Look To The Stars News: Jimmy Carter

Garth Brooks Builds Houses For Haiti

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were in Haiti with Habitat For Humanity last week, where they were among the 500 volunteers who helped to build 100 homes in partnership with families affected by the 2010 earthquake.

Garth Brooks helps move a wall into place during Habitat for Humanity’s 2011 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in the Santo community in Haiti.

Celebrities Support Troy Davis Ahead Of Execution

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:05:00 +0000

On September 21, the state of Georgia is set to execute Troy Davis in the face of overwhelming evidence that he is innocent, and a number of celebrities are lending him their support through Amnesty USA.

Troy Davis was convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer in 1991. However, the case against him consisted entirely of witness testimony which contained inconsistencies even at the time of the trial. Since then, all but two of the state’s non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony.

Many of these witnesses have stated in sworn affidavits that they were pressured or coerced by police into testifying or signing statements against Troy Davis.

Help Free The Children With Richard Branson

Wed, 25 May 2011 14:00:00 +0000

CharityBuzz.com is currently running a celebrity charity auction that will see two lucky people join Richard Branson at a special cocktail party in Miami on June 25.

According to the charity auction website: "Richard Branson is possibly the most-fascinating man of our time: entrepreneur, explorer, multi-billionaire. And every man on the street we asked in our informal public opinion poll of Branson’s image agrees — he seems a great guy, someone you’d love to have a beer with and hangout. Maybe it’s his disarming charm, likability and devilish smile. Being a committed environmentalist and philanthropist doesn’t hurt either.

“It would seem that with literally hundreds of business irons in the fire, charity and change for good might take a back seat. Not so. The list of well-organized and well-funded efforts for social good is substantial, and it’s no surprise that Branson’s entrepreneurial approach to social change means more bang for the buck, or pound as it were:

George Clooney And Friends Support We Want Peace Campaign

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:30:00 +0000

London-based former Sudanese child soldier, political advocate and hip-hop recording artist Emmanuel Jal is spearheading a political awareness campaign supported by George Clooney, Alicia Keys, Kofi Annan, Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel. The singer launched the digital download single “We Want Peace” on Monday 13th December 2010.

The song will be available to download from all leading digital download retailers or from the official website www.we-want-peace.com. Emmanuel Jal is encouraging people around the world to visit the official website, to become ‘peace soldiers’ and sign a peace awareness petition that will call for a timely, free and fair referendum in Southern Sudan and equality, freedom, and justice for all Sudanese.

“The main objective is for supporters from around the world to visit the official “We Want Peace” website and sign up to become ‘Peace Soldiers’," says Jal.

Habitat For Humanity Launches World Habitat Day

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

On Oct. 4, Habitat For Humanity will join efforts around the world to mark World Habitat Day – a day the United Nations has set aside to call attention to the dire need for affordable, adequate housing.

Habitat For Humanity is a global organization supported by a large number of celebrities, including Kellan Lutz, Joel Madden, Jimmy Carter, Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Zac Efron and many more.

On Oct. 4, 2010, in recognition of World Habitat Day, Habitat for Humanity will raise awareness of the need for improved shelter and highlight Habitat’s priorities: the worldwide connection between human health and housing, and, in the United States, neighborhood revitalization. These themes echo the United Nations’ chosen theme for 2010 for events in the host city of Shanghai, China and the rest of the world: “Better City, Better Life.”

Jimmy Carter Wants To Eradicate Polio And Measles

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

In an op-ed by former US president Jimmy Carter and former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan last month, the two laid out a troubling view of the Millennium Development Goal number four: to reduce under-five child mortality by two-thirds by 2015 will not be possible.

The problem, as they see it, is in the diminishing funding of vaccination programs. Country-wide immunization campaigns provide trained personnel who deliver vaccinations, properly, to all children, while at the same time providing other benefits such as medicines, insecticide-treated bed-nets for malaria control, etc.

Despite some reassuring statistics, like a 78 percent decrease in polio and measles since 2000, the funding for measles control has dropped 75 percent since 2007, and over 30 African countries have had measles outbreaks over the past year.

World March For Peace Starts In New Zealand

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +0000

The World March for Peace and Non-Violence kicked off in Wellington, New Zealand, today, beginning a trek that will visit 90 countries on 6 continents, ending in Argentina on January 2 of next year.

Marchers braved chilling winds in the country’s capital to start the march, which has been endorsed by world leaders and celebrities such as Penelope Cruz, Viggo Mortensen, Desmond Tutu, Martin Sheen, Jane Fonda, Jimmy Carter, Lou Reed, Yoko Ono, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Bryan Adams and many more.

The 160,000-kilometre (99,419 mile) march has been organized by World Without Wars. A core group of 25 marchers will complete the entire journey, carrying with them a “nuclear abolition torch” taken from the Hiroshima Flame which was lit from embers following the 1945 nuclear explosion in Japan. The primary goals of the World March include:

Jimmy Carter Blasts Religious Discrimination Against Women

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:00:00 +0000

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28).

So quoted former US president Jimmy Carter in The Observer last month in response to the Southern Baptist Convention’s declaration that women must be subservient to their husbands and may not serve as members of clergy in the military.

Frustrated by widespread discrimination against women throughout religious orders, and the manipulation of religious verses to encourage such behavior, Carter decided to sever his 60-year relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Roving Billboards Marked Hiroshima Day

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Organizers of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence marked Hiroshima Day last week by launching roving celebrity billboards throughout midtown Manhattan.

The billboards featured the faces of many of the national presidents, Hollywood actors, musicians, Nobel Laureates and religious leaders who have endorsed the World March to demonstrate their deep concern about the unprecedented nuclear threat facing the world today. These included Penelope Cruz, Viggo Mortensen, Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Lou Reed, Yoko Ono, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Bryan Adams and many more.

“It’s important to mark this day not only to remember what happened but to prevent a future nuclear catastrophe,” said World March spokesperson Chris Wells. “The situation is far more dangerous and unstable than people realize. There is a growing call for abolition, in the UN, with Obama and Medvedev, and civil initiatives like the World March for Peace and Nonviolence and Global Zero. But we need to build up massive public support to make sure it happens.”

President Obama To Award Medals Of Freedom Today

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

President Obama has named 16 recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom. America’s highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

This year’s awardees were chosen for their work as agents of change. Among their many accomplishments in fields ranging from sports and art to science and medicine to politics and public policy, these men and women have changed the world for the better. They have blazed trails and broken down barriers. They have discovered new theories, launched new initiatives, and opened minds to new possibilities.

President Obama said, "These outstanding men and women represent an incredible diversity of backgrounds. Their tremendous accomplishments span fields from science to sports, from fine arts to foreign affairs. Yet they share one overarching trait: Each has been an agent of change. Each saw an imperfect world and set about improving it, often overcoming great obstacles along the way.

John And Yoko's Bed-In Recreated For Peace

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:00 +0000

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s Bed-In, the organizing committee of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence will be holding a “Bed-In for Peace and Nonviolence” at the Cherry Hill Fountain Terrace in Central Park on August 16th from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m, where they will pay tribute to John Lennon, and Yoko Ono, and the timeless cause of peace. Cherry Hill Fountain Terrace is located adjacent to Strawberry Field inside the park.

A “Peace Bed” will be set-up where the public can express their thoughts on peace, nuclear proliferation and violence just as Lennon and Ono brought attention to the violence of the Vietnam War from their honeymoon bed. The event will feature activities like sign painting, face painting, poetry reading and a live recording of the new song “We Want Peace on Earth” by Mark Lesseraux and Earthdriver at 3 p.m. The public is invited to sing along.

World March US spokesperson Chris Wells will be on hand to speak to the press. Says Wells, “the Bed-in is a tribute to two remarkable people who dared to dream and used their imagination to promote and support the planet’s most urgent need.” Other Bed-ins have been organized by the World March for Peace and Nonviolence to date in Montreal, Rio, Prague, Helsinki, Ireland, San Clemente, Munich, Madrid and Berlin.

Yoko Ono Supports Peace Initiative

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Yoko Ono is supporting the 40th anniversary celebrations of her famous Bed-In for Peace by encouraging a new public show of solidarity calling for nuclear disarmament and an end to war as a means of solving conflicts.

The World March for Peace and Nonviolence is planning to create a giant peace sign using people dressed in white at the Cherry Hill Terrace Fountain which is adjacent to Strawberry Fields of New York’s Central Park on August 16. There will also be a special bed in place for anyone to experience and express their views on peace.

According to the organizers: “40 years ago, John Lennon and Yoko Ono invited the world into their bed and asked us to give peace a chance. Today, with the threat of nuclear confrontation more real than ever, it is time to loudly affirm that the will for peace is stronger than the will for war, and to proudly engage in nonviolent acts of support for a world without wars or violence.”

Presidential Baseball Catches $82,500 For Charity

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:45:00 +0000

The Carter Center’s annual Winter Weekend auction held on February 7 at Port St. Lucie and featured last month on Look To The Stars has raised $817,590 to help support the work of the not-for-profit Center, advancing peace and health worldwide.

The highest bid item at the fundraiser was an original painting by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, which sold for $100,000. More than 100 auction items, including a baseball signed by President Barack Obama, historic memorabilia from the White House, presidential elections, the space race, and American sports were offered for public auction.

Some of the highest fundraisers included:

Catch A Baseball Signed By Five US Presidents For Charity

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0000

A complete set of Harry Potter books signed by author JK Rowling and artworks signed by former president Jimmy Carter are some of the items up for sale in an exciting new auction to raise money for an organization that promotes peace and health worldwide and monitors elections in struggling democracies.

Over 100 items will be up for grabs in the auction, to benefit the Carter Center. One of the most sought-after prizes is a baseball signed by five American presidents – George Bush Sr, George W. Bush Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter. Also raising eyebrows and bids will be a a certificate commemorating the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, signed by Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong. There are also photographs taken on the moon and signed by the astronauts, as well as guitars signed by Crosby, Stills and Nash, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Michael Stipe, Bruce Springsteen and Kid Rock.

The auction will take place during the Carter Center’s annual Winter Weekend celebration Feb. 7 in Port St. Lucie. More information about the auction and how to bid online can be found at the Carter Center website.

Peter Gabriel Talks About The Elders

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Rock star and humanitarian Peter Gabriel has commented on the inspiration behind forming The Elders, the group of public figures he established with Richard Branson to solve global figures.

“People have lost trust in a lot of institutions around the world, but they still have faith in certain of key individuals,” said the 58-year-old. “We felt that if we could get a group of elder statesmen and women together, they could have an influence and leverage and help on a few situations. We went to Nelson Mandela and he set it up a couple of years ago. We have Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan. They can connect people on the ground who are suffering with people who can make a phone call.”

The Global Elders group was set up in 2007 to bring “almost 1,000 years of collective experience” to work on solutions for seemingly insurmountable problems like climate change, HIV/AIDS, and poverty, and “use their political independence to help resolve some of the world’s most intractable conflicts.” There are currently 12 active members, including Jimmy Carter and Aung San Suu Kyi. They have launched peace missions in Darfur, the Middle East, and Zimbabwe.

Julie Benz To Host US Campaign For Burma Dinner

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Fans of Dexter may like to get down to Beso on Hollywood Blvd later tonight, December 30, as one of the show’s stars is hosting a special charity gala.

Julie Benz, who plays Rita on Dexter, is hosting the Celebrity Foundation Dinner to benefit the US Campaign for Burma and the Human Rights Action Center. The evening will also include a performance by Jose Cortes from the Gipsy Kings, and stars such as Sylvester Stallone, Jason Biggs, Jenny Mollen Biggs, Stacy Dash, Maria Conchita Alonso, and Valerie Cruz are expected to attend.

The US Campaign for Burma aims to help the people of Burma achieve their dreams of freedom, peace, democracy, and human rights. The organization is dedicated to empowering grassroots activists around the world to bring about an end to the military dictatorship in Burma.

World Leaders Ask For UN Help In Burma

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:30:00 +0000

A massive group of former world leaders, presidents, and prime ministers – including Mikhail Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Tony Blair, and George Bush Sr – have written to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to ask him to secure the release of all political prisoners in Burma by the end of this year.

“We write this letter to applaud your public consideration of traveling to Burma, also known as Myanmar, before the end of the year,” the leaders wrote in the letter. “We encourage this trip because it would illustrate for the world whether or not the Burmese military regime is serious about making changes called for by the United Nations Security Council and your good offices.”

The Burmese military regime is currently trying to silence the people of Burma through a major crackdown on human rights activists, but the leaders from 50 countries have joined the effort to set them free and make their voices heard.

Taylor Swift Teams With Def Leppard For TV Gig

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:00:00 +0000

On October 6, a very special fusion of musical styles will take place in Nashville when teen country sensation Taylor Swift joins with classic British rockers Def Leppard for a one-off gig for TV. And although the event is invitation-only and closed to the public, they really want you to be there.

Swift and the Leppards have organized a charity auction that will let two couples attend the taping of Crossroads, with proceeds going to Country Music Television’s (CMT) One Country charity, Hands On Nashville.

“Every time I’ve seen ‘Crossroads’ on CMT I’ve always thought, ‘If I ever get to do one of those, it HAS to be with Def Leppard!,’ so this is really a dream come true for me,” said Swift. “I have been screaming the words to Def Leppard songs for years so it’s amazing that I’m going to get to share a stage with them this year!”

Peter Gabriel To Receive Amnesty International Honor

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Peter Gabriel is to receive a special award for his humanitarian work today, September 10.

The 58-year-old singer has been named as the recipient of Amnesty International’s 2008 Ambassador of Conscience Award, an acolade that recognizes exceptional individual leadership in the fight to protect and promote human rights. Inspired by a poem written for Amnesty International by Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, the award aims to promote the work of the human rights organization by drawing attention to the work high profile people carry out, and former recipients include Nelson Mandela, U2, Mary Robinson and Vaclav Havel.

Gabriel is well known for his work with human rights around the world, and first worked with Amnesty when he helped organize the Conspiracy of Hope Tour with Bono in 1986. He went on to found Witness, a video community campaigning for Human Rights, and more recently became a founding member of The Elders – a private alliance of senior global figures who want to launch diplomatic assaults on the globe’s most intractable problems – along with Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Richard Branson, and Jimmy Carter.

Presidents Speak Out Against Government Condoned Torture

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:30:00 +0000

Amnesty International, in challenging the arguments for torture, has posted interviews on YouTube of former US president Jimmy Carter, former Ireland president Mary Robinson, government officials and experts to prove that “Torture Can Never Be Justified.”

“When our top leaders profess, publicly even, that torture should be permitted in our prisons in order to protect security, that is embarrassing to me,” says Carter. “It’s obviously contrary to the basic principles on which our nation was founded.”

Although most countries of the world have adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – in which Article 5 states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” – prisoners in various regions of the world spend 23 hours a day in tiny cells and are being held illegally and treated inhumanly while governments are not only condoning it, they’re ordering it.

Time's 100 - Peter Gabriel By Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:57:00 +0000

Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu wrote about Peter Gabriel’s contributions to humanity for this year’s Time 100 list:

“I did not know Peter Gabriel from a bar of soap when I met him for the first time on his friend Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the Virgin Islands. But within moments, he had charmed me. I heard him sing his Biko, which still moves me to tears each time I hear it, as we stood round the piano he was playing. He volunteered to give me my first swimming lessons and was a great hit with two of my grandchildren who met him there.

“What is his secret? He has a heart—in our part of the world, we would give him our highest accolade and say, “He has ubuntu.” It is that marvelous quality that speaks of compassion and generosity, about sharing, about hospitality. Peter founded WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance), presenting 50 festivals in more than 40 countries and conducting workshops in schools around the globe. He is a passionate human-rights advocate who participated in the 1988 Human Rights Now tour, and he co-founded Witness, which provides cameras and computers to activists.

Al Gore Donates Peace Prize Money

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:02:00 +0000

Former Vice President Al Gore has announced plans to donate the money he will receive for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to charity.

Gore will receive half of the total $1.56 million prize money for the award, which he shared this year with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, for his work to call attention to the threat of global warming, and will reinvest it into the cause that is closest to his heart.

“My wife, Tipper, and I will donate 100% of the proceeds of the award to the Alliance For Climate Protection,” said Gore in an email. “I am deeply honored to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award is even more meaningful because I have the honor of sharing it with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s pre-eminent scientific body devoted to improving our understanding of the climate crisis, a group whose members have worked tirelessly and selflessly for many years. We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest opportunity to lift global consciousness to a higher level.”

Jerry Lewis Tops Charity Survey

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 20:48:18 +0000

A survey has named comedy actor Jerry Lewis as the most effective celebrity for charity causes, with 43% of those surveyed saying he is the best at raising funds and driving change for the issues he supports.

The survey, carried out by the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, put the 81 year old veteran of movies including “The Nutty Professor” at the top of a list of ten philanthropic celebrities, such as Oprah Winfrey, Michael J. Fox, Jimmy Carter, Bill Gates, Angelina Jolie, Bono, Lance Armstrong, Katie Couric, and Rosie O’Donnell.
Jerry Lewis helped establish the Muscular Dystrophy Association in 1952, and has organized and hosted a Labor Day Telethon every year since 1966. His fundraising efforts have raised over $2 billion for neuromuscular care and research, with last year’s telethon raising $61 million alone. He has also been involved with fundraising for The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross. He is the only media celebrity to have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Busy Month For Charity Icon Jolie

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:10:26 +0000

Angelina Jolie recently told an interviewer from Esquire magazine of her wish to be remembered more for her charity than her acting, and the first half of June is already bringing the fulfilment of that wish closer.

Describing the satisfaction her humanitarian path has brought her, she said, “I entered this business before I had focus and purpose in my life. I was very unhappy, very unhealthy, and when I sat down for an interview, I didn’t know why. I felt like I didn’t have anything to share.”

Jolie told Esquire, “I recently had a column published in a newspaper and at the end it didn’t say I was an actress. It said that I was a UN Goodwill Ambassador – that’s all. And I was really proud.”