Look To The Stars News: Human Rights

Nicole Kidman Takes Anti-Violence Message To Kenya

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Nicole Kidman is reportedly to travel to Kenya to raise awareness of women affected by domestic violence.

 The Australian actress wants to tour the African country as part of an initiative launched by the United Nations Development Fund for Women. Kidman will visit the Kenyatta Hospital and a school this week as part of her role as a goodwill ambassador for the organization.
 
“[African women] need and deserve our support,” she said. "Not with a box of band-aids, but with a comprehensive, well-funded approach that acknowledges that women’s rights are human rights. It is time for policies that intentionally involve society’s key communities – from health and education departments to the police and judiciary – to deliver on that commitment. To succeed, it requires political will at the highest levels.”

Last month, Kidman addressed Congress about domestic violence on behalf of UNIFEM.

Stars Flock To Vanessa Redgrave Charity Performance

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Meryl Streep, Harvey Keitel, Christine Baranski, Mandy Patinkin and Lauren Bacall were among the more than 1,000 people who gathered to watch Tony Award-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave reprise her starring role from the 2007 Broadway play The Year of Magical Thinking at a special benefit performance at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street), Manhattan, on Monday, October 26th at 8:00 PM.

The benefit raised more than $200,000 for programs run by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide support to the children of Gaza and southern Israel.

The show was rescheduled from April, following the death of Vanessa’s daughter, Natasha Richardson.

Matt Damon’s Persistent Efforts To Supply Africa With Clean Water

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Taking a break from promoting his latest film at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, Matt Damon squeezed in a side-line interview on completely different subject – charity – with the Toronto Star.

Toronto seems to be an annual escape for Damon. He is, after all, the most famous face regularly attached to ONEXONE, a Canadian charity that works to improve the lives of children around the world. Keen to make a difference in the lives of the impoverished, Damon says that since he is finally in a position to do so, for him there is no question.

“[Growing up], we had a magnet on our refrigerator,” he told the Star. “It was a quote from Gandhi: ‘No matter how insignificant what you do may seem, it is most important that you do it.’ I was raised to believe that and I still do. It’s incumbent on us as citizens of the world to do the best we can within our sphere of influence to effect positive change.”

Recalling a recent trip to Ethiopia, he was disturbed to see children drink water that was so dirty it looked like chocolate milk. The alternative, though, would have been for them to not drink, and die faster.

“That kind of deprivation isn’t even on our radar in North America,” said Damon, “but in Africa it’s the central pre-occupation of many people’s lives. Every 15 seconds a child dies because of lack of clean water. There’s two and a half billion people in the world without any toilet facilities.”

Although he says he enjoys spending his time on these projects, such experiences are deeply affecting for Damon: “When I get back from one of these trips, I sit with my wife and finally, after hours and hours of silence, I’ll start talking about what I’ve just seen and experienced. You see the need. You feel it. And it does mark you.”

Emily Deschanel To Hold Q&A For Charity

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:30:00 -0000

The Screen Actors Guild will present a special screening of the hit TV show Bones in Los Angeles tonight, followed by a Q&A session with actress Emily Deschanel.

An actress with talent and poise, Emily Deschanel has built an impressive list of credits in her career, challenging herself with each new role.
 
An animal rights activist passionately involved with the charity Farm Sanctuary, Dechanel works to end cruelty to farm animals and promotes compassionate living through rescue, education and advocacy. She is also involved with The Humane Society and Women for Women International.  Deschanel was born in Los Angeles and received her B.F.A. in Theater from Boston University.

The Screen Actors Guild encourages interest in acting and improving the acting skills of interested persons though educational seminars, workshops, tapes and films.

This event starts at 7pm tonight, October 27, at the SAG Foundation Actors Center at 5757 Wilshire Avenue. For more information, click here.

Charlize Theron Kisses For Charity Cash

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

ONEXONE, the charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally, hosted their 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron, Jeremy Piven, Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, David Arquette, Mia Hamm, Nomar Garciaparra, Laila Ali and more helped raise funds and awareness for charitable causes.

The evening featured keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America, along with a special headline performance from Snow Patrol. Additional entertainment included performances by Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, Spencer Day, the local jazz vocalist from San Francisco, and Ethan Bortnick, the 8-year old pianist and composer who wrote his own song “It’s For the Kids” in honor of the event. ONEXONE also welcomed back Jay Bilas for his second year as Master of Ceremonies.

Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron, on behalf of the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project, and 2-time World Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Mia Hamm also announced the latest initiative “Home Field Advantage” in partnership with ONEXONE and Academy Award-winner Matt Damon which will bring soccer fields and clean water to the children of South Africa by 2010. The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and the ONEXONE Foundation will work together on this initiative to bolster impoverished rural South African communities with plans to break ground by the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The highlight of the evening came during the live auction when Charlize Theron helped auction off a two-week trip to South Africa for the World Cup plus a kiss from her for $140,000. Jeremy Piven also jumped onstage during the live auction and encouraged two guests to bid $140,000 each for a walk-on roll on the hit HBO show “Entourage” for a total of $280,000.

“The night was a huge success and we’d like to thank the generous people of San Francisco for their continued support,” said Marc Joubert, President of ONEXONE U.S.

The ONEXONE event in San Francisco focuses not only on raising funds and awareness for the issues, but also on producing a top-notch show that entertains and educates the audience at the same time. ONEXONE was founded in 2005 by Diesel Canada President, Joelle Berdugo Adler, and has raised more than $9 million for children around the world since that time.

Stars Flock To T-Shirt Launch For Invisible Children

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

GUESS and Vanity Fair Magazine unveiled special edition organic men’s T-shirts and women’s tank tops to benefit education and economic rebuilding in the war-ravaged African nation of Uganda last Thursday, October 21.

Held at the GUESS store in Beverly Hills, the event was hosted by Kristen Bell, Rachel Bilson and Peter Wentz and attracted stars such as AnnaLynne McCord, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku, Rick Foxx, Chris Lowell, Shenae Grimes, Stephanie Jacobsen, Jeff Probst and many others.

The shirts are now available for purchase in all U.S. Guess stores and online at Guess.com. 100% of the proceeds from shirt sales will benefit Invisible Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting youth education and economic development in war-torn regions of Central East Africa.

Invisible Children was created by Jason Russell, Laren Poole and Bobby Bailey – who also attended Thursday’s event – after the release of their 2004 film “Invisible Children: Rough Cut,” a revealing documentary about the child soldiers of Northern Uganda. GUESS first partnered with the organization back in October 2006, when the daughters of Maurice Marciano, Olivia, 16 and Caroline, 18, were inspired to become involved in the noteworthy cause after seeing the filmmakers on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Charitable Celebrities To Receive 21st Century Leaders Awards

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Celebrities will be out in abundance in Doha, Qatar, next week for the Whatever It Takes Experience presented by 21st Century Leaders and Whatever It Takes.

As well as a private art experience and gala dinner, several stars will be honored with 21st Century Leaders Awards at this massive charity event.

The Doha 21st Century Leaders’ Awards are granted to individuals who, whilst being leaders in their own fields, have also made a serious commitment and significant impact on their chosen cause.

The award is given to individuals who have used their influence to raise awareness, their celebrated status to raise funds, and the respect and notoriety which they have gained from successes in their chosen profession, to make positive policy changes to progress either environmental or humanitarian concerns.

Friday, October 30, will see Sir Ben Kingsley CBE, Venus and Serena Williams, Josh Hartnett, Danny Boyle and Christian Colson honored for their outstanding charity and humanitarian work. A surprise guest will open the event, and an art exhibition will also take place featuring original artworks by George Clooney, Stella McCartney, Sir Roger Moore KBE, Sir Michael Caine CBE, and Lady Shakira Caine, Sir Ian McKellen, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Laurence Fishburne, John Travolta, Pierce Brosnan OBE, Morgan Freeman, Charlize Theron, Minnie Driver, Lucy Liu, Susan Sarandon, Courteney Cox & David Arquette, Whoopi Goldberg, Penelope Cruz, Benicio del Toro, Joseph Fiennes, Anjelica Huston, Christian Slater, Harvey Keitel, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Gillian Anderson, Hilary Duff, Adrien Brody, Mickey Rourke, Robin Wright Penn, Patrick Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Stephanie Powers, Toni Collette, Daniel Craig and many more.

An active supporter and patron of charities such as the Prince’s Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust and First Star, English actor Sir Ben Kingsley CBE is very much devoted to helping disadvantaged young people and children. In 2008, Kingsley was awarded the “Cinema for Peace Honorary Award”, for the portrayal of the humanitarian role-models Simon Wiesenthal, Itzhak Stern and Gandhi.

In April 2009, following the success of Slumdog Millionaire, filmmakers Danny Boyle and Christian Colson announced a commitment of £500,000 to Plan, an international children’s development organization. The money will be spent on a five-year program focusing on education and sanitation, designed to improve the lives of children in Mumbai’s slum communities. In consultation with Plan, the filmmakers have also founded the Jai Ho Trust, an independent trust which aims to ensure that Rubina Ali (who played the youngest Latika in the film) and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail (youngest Salim) receive an education, housing and social support. The trust will also hold a sum of money for the two children until they reach adulthood.

American actor and film producer Josh Hartnett supports a number of worthy causes and has backed Global Cool, a charity focused on climate change since its inception. Launching with a reception at No.10 Downing Street in London in 2007, Josh Hartnett met with former Prime Minister Tony Blair on behalf of the group and has since taken the message of greenhouse gas reduction far and wide, to let people know that they really can make a difference to the environmental health of our planet.

Professional women’s tennis players whom have won a combined 12 Grand Slam titles. The Williams sisters have demonstrated an immense amount of charitable work off the court. The “Williams Sister’s Tour” set out to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities which provides housing for families of seriously ill children. In addition, Serena started The Serena Williams Foundation which focuses on education, and helping underprivileged children in Africa who cannot afford to go to school or college to do so.

WhateverItTakes.org is a unique charity artwork project which inspires hope by gathering artworks from leaders in all fields; royalty, film, music, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, sports, literature etc. The artworks are used to ethically produce Whatever It Takes products which are then sold to raise funds for charitable causes chosen by each contributing leader. 21st Century Leaders Foundation’s mission is to assist and encourage a generation of influencers – royalty, Nobel peace prize laureates and well-known leaders in the fields of film, music, fashion, art and literature – to raise awareness and funds for international development causes, thereby leading the way in promoting positive environmental sustainable development. 21st Century Leaders was founded in May 2003 when Charlotte di Vita was made a Goodwill Ambassador to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. 21st Century Leaders was also the 10th Anniversary celebration of Trade plus Aid, the foundation for which Charlotte had received an MBE from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

To find out more about this event – to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Doha on October 30/31 – click here.

Stephen Fry Appeals For Death Row Man's Life

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Ashley Parker

British actor Stephen Fry is teaming with Reprieve to plead for the life of Akmal Shaikhis.

Akmal is a British national from London facing execution in China for smuggling drugs. He was arrested September 12, 2007, in Urumqi airport for allegedly carrying 4kg of heroin. Chinese authorities did not inform British Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) of Akmal’s death sentence until several months after the ruling was made.

The Chinese court does not want to acknowledge that Akmal suffers from bipolar disorder. Reprieve has strong evidence that he is suffering from mental illness, and people who know him would agree. Fry suffers slightly from bipolar disorder as well and said, “Akmal is a very delusional figure,” and “has a history of extraordinary and perplexing behavior.”

In a video, Fry said, “I’m really hoping that somehow a message can get across to China, that no one in their right minds would condone the smuggling of drugs. China has every right, of course, to exact whatever sentence it sees fit as a nation. I hope they will understand that there are cases where people are simply not responsible for their actions.”

Akmal moved to Poland to set up an airline, but clearly did not have the financial means to do so. While he was in Poland he wrote a song with a man named Carlos and wanted to record it. Carlos told Akmal he knew people in the music business that would help him, so Akmal went to Kyrgyzstan.

The people he met with took his money and passport. Thinking he would be famous soon, Akmal believed he wouldn’t need those anymore. He was told if he went to China he could sing at a nightclub owned by a man named Okole.

On the way to China, Okole and Akmal spent time at a five star hotel in Tajikistan. Once again, Akmal thought it had to do with his celebrity status, even though he had no background of singing in public. Right before the flight to China was to take off, Okole handed Akmal a briefcase and said Akmal would have to go alone because there was only one seat left on the plane.

Drug smugglers took advantage of Akmal and his illness. They promised him stardom in China, but were just using him as a mule. He faces possible execution by a single shot to the back of the head. An appeal has gone through the High Court and been denied. It now has to go through the Supreme People’s Court, which only deals with errors of law. If this court denies appeal, he’ll face death in a matter of days.

Akmal told authorities the briefcase was not his and that he knew nothing about the drugs.

Fry “wouldn’t be standing here pleading clemency for someone if [he] didn’t think there was a real case for mercy.” He is strongly encouraging others to help him.

To join Stephen Fry in his fight to save Akmal, follow the three steps:

Write to your MP or Foreign Secretary to appeal for UK’s intervention. Go to www.reprieve.org.uk/stephenfryappeal for instructions.
Retweet Stephen’s message to get more people involved. Visit www.twitter.com/stephenfry
Go to www.reprieve.org.uk to find out more information about how to get involved

Click here to find out more about the appeal.

Top Rockers Protest Against Music Torture At Guantanamo

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

A coalition of US and international musicians, including Trent Reznor, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Jackson Browne, Rise Against, Rosanne Cash, Billy Bragg and The Roots have announced they are joining the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo—a campaign led by retired Generals Robert Gard, John Johns, former member of Congress, Tom Andrews, and Vote Vets Chairman and Iraq War veteran, Jon Soltz.

The musicians have also launched a formal protest of the use of music used in conjunction with torture that took place at the prison and other facilities and announced they were supporting an effort seeking the declassification of all secret government records pertaining to how music was utilized as an interrogation device.

Musicians include Trent Reznor and Tom Morello whose music with the bands Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against the Machine has been linked to torture tactics at the prison, according to public records.

Under the Bush/Cheney administration, music torture was commonplace in Guantánamo and at US secret prisons in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. One notorious technique involved blasting prisoners with ear-splitting music for months on end; this ‘no-touch’ method is yet to be banned by the Army Field Manual.

The FOIA request aims to expose the widespread use of music torture by the US, and was orchestrated by the US campaign group No More Guantánamos and supported by Reprieve. It will be sent today to the CIA, FBI, Department of Defense, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Department of Army.

Retired General Robert Gard, a critic of the previous administration and staunch advocate to close Guantanamo said, “the torture that went on there is disgraceful and puts our troops at risk everyday – Guantanamo will remain al Qaeda’s biggest recruitment tool unless its shut down – I sympathize for the musicians whose music was used without their knowledge as part of the Bush administration’s misguided policies.”

“Guantanamo is known around the world as one of the places where human beings have been tortured – from water boarding, to stripping, hooding and forcing detainees into humiliating sexual acts – playing music for 72 hours in a row at volumes just below that to shatter the eardrums,” said Morello. “Guantanamo may be Dick Cheney’s idea of America, but it’s not mine. The fact that music I helped create was used in crimes against humanity sickens me – we need to end torture and close Guantanamo now."

The United Nations has banned the use of music as torture under the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, although the Convention has gone largely unenforced. Colin Powell and General David Petraeus have both advised President Obama to shut the Guantanamo facility down.

“Having these acclaimed artists join the campaign to close Guantanamo will help ignite a prairie fire of grassroots support across the nation. We are thrilled and grateful to have them aboard” said Tom Andrews who is a former Congressman (ME) and director of the National Campaign To Close Guantanamo.

“At Guantanamo, the U.S. government turned a jukebox into an instrument of torture," said Thomas Blanton, executive director of the National Security Archive, a freedom of information act organization that is assisting the musicians in seeking the documents. “The musicians and the public have the right to know how an expression of popular culture was transformed into an enhanced interrogation technique.”

Musicians are united in response to finding out about the abuse.

“We signed onto the campaign in complete support of President Obama and the military leaders who have called for an end to torture and to close Guantanamo,” said R.E.M. in a statement. “As long as Guantanamo stays open, America’s legacy around the world will continue to be the torture that went on there. We have spent the past 30 years supporting causes related to peace and justice – to now learn that some of our friends’ music may have been used as part of the torture tactics without their consent or knowledge, is horrific. It’s anti-American, period.”

Said the Roots, “When we found out that music was being used as part of the torture going on at Guantanamo, shackling and beating people - we were angry. Just as we wouldn’t be caught dead allowing Dick Cheney to use our music for his campaigns, you can be damn sure, we wouldn’t allow him to use it to torture other human beings. Congress needs to shut Guantanamo down.”

Tim McIlrath, lead singer of Rise Against said, “Guantanamo Bay has been synonymous with torture and inhumanity since its inception. Coupled with its complete ineffectiveness, the shameful legacy it will leave behind in American history is something Americans will have to deal with forever. Let us be the generation that erases this symbol of injustice and fear-mongering from the map so that we can begin to learn from our mistakes.”

UK based charity Reprieve supports this request for freedom of information. The charity has been campaigning against music torture throughout 2009 with its ‘zero dB’ initiative.

Partnered with the UK Musicians Union, ‘zero dB’ has been uniting prominent musicians via an online silent protest and petition. The campaign has gained the support of thousands of fans and prominent musicians including Dizzee Rascal, Elbow, Peter Gabriel, Massive Attack and Doves.

The campaign aims to raise awareness and to encourage widespread condemnation of music torture.

Click here for more information about the campaign.

David Suzuki Receives Alternative Nobel

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Environmentalist David Suzuki will receive an honorary alternative Nobel – the Right Livelihood Award – for his decades-long efforts to raise awareness about climate change. Suzuki will receive the award in December in Sweden, just ahead of Nobel Prize presentations.

Created to recognize efforts in areas that are not within the Nobel Prize scope, Right Livelihood selected Suzuki “for his lifetime advocacy of the socially responsible use of science, and for his massive contribution to raising awareness about the perils of climate change and building public support policies to address it.”

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Suzuki said, “Some things in the world we have to live with – entropy, gravity, the speed of light and the Laws of Thermodynamics. Other things such as the economy, market or currency were created by us and if they don’t work, we should change or replace them with something that does. When we are told we need a strong growing economy to afford to protect the environment or that reducing greenhouse gas emissions will be too expensive, we elevate economics above ecology. This is suicidal.”

The Right Livelihood Award Foundation, a charity that awards the exceptional in order to further its laureats’ causes, appears as frustrated as Suzuki. The Foundation’s website states: “Despite the scientific warnings about the imminent threat and disastrous impacts of climate change and despite our knowledge about solutions, the global response to this crisis is still painfully slow and largely inadequate.“

Like many, their eyes are on December’s Copenhagen Climate Conference where hopefully a new global warming treaty, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol in 2012, will be approved.

Nicole Kidman Takes Anti-Violence Message To Congress

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman and Mallika Dutt, anti-violence group Breakthrough’s Executive Director, supported the call for a comprehensive approach by the United States to address ending violence against women yesterday.

Kidman and Dutt, speaking to members of the U.S. House of Representatives Sub-Committee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, emphasized the urgency to invest in women, partner locally and provide resources for effective programs in developing countries.

They joined Ambassador for Women’s Global Issues Melanne Verveer, Congresswoman Janice D. Schakowsky, Vice-Chair of the Women’s Caucus, and former Congresswoman and President of Shared Hope International Linda Smith in supporting the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA), which represents an unprecedented commitment by the U.S. government to create a comprehensive strategy to reduce violence in countries that have severe levels of violence against women and girls.

Today’s hearing provided Kidman an opportunity to amplify the voices of the women she has met through her work with UNIFEM and share their stories. Speaking of women survivors of violence from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kosovo by whom she was inspired, Ms. Kidman observed: “These champions need and deserve our support. Not with a box of band-aids, but with a comprehensive, well-funded approach that acknowledges that women’s rights are human rights. It is time for policies that intentionally involve society’s key communities — from health and education departments to the police and judiciary — to deliver on that commitment. To succeed, it requires political will at the highest levels.”

Breakthrough’s Executive Director Mallika Dutt spoke about her organization’s multimedia campaign in India that mobilizes women to take a stand and engages men in addressing violence against women. The campaign was supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, which is managed by UNIFEM.

“In villages and towns in every corner of the world, women are challenging social and cultural norms and laws that made them second-class citizens,” Dutt said. “Through strong leadership and local partnerships across a range of actors, the International Violence Against Women Act could have a direct and immediate impact on saving the lives of millions of women and girls.”

Goodwill Ambassador Kidman will continue to shine a light on ending violence against women solutions and stories during her upcoming field mission to Kenya, where UNIFEM will launch its global advocacy action initiative Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women. The innovative web platform is a call for action, which will spotlight efforts on the ground and is designed to contribute towards the high-profile UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s multi-year campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women.

LTTS Exclusive - The 2009 Noble Awards

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Michelle Vink

I had the honor of attending “The Noble Awards” on their first annual show honoring charities and their celebrity supporters.

On Sunday, October 18th at The Beverly Hilton, “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush hosted the premiere of this special event honoring Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and a list of celebrity honorees from Brett Ratner to Teri Hatcher.

Guests were treated to live performances from names like Brian McKnight and Benji Madden and the famed 8-year-old piano prodigy, Emily Bear. The night was supported with a star-studded cast of performers, honorees and guests that all believe in using the power of their voice in the name of philanthropy and charity. No detail was too small for this event. The award sculpture itself was the vision of Antonio Banderas and came to life at The Art of Elysium workshop with personal touches from the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.

The Noble Awards was an inaugural awards show that launched the beginning of a perennial movement that will encourage each and every person to give back and take action in the world today.

Each year they will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. Some of this year honorees included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner for DoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds for Stand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children. It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital. A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication. Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much. The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

I was lucky enough to experience the vision of the Founder/Executive Producer, Janeen Mansour, prior to the event and watch it develop from an idea to a reality.

“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them," she said. "Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

The Noble Awards are a testament to what Hollywood can achieve when it uses its voice to celebrate positive change. This event showcased just a few of the many celebrities and individuals dedicated to making a difference in the world today. It is my hope that it will serve as an inspiration to others to get involved in their charity, community or cause that has meaning to them. Being a volunteer takes less time than your yoga class and can cost you less money than your Latte. But the experience will stay with you a lifetime.

To the children, the volunteers, the unnamed angels, the celebrities, the founders, the team behind this event and to all of the people that donate their time and passion to making a difference on a daily basis, this celebrates you.

Inaugural Noble Awards Celebrate Hollywood Philanthropy

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Look To The Stars was proud to be part of the inaugural Noble Awards on Sunday, October 18 – an event that honored a host of charities and the celebrities that support them, elevating awareness of the significant impact of their work.

Held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the event honored Morgan Freeman with a lifetime achievement award, as well as Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Billy Bush (Lollipop Theater Network), Kenny Edmonds (Stand Up To Cancer), Teri Hatcher (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Norman Lear (Playing for Change), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium), AnnaLynne McCord (The Blind Project), Nancy O’Dell (Best Buddies International), Eva Longoria Parker (Padres Contra El Cancer) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org).

Lionel Richie was on hand during the ceremony to present an award to Joel Madden, who attended the event with Nicole Richie and his brother Benji.

“I want to welcome him to our family and present this Noble award to a guy I love very much – Joel Madden!” said Lionel as he introduced Joel to the crowd.

“They are just as much a part of it,” said Madden, paying tribute to Nicole and Benji. “Nicole does just as much as I do with Art of Elysium and all the charities we work with. And so does Benj – Benj actually does more then I do, and he plays the guitar better then I do, so he is a little more entertaining for the kids.”

Madden later Twittered about the emotions he felt as he accepted his award: “Just left the NOBLE awards. Got an award that was really for the people at the Art of Elysium. Awesome folks and I’m humbled to know them. By the way got totally choked up when I got my award. I hate thinking about kids in the hospital, they should be getting the awards not us.”

The award itself was designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Morgan Freeman received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work and dedication to over a dozen non-profits. Freeman’s diverse charitable efforts include working with American Red Cross, Artists for a New South Africa, the Campaign for Female Education, Earth Biofuels, Grenada Relief Fund, Mississippi Animal Rescue League and Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Freeman has also done PSAs for Sierra Club, and a number of Entertainment Industry Foundation campaigns, covering issues like colon cancer prevention, health care reform and volunteerism.

“I think so often we don’t know that our gestures matter,” said Teri Hatcher, who was also honored. “I think when you get involved in your local community charity you really do see you make a difference and it’s empowering for you.”

Look To The Stars was at the awards, and we will bring you more about the fantastic event over the coming days.

Look To The Stars Helps Promote Hollywood Philanthropy At Noble Awards

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Look to the Stars is pleased to announce that we will work year-round with The Noble Awards to promote philanthropy in Hollywood.

The inaugural Noble Awards, taking place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, October 18, has announced five new award honorees. The Blind Project, The Lollipop Theater Network, Padres Contra el Cancer and Playing for Change will be honored along with six previously announced charities. In addition, Morgan Freeman will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The two-hour event, hosted by “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush, seeks to annually honor up to a dozen charities and celebrities who actively support them, elevating awareness of these organizations and the significant impact of their work.

Celebrities who will accept awards on behalf of the charities being honored include Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Billy Bush (Lollipop Theater Network), Kenny Edmonds (Stand Up To Cancer), Teri Hatcher (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Norman Lear (Playing for Change), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium), AnnaLynne McCord (The Blind Project), Nancy O’Dell (Best Buddies International), Eva Longoria Parker (Padres Contra El Cancer) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org). During the ceremony, each will be presented with an award sculpture, designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Brian McKnight and Julio Iglesias, Jr., along with Emily Bear and Timothy Mitchum will provide live musical performances throughout the evening.

“We are delighted to present these eleven distinguished charities and their celebrity supporters with the inaugural Noble Award,” stated Janeen Mansour, creator and executive producer of The Noble Awards. “With the presentation of The Noble Awards, our goal is to turn the spotlight back onto these celebrities and charities to provide recognition, to educate, to inspire, and to encourage even more support from the Hollywood community and the public at large.”

Morgan Freeman will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work and dedication to over a dozen non-profits. Freeman’s diverse charitable efforts include working with American Red Cross, Artists for a New South Africa, the Campaign for Female Education, Earth Biofuels, Grenada Relief Fund, Mississippi Animal Rescue League and Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Freeman has also done PSAs for Sierra Club, and a number of Entertainment Industry Foundation campaigns, covering issues like colon cancer prevention, health care reform and volunteerism.

“The Entertainment Industry Foundation is pleased to be a part of the inaugural Noble Awards,” said Lisa Paulsen, President and CEO of Entertainment Industry Foundation. “We are honored and so proud to present our dear friend and exceptional actor Morgan Freeman with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding charitable work and ongoing contributions to so many important social causes.”

The Noble Awards will kick off the “Be A Noble” Movement, a perennial effort to encourage each and every person to “Be A Noble,” and inspire them to give back and take action with a purpose on a global scale. Some of these initiatives include:

Look to the Stars will work year-round with The Noble Awards to promote philanthropy in Hollywood.

As part of next year’s Cup with a Cause program, 7-Eleven, in collaboration with The Noble Awards, will produce a series of celebrity-designed coffee cups featured in stores nationwide. A minimum of $250,000 will go towards each participating celebrity’s charity of choice. During The Noble Awards’ cocktail hour, guests will be asked to design cups as part of the program.

Participant Media and Takepart.com, the official “action” platform for the Awards, have partnered with the “Be A Noble” Movement to provide the Foundation with a web platform to showcase the work of all the organizations they are honoring throughout the year.

ONEHOPE Wine has bottled an award-winning varietal of wine to be labeled “NOBLE.” 100% of all proceeds from each bottle will go towards the “Be A Noble” Movement, to be distributed among the honored charities.

Rumblefish Jewelry will design a jewelry line based on The Noble Awards and “Be A Noble” Movement, where a percentage of sales will be donated to Noble charities.

Additional partners include EIF/iParticipate, The Hollywood Reporter, Audi, Beverly Hilton, Mobile Cause, Rosenthal and GoodSearch.

As the film industry has the Oscars, television the Emmys and the music industry the Grammy Awards, the charity community and its most dedicated Hollywood supporters will gain global recognition with the staging of The Noble Awards. Produced on behalf of the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a non-profit organization, the first annual awards will take place on October 18, 2009. The Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation will launch a year-round movement to BE A NOBLE to better unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, influencers, media and everyday citizens in order to create an effective forum for change and service. For more information, please visit www.thenobleawards.org.

Selena Gomez Trick Or Treats For UNICEF Again

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Ashley Parker

As the youngest UNICEF ambassador in history, Disney star Selena Gomez raised $700,000 for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF last year. She is returning a second year as spokesperson for the campaign, hoping to bring in $1 million.

“Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF invites children and adults alike to make Halloween count by joining UNICEF to do whatever it takes to help save children’s lives,” said Gomez.

In an effort to raise more funds, Gomez – who recently released her first album “Kiss and Tell” – will be donating four VIP tickets to one of her upcoming concerts to the highest bidder through a Charity Buzz auction. Along with VIP tickets, the highest bidder will have backstage meet and greet access, and receive an autographed CD. The auction begins October 21 and will run through November 11.

Three fans and supporters of Selena Gomez also the opportunity to receive a personal phone call, an autographed photo and an official UNICEF certificate of appreciation. Join the Selena & Friends Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF page – www.unicefusa.org/teamselena — and the top three donators will win.

Gomez is hosting a live web cast on October 29 to talk to fans and supporters about Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF and answer any questions viewers may have. It is scheduled to last for at least an hour. Visit www.facebook.com/Selena for more details.

Matt Damon Writes On The Importance Of Giving Back

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Matt Damon has put pen to paper and written an article for Parade Magazine on the importance of giving back.

“Here’s something that matters to me right now,” wrote Damon, who is a founder of Not On Our Watch, H2O Africa and Water.org. "Every 15 seconds, a child dies because of a lack of clean water and sanitation. I should probably repeat that: Every 15 seconds, a child dies because of a lack of clean water and sanitation. A billion people on our planet will never have a clean drink of water. There are 2.5 billion people in the world without toilet facilities. That kind of deprivation isn’t even on our radar in the U.S., but in Africa it’s the central preoccupation of many people’s lives. And the most devastating thing about it is that it takes so little to change it. Just $25 will give someone clean water for life—yes, just $25 will change someone’s future forever.

“I’ve taken a lot of trips in the last few years to places like Africa and India and Haiti to try to learn what conditions are like. You can read about extreme poverty and possible solutions, but it’s really powerful when you get to meet the people and shake their hands and listen to their stories. I try to keep my trips short because my kids are so young that my wife, Lucy, can’t come. We don’t like to be separated, but we both feel it’s so important to learn about these things. There’s so much I don’t know. In the future, I know these trips are something we’ll do as a family.

“There’s so much need, it’s so hard to decide where to give. For me, I look at the organizations that are actually doing the work on the ground. I co-founded Water.org, which focuses on water and sanitation. I was in Ethiopia earlier this year, and I watched children taking filthy water out of a hand-dug well and putting it in bottles to take to school. The water was so dirty, it looked like chocolate milk. I wanted to knock it out of their hands and say, “Don’t drink that—it could kill you.” The dilemma is that drinking nothing at all will kill them even faster. Parents in these impoverished areas lose children every year to diseases that could be completely prevented if they had access to clean water.

“Please find out what you can do to make a difference. Take five minutes to educate yourself on an issue you didn’t know about before. Then tell somebody else. Or make a small donation, if you can. Every dollar counts. Charitable foundations would rather have a million people donate $1 each than have a handful of people write big checks, because that means millions of us are getting involved. If you give $5 and talk to your neighbor about giving $5, that’s a big deal. If that conversation goes on across the country, we’ll really start moving some mountains.

“We’re here for such a short time. When your great-great-grandkids study history, don’t you want them to be proud that you were part of the solution?”

To read the full article Damon has written, visit the Parade Magazine website. You can also join Parade Magazine’s Giving Challenge – in which you could win $50,000 for your favorite charity – by clicking here.

Idol Gives Back Is Back!

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

After a one year hiatus, Idol Gives Back is set to rock for charity once again.

The American Idol special will air April 21, 2010, and will benefit national and international charities including Malaria No More, Save the Children and the United Nations Foundation.

“I am very pleased to announce that we will be doing our third Idol Gives Back on April 21, 2010,” said Simon Fuller, Idol creator and CEO of 19 Entertainment. “This is our opportunity to reach out and support the people of America and around the world who need our compassion and generosity to improve or even save their lives. America will undoubtedly prove once again what a remarkable and generous nation it is. For American Idol to be able to facilitate this kind of initiative makes me very proud.”

“Idol Gives Back” has raised over $140 million since its inception in 2007. The event regularly attracts appearances by major stars such as Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon and many others – including 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack Obama. The show last aired in 2008.

ONEXONE Prepares For Star-Studded Fundraiser

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

ONEXONE, a charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally, will host the 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

Academy Award-winner Matt Damon will be the ambassador for the evening, which features keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America and Master of Ceremonies Jay Bilas. The annual fundraiser will announce details surrounding the organization’s latest program in partnership with ONEXONE Ambassadors Matt Damon and Mia Hamm, and Academy-Award winner Charlize Theron and the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project.

The evening will include a special headline performance by Snow Patrol, along with musical performances by Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, local San Francisco jazz musician Spencer Day and 8-year old pianist and composer Ethan Bortnick, along with other special guests.

ONEXONE is a unique umbrella organization that partners with talented and dedicated NGOs to implement specific programs which align with its mission statement – the alleviation of suffering of children locally and globally – and important programs targeted to health, education, self-esteem and dignity. Through its ongoing campaigns, the ONEXONE foundation is committed to supporting, preserving and improving the lives of children at home and around the world. ONEXONE was founded in 2005 by Diesel Canada President, Joelle Berdugo Adler.

Orlando Bloom Becomes UNICEF Ambassador

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Actor Orlando Bloom has been appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in recognition of his commitment to the rights of children around the world.

“Advocacy from UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors helps build momentum to improve the lives of children around the world,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Ann M. Veneman. “We are proud to have Orlando Bloom as one of the strong voices for vulnerable children.”

Bloom has already seen the work UNICEF is doing in Nepal, Russia, and Sarajevo. And he is committed to supporting UNICEF’s efforts: “I look forward to working with UNICEF as they continue to make the world a better place for children.”

Bloom said he wants to be an active Ambassador for the children’s organization. He will follow in the footsteps of such luminaries as Audrey Hepburn, Danny Kaye, Shakira, Sir Roger Moore, David Beckham, Jackie Chan, Mia Farrow, Vanessa Redgrave and many others. These ambassadors devote their time to raising awareness of UNICEF, and influencing global policy on behalf of children around the world.

Bloom has supported UNICEF’s work since 2007, when he first visited schools in the remote western districts of Kaski and Chitwan, two of the poorest areas of Nepal. He was able to see how UNICEF’s water and sanitation programmes benefit local families. In Nepal, Orlando spoke about the importance of education; and when asked by the children, he agreed to perform a small role in their local school radio production.

Bloom went to Nepal again in June 2008 to see how UNICEF and its partners are working to provide clean water for children and families. He has also visited the Krasnoselsky centre in Moscow, a shelter for children from economically vulnerable families.

“UNICEF doesn’t just deliver humanitarian aid, which is what they are known for all over the world,” he said. “They also educate and provide tools which help women and children face challenges specific to their own lives. I responded to how UNICEF works as much as I did to the work itself. I look forward to learning more and to supporting UNICEF any way I can.”

Kristen Bell To Host Charity Event For Invisible Children

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

GUESS – the American lifestyle brand famous for its trend-setting denim and unforgettable campaigns – and VANITY FAIR magazine, are excited to announce the launch event for a new line of organic t-shirts designed to make a difference: 100% of the proceeds will go to benefit Invisible Children.

This star-studded event will take place at the GUESS Rodeo Drive flagship store in Beverly Hills on Thursday, October 22, from 7:00–9:00 p.m. The event will be hosted by young Hollywood’s leading ladies, Kristen Bell and Rachel Bilson, with musical guest Peter Wentz accompanied by DJ White Shadow.

Three years ago, Caroline and Olivia Marciano—daughters of Maurice Marciano, Chairman of the Board and Co-founder of GUESS—approached their father about wanting to make a difference by supporting Invisible Children. Caroline, now a freshman in college, and Olivia, a senior in high school, came across Invisible Children while watching an episode of Oprah. The short segment made such an impact on the girls that they went to their father to see how they could get involved. Their father told them, “I will help you, but it has to be your project.” Three years later, GUESS is thrilled to unveil organic men’s T-shirts and women’s tank tops whose entire proceeds will go to benefit Invisible Children. Guests will have the opportunity to get a preview of the men’s and women’s Invisible Children T- shirts prior to their arrival in all U.S. GUESS stores and www.guess.com in early November. The design inspiration for the men’s T-shirt ($29) was drawn from the shape of Africa, which is printed on the front of the shirt. The gradient text, which highlights the daily strife of the children in Uganda, drives home the message of peace, love, and hope reflected in the colors of the Uganda flag. The women’s tank top ($26) features the LOVE logo with the “O” representing the globe. Both shirts will be manufactured by EDUN LIVE out of Uganda from 100% percent certified organic cotton, and will support sustainable socioeconomic development in that country.

“We are excited to celebrate the launch event for the third collaboration between GUESS and Invisible Children,” says Maurice Marciano. “Not only am I thrilled to see the GUESS name aligned with Invisible Children, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for war-affected people in Northern Uganda, but it means so much to me personally that my daughters, Caroline and Olivia, came up with the initial idea to partner with this organization, and have spearheaded the partnership since its inception in 2006.”

Throughout the event, guests will enjoy savory and sweet hors d’oeuvres as well as signature beverages while enjoying the musical stylings of Pete Wentz and DJ White Shadow. Large plasma screens displayed throughout the store will show footage from Invisible Children documenting the bustling streets and dancing children of Uganda, as well as shots of the Lord Resistance Army, and will remind guests how revolutionary this organization has been since its launch in 2003. Guests will receive a 20% discount during event hours with a minimum donation of $5.00 to Invisible Children.

Fatboy Slim Jams For Oxfam

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Emily Ray

Fatboy Slim provided the entertainment at the third night of this year’s ‘Oxjam’ festival in a modest Oxfam shop in Tooting, London!

Stereo MCs and Basement Jaxx also offered their musical services, with the latter auctioning off two copies of their latest album ‘Scars’ – one of which reached £100.

Festival goers also had the chance to browse the store before Fatboy Slim’s performance and get their faces painted blue in honour of Oxfam’s new campaign for climate change.

Oxjam aims to fight poverty with music, from club to classical. Since 2006, over £1 million has been raised, with events continuing throughout October. To find out more, visit the Oxjam website

Celebrities Support The Amazon At "Crude" Screening

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

The New York Times’ Stephen Holden called it “A sprawling legal thriller with rare depth and power.” Village Voice’s Ed Gonzales called it “A Herculean work of investigative journalism.”

They’re talking about Crude, a new feature-length documentary meant to bring attention to and lay out both sides of the 27-billion-dollar lawsuit surrounding Chevron’s polluting of the Ecuadorean Amazon during its years of oil exploration.

While the press has been extolling the film’s efforts, celebrities such as Sean Penn, Rosanna Arquette and Dave Navarro are helping to bring attention to the 16-year trial by attending Crude’s premiers that are running through major US cities. Trudie Styler went so far as to invite 6,000 Chevron employees in San Francisco to see the film.

“You may know me as Sting’s wife,” she wrote, “and you may know of my work for the environment and human rights. You may also have heard my name mentioned as one of the celebrities speaking out in support of the 30,000 Ecuadorean citizens who are pursuing Chevron to clean up the pollution the company left behind in their homeland. Many people will assume that you and I must be on different sides of the fence on this issue. But I don’t believe that. I’m willing to bet that you and I, and all of your colleagues, agree that everyone has the fundamental right to the life-supporting elements of clean air and clean water…I’d like to give you the opportunity to make up your own mind about what has been going on in Ecuador, and to consider how justice can be achieved for the people suffering there. I’d like to invite you to the movies.”

Atossa Soltani, Executive Director of Amazon Watch, which hosted the Hollywood premier last month, is pleased with the reaction to Crude: “The film shows both sides and allows the audience to be the judge on whether Chevron is guilty. Chevron is fast losing the battle in the court of public opinion and showing clear signs that it is afraid of Crude.”   Amazon Watch’s Corporate Accountability Campaigner, Mitch Anderson wants as many people to see the movie as possible, and “to let Chevron know that it can no longer afford to evade it’s clean up responsibility in Ecuador.”

  You can visit the official film website here.

Neil Finn To Headline Charity Concert For Samoan Relief

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A concert featuring Crowded House’s Tim and Neil Finn – and a host of other New Zealand-based musicians – will take place in Auckland later this month to raise money for victims of last week’s Tsunami in Samoa.

The Finn Brothers will be joined by Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Elemeno P, Nesian Mystik, Che-Fu, King Kapisi and many more at Auckland’s Vector Arena on October 19. Also performing will be New Zealand Hip Hop stars Savage and Scribe, who both lost family in the disaster.

Aid agencies such as the Red Cross, World Vision, The Salvation Army and UNICEF are still seeking donations for the massive clean-up required after last week’s devastating disaster that killed over 180 people.

Tickets for the concert are NZ$25 and are available through Ticketmaster New Zealand.

Selena Gomez Wants To Raise $1 Million For UNICEF

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Ashley Parker

In early September, Disney Channel Star Selena Gomez spent several days in Ghana, West Africa. As the youngest UNICEF ambassador in history, Gomez witnessed the conditions so many children live with every day, ranging from unclean water to preventable diseases.

“Every day 25,000 children die from preventable causes," said Gomez. “I stand with UNICEF in the belief that we can change that number from 25,000 to zero.” Ghana is ranked 30 out of 195 countries with the highest mortality rates of children under the age of 5.

Gomez appreciates the role she is able to play in influencing the lives of those who look up to her. She hopes to raise $1 million for the foundation by the end of this year – increasing last year’s earnings by $400,000. She appears to be fulfilling the hopes UNICEF had in making her an ambassador, which were to “use her voice, recognition and commitment to children’s issues to fundraise, educate and advocate on behalf of UNICEF.”

Selena Gomez updated her fans several times via Twitter while in Ghana. “I’m having such a wonderful time helping and learning from this culture and life! I’m so honored to be a part of UNICEF! I can’t wait to help out more. It was truly a life-changing adventure!” She had the opportunity to visit children in Tamale and learn about how UNICEF is helping them. Gomez was able to spend time with children, teens and families in a number of tribes. To show their gratitude, women in one of those tribes presented her with a handmade outfit, which she immediately put on.

Before leaving, she took to her Twitter again. “Goodbye Africa. Thank you for allowing me to learn from you. Hope to see you again.”

Will Smith's Children Support Charity Initiative

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Jaden and Willow Smith – the actor children of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith – have spoken about their support for PROJECT ZAMBI, a charity initiative started by a group of Hasbro employees to help raise awareness and funds for the estimated 15 million children who have lost parents and relatives to the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

“Willow and I joined Project Zambi to represent all the kids out there who want to make the world a better place,” said Jaden. “We want to encourage kids everywhere to lend a hand and join us in spreading the word about how much children who have been orphaned by AIDS in Africa need our help.”

The children have joined a host of stars – including Jessica Biel, George Clooney, Glenn Close, Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joely Fisher & Brad Garrett, Jennie Garth & Peter Facinelli, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Jonas Brothers, Alicia Keys, Heidi Klum, Kathy Najimy, Rhea Perlman & Danny DeVito, Graham Rahal, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, Taylor Swift, James Taylor, Barbara Walters, Denzel Washington, and Naomi Watts – in signing toy elephants to benefit charities such as Keep A Child Alive, the African Children’s Choir, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, the Chikumbuso Women and Orphans Project, the Children of Uganda, Global Action for Children, the Global Fund, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages and many more.

“Project Zambi is about kids and for kids, and it’s so important that we all learn to take care of each other,” said Willow. “Even from the other side of the world, kids in Africa will know they have friends who care about them.”

The 10-day Project Zambi Celebrity Charity Auction is being held online via eBay beginning October 5 with bidding closing on October 15. Visitors will be able to log on to www.ebay.com/projectzambi.

Aid Agencies Seek Donations For Samoan Tsunami Vistims

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

New Zealand-born comedy actress Pamela Stephenson has given a harrowing first-hand account of the devastating Tsunami that hit Samoa last week.

The wife of Scottish comedian Billy Connolly was staying in Samoa and is urging the world to come to the aid of the island nation after the massive wave killed over 180 people – including villagers and tourists – and left many more homeless.

“Huge piles of debris lay everywhere; it was clear the wave had whacked every structure with incredible might,” she told the Guardian newspaper in the UK. “Cars teetered where they had been thrown, on top of rubble from collapsed dwellings. Fridges and air conditioners floated in the sea. I looked along the bay and saw that a well-known jetty was missing. So were villages that once lined the shore. I saw a thatched fale [house] surrounded by three policemen and some villagers. A woman was lying inside and someone was trying to revive her.”

New Zealanders have already donated over $600,000 to aid agencies operating on the islands, but the Red Cross and Oxfam are desperately asking for more.

“Any money given to the Red Cross for an emergency goes to that emergency, we ensure that it’s spent where it’s most needed and that’s at the ground in the communities,” said Andrew McKie from the Red Cross.

Organizations such as World Vision, The Salvation Army and UNICEF are also seeking donations.

“Many are homeless, but the extended family system means they will stay with relatives in other villages,” said Stephenson. “Samoans are extraordinary people, and their resilience is evident."

For more information on how to donate to victims of this disaster, click here.

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