be up to them to continue and keep the virtual concert going.

Julio Nájera and Talawa have experience working with the United Nations. Julio composed the song "País Hermandad", a song featuring dozens of Costa Rican artists that joined forces to promote social inclusion, respect for Human Rights and non-discrimination. Talawa produced a documentary and a children's book with the International Organization for Migration in the past to share their experience on migration issues and call against human trafficking.

Like them, more than 50 Costa Rican artists are joining the United Nations to bring hope and to call for action against the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative targets young people, which has been a difficult member of the audience to engage with. Many do not watch the presidency's press conferences, read the newspaper or log on to Facebook, and local authorities are concerned about their unwillingness to follow hygiene and safety measures put in place to contain infections. Many of these young people mistakenly believe that "COVID-19 does not affect them."

This is why Julio repeats with insistence: "Buddies, these days, we have to stay home. Let's wash our hands often, and no kisses and hugs."

Alonso of Talawa adds: "At this time, distance is solidarity. Let's pay attention to all the recommendations from the Ministry of Health. Let's keep two metres away from each other and if we have to cough or sneeze, let's do it into our upper sleeves".

Reaching young people through the arts

For Daniel Salas, Minister of Health and leader of Costa Rica's response to COVID-19, this initiative is key in targeting young people, an audience local authorities have struggled to engage with. "Through artists, we are managing to convey our message and ensure that the main recommendations on hand washing, the correct way to cough and sneeze, social distancing and the importance of staying at home are heard."

Costa Rican musician Sebas Guillem started this action, which transformed into the #SOLOSPEROJUNTOS (#AloneButTogether) movement that the United Nations agencies working on health, labour, culture and education strongly supported, together with the presidency and the ministry of health. The movement aims to boost hope, provide cultural education and share key guidelines on national efforts to stem the rapid spread of COVID-19.

"It is wonderful that the Government, UN agencies and the European Union, as well as other artists who want to join in, are supporting this initiative. We have to unite as a country to fight this virus. The UN's participation has been fundamental to make this initiative grow and to shape it, beyond a form of entertainment, into a space for education and social change", highlights Sebas Guillem.

Music that saves lives

Alice Shackelford, Resident Coordinator for the United Nations in Costa Rica, highlights that during the first two concerts, thousands of young people have been enjoying good music while also receiving key information and advice, including guidelines to face the pandemic, right from their homes; from artists they admire. Undoubtedly, this helped position messages in a way that young people would not have otherwise caught on.

"We have to use all possible ways to carry the message of hope and safety. It is very clear that music, apart from the entertainment aspect, can also be used to convey educational messages to save lives", says Schackelford.

Esther Kuisch Laroche, representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) office for Central America, indicated that with this initiative the artists will reach younger audiences with positive messages that focus on stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Furthermore, she points out that "culture, even in the most extraordinary of moments, should not be overlooked. Rather, it should be received as a means of relief, escape and food for the soul. The access to culture and the arts is essential during these days of confinement and quarantine. It provides us with moments of wonder and joy, it allows us to learn and discover new things, and it is what unites us all, even when we are physically separated."

The first two days of #SOLOSPEROJUNTOS have begun with music appealing to young people, but in the coming days the line-up will increase to offer fitness classes, other activities and musical genres for a wider audience.

"In the coming weeks we will continue with our strategy to promote hygiene and measures to combat the Coronavirus, but also focus on messages calling for the respect of the health of older persons as well as for the fight to end discrimination and xenophobia against migrants and asylum seekers in Costa Rica", explains the UN Resident Coordinator.

As of March 30th, Costa Rica reported 330 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Among them, the majority are in adults (293), older persons (24) and teenage boys and girls (13).

The UN has indicated that, although older persons are the most affected, the virus is capable of infecting and causing severe damage to young people. It has also been noted that each infection is an opportunity for transmission, and that young people are not immune. If they do not take care of themselves and get sick, they can put other, more vulnerable members of the population, at risk

Originally published on the UN News website in Spanish.