Look To The Stars News: Refugees

Rev Run Wants Your Shoe Designs

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Run DMC co-founder Joseph Simmons – AKA Rev Run – recently hosted a charity event in New York for Soles4Souls.

The 44-year-old younger brother of Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons has partnered his shoe company, Run Athletics, with the Souls4Souls charity and encouraged guests at the event to donate shoes to send to Darfur. He also used the occasion to launch a new shoe design contest to raise money for the cause.

The winning design in the contest – which can be accessed at www.runathletics.com/soles4souls – will be manufactured and showcased at a special ceremony on December 17. The winners of the competition – and the top shoe donators at Simmons’ events – will receive a pair of limited edition Run Athletics sneakers.

Fergie Designs Star For Charity Auction

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie was in New York yesterday to unveil the new Swarovski star for the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, and now you can bid on a special Swarovski star designed by the songstress in a new charity auction.

www.clothesoffourback.org has just launched the new auction to benefit children’s charities such as Feeding America, The Art of Elysium, Hope North, and H.E.L.P. Malawi. Joining Fergie in designing crystal stars for this unique auction are Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Garner, Teri Hatcher, Kate Walsh, Kristin Chenoweth, Jane Kaczmarek, Forest Whitaker, Maria Bello, and many more.

To celebrate the auction, participating Swarovski stores across America invite you to join them for light refreshments tonight, November 13, between 6-8pm. All attendees will have the opportunity to win two celebrity stars designed by Maria Bello and Kristin Chenoweth, and will also have a chance to win one of two Swarovski gift packages including: a choice of celebrity star ornament, a 2008 Swarovski Annual Edition Christmas Ornament and a Swarovski Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Topper. Plus, with any purchase of $75, you will receive an exclusive Swarovski crystal snowflake T-Shirt, while supplies last. Money raised from the raffle will also benefit Clothes Off Our Back. Click here to find a participating store near you.

The auction runs until December 10 and can be accessed through the Clothes Off Our Back website.

Angelina Jolie Visits Afghanistan

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Angelina Jolie has returned home after visiting poverty-stricken families in Afghanistan last week.

The 33-year-actress spent last Wednesday and Thursday (October 22-23) in the country as part of her duties as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and visited with refugees who have returned to the country and are attempting to build new homes.

“Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 more than five million Afghans have returned home,“ she said. “Afghanistan has been struggling to absorb these massive returns. These families have been displaced for nearly 30 years and many of them face difficulties including food, shelter and basic services such as healthcare and education. They have suffered so much yet they remain gracious.”

Jolie spent her time in Nangarhar and Kabul, and raised awareness of a conference in Kabul next month to discuss the issue of the repatriation of refugees.

“The courage, resilience and quiet dignity of returnee families rebuilding their lives against the kind of adversity few of us can imagine shows the human spirit at its best.”

Angelina Jolie Helps Kids In Need Of Defense

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Angelina Jolie appeared at a symposium on international law and justice at the Council on Foreign Relations headquarters in New York on Friday to announce the launch of a new initiative to provide legal assistance for immigrant children.

The star has joined with Mircosoft and 25 other firms to establish Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), which aims to provide pro bono legal counsel to unaccompanied immigrant children in the United States so that they are treated fairly and compassionately in the immigration system.

“These children often have nothing; no money, no support and no family, yet they come to America seeking its promises of a better life,” she said. “But many end up becoming lost, traumatized, and ultimately forgotten. KIND provides each of them with the ability to have their legal rights protected and their voices heard.”

Currently, U.S. law provides no appointed counsel for unaccompanied children in immigration court proceedings. The new initiative will help guide them through proceedings which would normally be beyond their understanding.

Jolie also took the opportunity to urge politicians to rethink their laws regarding refugees.

“I’ve seen refugees return to live among the same people who attacked them,“ she told the symposium. “They are returning to the same lawlessness that sent them running in the first place. I’ve seen aid workers tear up as they put ladies on a bus and say, ‘I don’t know what we’re sending them back to.’ No mother who had her children killed in front of her, no young girl sold into slavery, no boy kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier and no young girl like the three-year-old I met in Sierra Leone who had her limbs cut off, should be expected to simply forget.”

More information on KIND can be found at their website.

Hope North To Benefit From Celebrity Clothes Auction

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Clothes Off Our Back has just launched an exciting new auction to benefit Hope North.

Clothes Off Our Back, founded by actors and philanthropists Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford, is currently holding an online auction with clothing, accessories & memorabilia from the Emmy Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Fashion Week & more. This auction includes items worn by Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Scarlett Johansson, Neil Patrick Harris, Jorge Garcia, Tommy Hilfiger, Helen Mirren and many others. The auction ends on October 21, and all proceeds will benefit Hope North along with three other charitable organizations.

Hope North is a 40-acre campus in northern Uganda where refugees, orphans and escaped child soldiers find a place to call home. With an accredited secondary school and vocational training center, this safe and vibrant cultural setting provides a haven for resident students to rebuild their lives through education and job training. A monthly donation as little as $10 can help these youth develop the skills and strength to build Uganda’s future after a brutal 22-year civil war.

This year, Hope North is one of four charitable organizations selected by Clothes Off Our Back to be beneficiaries of all online auctions held between June 2008 and May 2009. Over 500 celebrities and 200 designers have participated in Clothes Off Our Back auctions since its inception in 2002, helping raise nearly $3 million for various children’s charities.

“The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation started as a way for celebrities to literally give the clothes off their back and make them available to the public to help children in need,” said Michel Schneider, Executive Director of Clothes Off Our Back. “It is our pleasure to support Hope North as one of our current beneficiaries. If you love, fashion, entertainment and charity, make a bid and help a child.”

If you are interested in making a bid in the “Clothes Off Our Back” Emmy Awards Auction, visit Clothesoffourback.com.

British Stars Sign Favorite Books For Africa

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Some of Britain’s best loved stars have signed editions of their favorite books for a new charity auction.

Helen Mirren, Joanna Lumley, and Ian McKellen are amongst the celebrities to sign the books, which cover a wide variety of genres.

“Education offers a route out of poverty and books are the foundation of lifelong learning, yet the majority of people in Africa cannot afford books of their own,“ said Lesley Pinder, Book Aid International spokeswoman. “The proceeds from this online auction will help Book Aid International support reading and learning in some of the world’s poorest countries by getting books into libraries, universities, hospitals and refugee camps.”

The range of books chosen as favorites by the stars is vast and revealing. Mirren has signed Suite Francais by Irene Nemirovsky, Sir David Jason has chosen Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows – which he voiced for a BBC series in the 1980s – and Gary Lineker has inscribed A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein. Joanna Lumley has chosen Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, while Robbie Coltrane has signed Huckleberry Finn. Other names to take part include Twiggy, Alexander McCall Smith, Alan Rickman, Sue Townsend, Frederick Forsyth, Tim Rice, and Julian Fellowes.

Book Aid International is a non-profit organization that sends over half a million books to sub-Saharan Africa every year to support literacy, education and development. The books are almost always new books donated by UK publishers, and are distributed to national libraries, local and regional libraries, community libraries, schools, prisons, refugee camps, and NGO resource centers in 12 African countries. They also provide grants for purchasing books locally (especially those in local languages), and training and advice to ensure that books are targeted to the right groups of people and are well used.

The auction runs until October 27, and can be accessed through eBay.

A Big Concert For A Big Man With A Big Heart

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A charity concert honoring Luciano Pavarotti took place at the site of the ancient Jordanian city of Petra on Sunday night.

The show – which featured many of Pavarotti’s friends from across the music industry, including Sting, Jose Carreras, Andrea Bocelli, Jovanotti, Laura Pausini, Angela Gheorghiu, Andrea Griminelli, Cynthia Lawrence, and Roberto Alagna – raised money for projects in Afghanistan run by the UN Refugee Relief Agency and the World Food Program, as well as for the Petra archaeological site 180km south of Amman where the concert took place.

Organized by Nicoletta Mantovani – Pavarotti’s widow – with the support of HRH Princess Haya of Jordan, a UN Messenger of Peace, the concert was attended by 500 guests, including Jordan’s Queen Rania Al Abdullah.

Pavarotti actively supported UNHCR projects in Kosovo, Pakistan, Zambia, and Iraq before his death. For his continuous commitment to refugee causes, he received UNHCR’s Nansen Refugee Award and was named a UN Messenger of Peace.

Join Timbaland For The Gentlemen's Ball

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Join GQ and The Gentlemen’s Fund on October 15 for an exclusive fundraising event – The Gentlemen’s Ball – to celebrate and support all five 2008 Gentlemen’s Fund partner charities — MENC: The National Association for Music Education, The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, The Alliance For Climate Protection, Hope North, and the Steve Nash Foundation.

The Gentlemen’s Fund was established to provide support and awareness for five cornerstones essential to men: opportunity, health, education, environment, and mentorship. A celebrity ambassador has been selected for each cornerstone, including Mark Wahlberg for opportunity, Steve Nash for health, Forest Whitaker for mentorship, Usher for the environment, and Timbaland for education.

The Gentlemen’s Ball will include cocktails and dinner, and a special performance from Timbaland. One ticket is $2,500 and admits 2 guests, and includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, full open bar, seated three-course dinner, live music performance, and chauffeured roundtrip car service to and from the Edison Ballroom (from one designated address within the New York Metro area only).

More information can be found at the Gentlemen’s Fund website.

Celebrity Apprentice 2 To Feature Annie Duke

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

NBC will aim to repeat the success that was Celebrity Apprentice when a new series of the show premieres in January 2009.

Although most of the contestants cannot be named or have yet to commit, professional poker player Annie Duke confirmed her involvement during the weekend.

According to a statement made on www.ultimatebet.com on Friday, ““Annie Duke wasn’t able to attend… the Aruba Poker Classic because, as you may have heard, she was selected to be on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice this season. She had to fly to L.A. for the premiere party and she’ll be competing for the Ante Up for Africa charity. Annie and Donald Trump in the same boardroom… that should make for some interesting TV.”

Duke is well known for her work with Ante Up For Africa, a celebrity poker tournament she organizes annually with Don Cheadle that aims to raise money and public awareness for the crisis in Darfur. Participants are asked to contribute half of their tournament winnings to the ENOUGH Project and the International Rescue Committee, organizations whose goals include raising public awareness and providing aid to the survivors of Darfur.

The first series of Celebrity Apprentice, which was won by Piers Morgan, raised over $1 million for a range of charities.

Pavarotti To Be Honored With Charity Concert

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti is to be honored at a tribute charity concert in Petra, Jordan, a year after his death.

Proceeds from the concert – to be held on October 12 – will go towards projects in Afghanistan by the UN Refugee Relief Agency and the World Food Program, as well as to the Petra archaeological site 180km south of Amman where the concert will take place.

The audience – limited to about 500 people – will be entertained by many of Pavarotti’s friends from across the music industry, including Sting, Jose Carreras, Andrea Bocelli, Jovanotti, Laura Pausini, Angela Gheorghiu, Andrea Griminelli, Cynthia Lawrence, and Roberto Alagna. The event is being organised by Nicoletta Mantovani – Pavarotti’s widow – with the support of HRH Princess Haya of Jordan, a UN Messenger of Peace.

“This is an event born of the desire of everybody to remember Luciano, with songs dedicated to him or ones that he had sung,” said Mantovani.

UN Praise For Pitt And Clooney

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

In the first week of the Venice Film Festival, Brad Pitt and George Clooney have once again been combining film and philanthropy.

The famous duo continued their recent tradition by holding a fundraising gala last Tuesday in support of their Not On Our Watch charity.

In its first year, the charity has raised more than $7 million to help victims of humanitarian crises and disasters, according to executive director Alex Wagner. This single event on Venice’s Giudecca Island was expected to raise as much as $2 million.

The group has received heartfelt praise from the United Nations after its March grant of $500,000 to keep U.N. aircraft flying aid into the Darfur region of Sudan. This followed a $1 million donation to the same program a year earlier.

The World Food Program’s air service to Darfur brings 3,000 aid workers a month to the stricken region, where the U.N. charity fed 3.3 million people last month. Almost 100 World Food Program food trucks have been hijacked this year, and the air service is becoming ever more critical.

U.N. spokesoman Bettina Luescher emphasised the importance of the donation to the air service: “We sent out a press release one day saying we were on the verge of closing it down and the next day we had $500,000.

“They shine the light on the real emergencies and step up where we really need help.”

Brad Pitt And George Clooney Hold Fundraising Dinner

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hollywood hunks Brad Pitt and George Clooney will kick off this year’s Venice film festival on Wednesday, August 27, with the world premiere of their latest film and a fundraising dinner for charity.

The dinner will benefit Not On Our Watch, the organization the pair founded to raise awareness of the crisis in Darfur and emphasize global humanitarian issues. It is expected to attract a number of high profile guests, and will take place on August 26, the day before the festival opens. Clooney and Pitt will also appear at the premiere of their new crime comedy Burn After Reading, directed by 2008 Oscar-winning duo Joel and Ethan Coen and co-starring John Malkovitch and Tilda Swinton.

Brad Pitt is also happy to announce that a New Orleans company has been contracted to provide the solar panels for the first wave of new homes being constructed in his Make It Right campaign in the Hurricane Katrina-devastated Lower 9th Ward of the city.

“We are excited to have been selected by Make It Right New Orleans for this important residential project in New Orleans,” said Troy Von Otnott, president of South Coast Solar (SCS), the company who will provide the panels. “The utilization of solar power for these homes will enable these returning homeowners to live in more environmentally responsible homes that use less energy, which for the homeowners will translate into significantly lower energy bills.”

SCS was chosen following a nationwide call for interested companies to submit proposals. The company will also be the solar power consultant for the first Make It Right homes, and the first wave of installations is expected to be finished on August 29 – the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The Chips Are Up For Africa

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

The Second Annual ‘Ante Up for Africa’ poker tournament was held on July 2nd in Las Vegas, and drew an impressive field of poker pro’s, celebrities and athletes – all of who helped make the event a success by raising over $400,000 for charity.

The event, co-hosted by humanitarian/actor Don Cheadle and poker pro Annie Duke, is already having a positive impact in Darfur – notably in reference to a UN Security Council vote authorizing a peacekeeping force in the area. “It wouldn’t have taken place [without us],” said Cheadle.

“It’s just great to see everybody,” Cheadle said as the event began.

The mood was comical at some tables,”All the tournaments I’ve ever won have been for charity,“ said actor Jason Alexander. “When there’s no actual money for me, I’m very good.”

Adam Sandler cracked his first joke as the first hand was dealt, “I just want to hurry up and lose my money and go home to my wife.”

Matt Damon busted out of the tournament early, while seasoned poker pal Ben Affleck made it all the way to the final table before losing to John Hennigan.

Affleck said he remains optimistic about the situation in Darfur, “I do think that [Sudan’s leaders] are afraid of the next administration being tougher, and are probably a little bit more willing to be more cooperative. But I’m optimistic about what’s going to happen.”

Other celebrities who kicked in the $5k for a spot at the felt included Charles Barkley, Jennifer Tilly, Shannon Elizabeth, Ray Romano, Casey Affleck, and poker pro Phil Helmuth among others.

The tournament benefited two charities: ENOUGH, a project co-founded in 2007 by the International Crisis Group and the Center for American Progress; and Not On Our Watch (NOOW), a group co-founded by Cheadle, Damon, George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Jolie-Pitt Foundation Donates To War Children

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have donated $1 million to support the education of war-affected children through their Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

The Education Partnership for Children of Conflict will distribute the donation to four organizations working with children who have lost parents and homes in Iraq, and children in the United States who have lost parents in the conflict will also benefit.

“These educational support programs for children of conflict are the best way to help them heal,” said Jolie, who co-chairs the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict.

“We hope to encourage others to give to these great organizations,” added Pitt.

$500,000 will go to the Armed Services YMCA Operation Hero Program, which will provide educational tutors and counseling to 2,500 children affected by the war in America. The remainder will be split between three organizations operating in Iraq: Women for Women International, which provides books, school supplies and other basic necessities to Iraqi women and children; the International Rescue Committee, which will repair three schools and offer classes for more than 2,500 students; and www.NineMillion.org – a UNHCR campaign – which will donate learning materials to more than 2,000 displaced Iraqi children.

Aid will also go to refugee children and school rehabilitation programs.

Celebrities To Raise Stakes For Africa Again

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

The 2008 ‘Ante Up For Africa’ Poker Tournament at the World Series of Poker will be held on July 2 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The tournament is the brainchild of actor Don Cheadle and poker pro Annie Duke, who created the event to raise money and awareness for the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan.

“After the success of last year’s tournament, we are looking forward to another exciting year while raising awareness for an ongoing crisis,” Duke said. “It is exciting to bring the world of poker and entertainment together, and we are once again asking players who win prize money to donate half of their winnings to our charities.”

Last year’s inaugural event raised more than $700,000, thanks in part to the stellar list of celebrities, athletes, and poker professionals who participated.

Confirmed to participate in this year’s event are Cheadle, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Sandler, Ray Romano, Charles Barkley, Jason Kidd, Kevin Pollack, Cheryl Hines, George Lopez, Joe Trohman from Fall Out Boy, and more.

“The poker community has a unique opportunity to help ease the suffering in Darfur,” said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP commissioner. “The stars are coming out for this special event once again and we encourage everyone to register early before we sell out.”

Two charities will benefit form this year’s Ante Up For Africa showdown – the ENOUGH Project and Not On Our Watch.

ENOUGH is joint initiative of the International Crisis Group and the Center for American Progress, which aims to end crimes against humanity in Darfur, Northern Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The organization also hopes to prevent future mass atrocities around the world.

Not On Our Watch, which was founded by George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, strives to focus global attention and resources on putting an end to mass atrocities around the world. It takes its name from the book authored by Cheadle and John Prendergast, and draws on the voices of celebrities, cultural leaders and activists to help bring the crisis to the public’s attention and generate humanitarian assistance for the nation.

The tournament is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on July 2.

Karaoke With The Stars Raises Much Needed Cash

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Gwyneth Paltrow might be about to outshine Coldplay-singing husband Chris Martin behind the microphone… but maybe not quite yet. The 35-year-old actress showed off her vocal talents at a charity karaoke show in London last Thursday, after a $90,000 bid prompted her to take to the stage.

The event, held at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, attracted a number of stars to get up on stage and sing their favorite tunes to benefit the Hoping Foundation. Hosted by veteran presenter Bruce Forsyth, the evening’s entertainment hoped to raise $1 million to help Palestinian children.

Paltrow is reported to have sung Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly”, and gained a standing ovation for her effort. Other stars to hit the stage included Jeff Beck, Jarvis Cocker, Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Stella McCartney, and Lily Cole.

This is the second year that Karaoke With The Stars has been held by the Hoping Foundation, with last year’s event raising over $700,000 to go towards the community programs the Foundation runs in refugee camps.

Alliance for the Lost Boys Nominated for a ‘Stevie Award’

Thu, 22 May 2008 11:11:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

The 6th annual Stevie Awards will be presented on June 12 in New York City, and the Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan has been named as a finalist in the Public Relations category for its fundraising/awareness campaign video: “Mission SSS.”  

The Stevie Awards were created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of companies and business people worldwide. More than 2,600 entries from companies in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories, including Best Overall Company, Best Executive, Best New Product or Service, Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program, and new categories including Best Management Team and Best Corporate Environmental Responsibility Program.

Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan will be competing in the Public Relations category with their “Mission SSS” awareness and fundraising video that was launched in schools across the US this year.

  “We are extremely honored to be named as finalist in the prestigious 2008 Stevie Awards. It’s incredible to think that we made this video with a budget of zero dollars, and yet, we are being honored among finalist of the most prominent corporations in America,” Ms. Hecht, Founder and President of the Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan, said. “We hope that the national exposure from this esteemed honor will bring us a broader support base and recognition for our foundation and the people that we serve. I am extremely thankful for the  commitment and dedication of our Board of Directors, local Lost Boys, and everyone who has contributed their time and talents to make our foundation and this campaign a huge success.”

Celebrities who have supported the Lost Boys’ cause include Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Manute Bol, and Luol Deng among others.

The ‘Mission-SSS’ campaign video was written, directed, and co-produced by Joan Hecht along with assistance from a local production specialist.  

“Because of the Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan, lives are being changed and, in many cases, saved due to the selfless efforts and compassion of everyday people who have joined their hands and hearts to help those in need.”

  The Stevie Award winners will be announced during the annual gala on Thursday, June 12 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Look to the Stars congratulates and applauds the Alliance for the Lost of Boys of Sudan for their hard work and dedication. Hopefully, they bring home the ‘Stevie statue,’ which was designed by R.S. Owens, the same company that makes the Oscar, Emmy, and Clio Awards. The Stevie trophy is a 16 inch tall, hand-cast 24-karat gold statuette, holding aloft a crystal pyramid that represents the hierarchy of human needs, a system developed in the 1960s by psychologist Abraham Maslow, who observed that after their basic needs are met, human beings seek the esteem of their peers. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at www.stevieawards.com/aba.

 Established in 2004, Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan is an all-volunteer 501 C-3 foundation that assists with the health and educational needs of Lost Boys/Girls. To date, the Alliance has assisted  over 50 Lost Boys and Sudanese refugees with college tuition and books and has provided life changing surgeries and medical treatment for numerous Lost Boys and their families, both in the US and Africa. They support numerous projects in Southern Sudan, such as the building of hospitals, schools and orphanages. In addition to educating Lost Boys and Sudanese refugees in the US and Sudan, Alliance president Joan Hecht and local Lost Boys speak at schools and organizations around the US in an effort to educate the American public on the atrocities occurring in Southern Sudan and Darfur.

The Stevie Awards created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of companies and business people worldwide. Their mission is to raise the profile of exemplary companies and individuals among the press, the business community, and the general public.

Don Cheadle and Warner Take On The Darfur Genocide

Mon, 19 May 2008 10:55:52 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Warner’s documentary release, Darfur Now, is now on video priced at $4.99 – Warner Home Video is donating a portion of the proceeds to the Jewish World Watch’s Solar Cooker Project.

The Solar Cooker Project provides solar cookers to families in refugee camps, usually made up of widows caring for orphans, so that women do not have to leave the safe confines of the camp to search for cooking firewood. These women, who have managed to escape the genocide in Darfur and make their way to Chad, often become victims of rape, beatings and mutilation while searching for wood in the desert. In under two years, the Project is already being recognized for reducing the incidence of attacks on women refugees along Sudan’s border.

This is yet another example of the point Darfur Now is trying to make. Although it was filmed in and about the war-ravaged region in Sudan, it is not a movie of despair. Rather, in an effort to motivate people around the world to take notice and get involved, the film is one of hope as it follows the stories of six individuals who are working to combat the genocide in different ways: One helps financially, another by persecuting war criminals in the Hague, others by getting food to the starving, joining a rebel group to fight, running a refugee camp, and Don Cheadle, attempting to explain genocide and informing how to stop it.

Producer Cathy Schulman told Rotten Tomatoes in an interview: “[We] wanted to make a movie that was about making a difference as opposed to doing an exposé; a movie that had hope. For Don [Cheadle] and I, [it] was so important to us to answer a certain question. In our own lives we ask, “Why, when we hear tragedies happening on other sides of the world, do people say, ‘Well, that’s too bad but it’s so far away and so complicated, what can I possibly do?’” So the question was, ‘Can we make a film that brings the conflict closer?’”

The answer, it seems, is yes.

A $30 donation to the Solar Cooker Project will provide a family with two solar cookers, two pots, two pot holders, a year’s supply of plastic bags and skills training for refugee women and girls.

Stars Call for Action on Disaster Relief

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:48:24 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Compassion is showing itself to be a universal language, as people from around the world are taking steps to help victims of the recent natural disasters in Asia. Celebrities are flocking to support the desperate nation of Burma/Myanmar, with Not On Our Watch, the charity started by Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, George Clooney and Jerry Weintraub, donating $500,000 towards rescue operations.

The group will use $250,000 for its own relief efforts, and has donated $250,000 of that amount to Save the Children, who, with UNICEF, are two of the few relief organizations currently deployed due to the military government’s reluctance to allow aid workers into the country. According to Britain’s Department for International Development, the country needs at least 10 times the amount of aid that the ruling junta leaders are currently allowing in.

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden have just released a PSA made in support of UNICEF’s work towards helping the victims of May 2nd’s cyclone, asking people to give what they can to help the survivors of the disaster which has left tens of thousands dead, and hundreds of thousands suffering.

Queen Elizabeth II has also made a “significant” personal donation to the efforts. While the amount of the donation was not disclosed, it is believed that the donation went to Britain’s Disasters Emergency Committee. The first British relief flight left Dubai on Monday, carrying shelter material for 43,000 families.

Organizing aid for victims of Monday’s 7.9 earthquake in China is Jackie Chan, who donated $1.4 million with charity-fund partner Emperor Entertainment Group chairman Albert Yeung. The earthquake, which has killed 12,000 people, was felt as far away as Thailand.

To make donations to help cyclone victims in Burma, visit the Save the Children, UNICEF and the Disasters Emergency Committee websites, and to help victims of the earthquake in China, visit Jackie Chan’s donation page, and choose “China Earthquake Fund”.

Time 100 - Tribute to Brad and Angelina by George Clooney

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:20:52 -0000

As previously mentioned, this year’s “Time 100 List” is out. We would like to share with our readers some of Time’s chosen Heroes & Pioneers, celebrities who are making a difference. Below is the full tribute to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, written by George Clooney, and we’ll feature further tributes in the coming days:

“It is one thing to talk about the problems of the world and quite another to actually try to change things.

“As a team, actors Brad Pitt, 44, and Angelina Jolie, 32, have served as our goodwill ambassadors worldwide. They brought help to Pakistan in 2005, after a catastrophic earthquake killed tens of thousands of people and left millions homeless. They have tended to the poor and sick in Africa. And they’ve raised global awareness—and contributed $1 million of their own money—for the victims of atrocities in Darfur. Brad co-founded Not On Our Watch, an organization set up to focus global attention on Darfur and other hot spots.

“In the U.S., Brad and Angelina didn’t just talk about, or even just throw money at, the tragic fallout from Hurricane Katrina. They actually moved to New Orleans and have set about trying to make right what so many have made wrong. Brad established a project to finance and build 150 new homes in the Ninth Ward.

“Angelina has worked tirelessly through the United Nations on behalf of refugees around the world, touring border camps in Africa, Asia and Latin America and lobbying on Capitol Hill. The couple cares for three adopted children, from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam, in addition to their biological daughter.

“There are hundreds of people who could be honored for their good works, but I’ve seen Brad and Angelina firsthand, and their commitment together is truly impressive.”

Clooney himself is well-known for philanthropic work, and is actively engaged in trying to resolve the Darfur crisis.

Pitt and Jolie Among Time's Most Influential People

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:30:24 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

TIME magazine placed Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie together in 21st place in its latest annual list of the world’s most influential people, and George Clooney stepped up to write a glowing tribute.

Jolie and Pitt were among the “Heroes and Pioneers” of the list, and the couple’s friend summarises the reasons for their selection:

“There are hundreds of people who could be honored for their good works, but I’ve seen Brad and Angelina firsthand, and their commitment together is truly impressive.”

Clooney praised the pair’s concrete and personal actions, saying, “They brought help to Pakistan in 2005, after a catastrophic earthquake killed tens of thousands of people and left millions homeless. They have tended to the poor and sick in Africa. And they’ve raised global awareness—and contributed $1 million of their own money—for the victims of atrocities in Darfur.”

Pitt and Clooney co-founded Not On Our Watch to address the Darfur crisis, and Clooney was obviously impressed by the charitable integrity his friends demonstrated in helping with the Hurricane Katrina aftermath: “They actually moved to New Orleans and have set about trying to make right what so many have made wrong. Brad established a project [Make It Right] to finance and build 150 new homes in the Ninth Ward.”

Similarly proud of charity poster child Jolie, Clooney writes, “Angelina has worked tirelessly through the United Nations on behalf of refugees around the world, touring border camps in Africa, Asia and Latin America and lobbying on Capitol Hill.”

Other celebrities noted in the TIME 100 list for their philanthropy include Oprah (with a tribute written by Michelle Obama), Mia Farrow (for her work with UNICEF and more), Andre Agassi (with a tribute by Andy Roddick), and Lance Armstrong (at position 26).

Iggy Pop Supports The Children's Society

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:03:42 -0000

Written by Richard Alan Krieger

The Children’s Society chose punk legend Iggy Pop’s song “Lust for Life” as their theme for a garden entry in last year’s Chelsea Flower Show. The garden won a Silver medal at the London event, using as a main feature an arc of water which moved in rhythmic patterns to his song.

“I’m honoured The Children’s Society’s garden is inspired by my music and wholeheartedly support the work they do – they rock,” remarked Iggy. He went on to say, ‘It’s awesome The Children’s Society’s ‘Lust for Life’ garden won a Silver medal. It’s great to know my music reaches out to so many and inspires’ following with ‘I’m getting a big kick out of making music for the Children’s Society. All kids deserve a good childhood.’

Iggy and the Stooges also headlined a benefit concert called Rock The House for The Children’s Society in the grounds of Harewood House in Leeds on August 31, 2007.

The Children’s Society in partnership with The Co-operative returns to the Chelsea Flower Show this May for the show’s new category called, “The Front Garden,” a theme that addresses the loss of front urban gardens.

Designer Mark Gregory said: “This is a garden with children and families at its heart. This design proves that you can have a practical, usable space and be environmentally responsible. The Children’s Society Garden is a garden for future generations – we’re making front gardens green again.”

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