U.S. pop star Madonna performs at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park in London, July 2, 2005.

     LONDON, July 3 (Xinhuanet) -- "We don't want your money. We want you." "Make Poverty History." The unprecedented Live 8 extravaganza gathered more than 1 million people worldwide on Saturday and delivered a clear message to the world's richest countries to pay more attention to the poor in Africa.

    From London to Moscow, from Berlin to Tokyo and Rome to Barrie,Canada, musicians and fans sang and danced through a global marathon music festival to raise awareness of African poverty before the Group of Eight summit takes place in Scotland next week.

British singer Sting performs at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park in London July 2, 2005.

    In Hyde Park in London, the heart of the Live 8 music spectacle, Irish rocker-turned-campaigner and coordinator of Live 8 Bob Geldof, Microsoft billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates, worldfamous singers Elton John, Madonna, U2 and other brilliant stars joined a crowd of more than 200,000 in hope of using the moment topressure G8 leaders to strike a deal for Africa next week.

    A thunderous roar erupted from the crowd as Paul McCartney and U2 belted out the first song "It was 20 years ago today ...," a recall to the Live Aid concerts that raised millions of dollars for Africa two decades ago.

    Gates, who made a surprise appearance at the event, was greetedby the crowd with a rock star-scale roar when he appeared on the stage. "We can do this, and when we do it will be the best thing that humanity has ever done," he said.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says: "This is really a United Nations. The whole world has come together in solidarity with the poor."

    A smiling UN Secretary-General Cofi Annan said, "This is reallythe United Nations coming together in solidarity with the poor. Onbehalf of the poor and the voiceless and the weak, I thank you." His words were greeted with thunderous cheers and shouts.

    There were shows Saturday in all the G8 countries -- the UnitedStates, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and Russia.At other festivals, the passion of the crowd was as high as in London. Thanks to the Internet, television and radio, organizers estimated that more than 1 million people attended the shows.

    On the ancient Circus Maximus in Rome, some 200,000 fans shouted and danced when Faith Hill and Duran Duran joined other stars to appeal for global efforts for the poor people in the world.

    Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni said to the press that the significance of the concert was far more than the concert itself. He hoped that the music as a bridge could send a clear message to the G8 leaders to help the poor countries.

British singer Robbie Williams performs at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park in London, July 2, 2005. (Xinhua/Reuters)

    At the Palace of Versailles near Paris, a brilliant team of stars including Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Goth-rockers The Cure received continuous applause and cheers from some 100,000 fans.

    Berlin's Tiergarten Park was crowded with 150,000 people as home-grown band Die Toten Hosen (The Dead Trousers) kicked off theshow with a string of anthems reminding people that helping Africawas above the music.

    A woman giving her name as Braun from the World Population Fundof Germany, among other volunteers, collected donations to the poor countries in Africa by selling T-shirts and other small articles at the festival.

    "Many teenagers don't take the articles and just put their coins into my hand and walked away, which was very moving," she told Xinhua.

    "It is already a kind of support for the poor countries to be present at the Live 8 concert," said a woman, who only gave her name as Julia.

    In Philadelphia, where the Live Aid concert to donate for African countries was held 20 years ago, hip-hop ruled the day with sets from host Will Smith alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff as well as Kanye West.

    Smith used a symbolic gesture to signify the child death rate in Africa, snapping his fingers every three seconds, which was followed by hundreds of thousands of people present.

    But limited television coverage could dampen the impact of suchan impressive show of people power. Singer Alicia Keys said, "America has a sense of disconnect when it comes to Africa or places that are very far away."

    With blaring guitars and images of pot-bellied children, Japan represented Asia Saturday in a global series of concerts aiming topressure the industrialized world's politicians to eradicate African poverty.

    The Tokyo event was kicked off with Icelandic star Bjork, who expressed the despair she felt in the face of Africa's poverty. The show also featured British rockers McFly, American post-grungeoutfit Good Charlotte and local talent Dreams Come True.

    In Barrie, near Toronto, some 35,000 people turned out for the musical feast. Enditem

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