Juanes Rocks Clinton Global Initiative

Juanes has had a mighty big week. First he rocked a historic concert in Havana, Cuba before over a million people, and last night he performed at the Clinton Global Citizen Awards Ceremony. The concerts might have been in different countries, but the goals behind each performance were the same -- to promote peace and unity.

On Sunday, Juanes headlined the Peace Without Borders Concert in Havana, which drew an unbelievable 1.2 million Cubans (or one-tenth of the entire country). The goal was to promote peace, unity and hope for "One Cuban Family," which it clearly appears to have done.

Under the headline "First Came the Pope, Next Came Juanes," ABC News wrote, "This would be a big deal in a lot of places, but in Cuba, where generations of Cold War isolation have kept most superstars away, there has never been a music event on this scale before."

Reuters added, "No less extraordinary was the sight of young Cuban exiles in Miami confronting and shouting down a group of exile hardliners who were demonstrating against his performance … For many, this scene late on Sunday marked a symbolic turning [point] … the Juanes concert had opened the eyes of many exiles to the powerful possibilities of developing more cultural and academic exchanges between the United States and Cuba."

Juanes, an activist Colombian superstar who's already won a Grammy and 17 Latin Grammys, then brought that same attitude of peace and unity to New York City where he joined Alicia Keys as a featured performer at the Clinton Global Citizen Awards Ceremony. The event honored people like Rwanda President Paul Kagame, Save Somali Women and Children Chairperson Asha Hagi Elmi Amin and Apne Aap Women Worldwide President Ruchira Gupta, among others, for their global service.

Said former President Bill Clinton, "With the Global Citizen Awards, we highlight individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service to humanity … Their innovation, dedication and determination have changed lives, and their actions serve as models for what each of us can do to make a difference in the world."

Juanes image by Mauricio Velez