Look To The Stars News: Queen Noor of Jordan

Mandy Moore And Christina Ricci To Attend amFAR Gala In Dubai

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Celebrities such as Mandy Moore, Christina Ricci and Matt Dillon will attend this year’s amFAR gala to be held as part of the Dubai International Film Festival.

The event will take place on December 10 at the Dubai International Financial Centre, and the stars will be joined by Queen Noor of Jordan and others.

A limited number of seats are open and guests can take part in a racy auction for products ranging from a one-of-a-kind Chanel bag personally created by Karl Lagerfeld, especially for amfAR to Cartier’s Market Special Edition Middle East Watch and many more. Tickets can be bought from the amfAR website (www.amfar.org) or from the local amfAR Dubai office (call 04-4068786).

DIFF Managing Director Shivani Pandya said the amfAR charity auction is a high point in the social calendar of Dubai. “Apart from the exclusivity of the objects that will go under hammer and the presence of celebrities from around the world, the event underscores the commitment of Dubai to partner in causes of global significance.”

The Marilyn Monroe portrait is by Milena Zevu, who has collaborated with the likes of David Beckham, Pele, Ronaldo and others to create one-of-a-kind artworks. All the crystals are inserted by hand to the artistic impression, adding to its exquisite value. The Brooke Shields 1982 portrait is by Patrick Demarchelier, one of the world’s most celebrated photographers, who has captured the moods of David Bowie, Madonna and Princess Diana.

Another allure for participants will be an all paid luxury trip for two to Las Vegas, with stay at the deluxe MGM Bellagio organized by Dubai Pearl and business class seats on Emirates Airlines. The lucky bidder will receive US$5000 to spend courtesy Dubai Duty Free. A Dubai Pearl Bellagio Residence will also be auctioned, and Dubai Pearl is donating the first AED2 million of the proceeds to amfAR.

The black alligator Chanel bag, the only one of its kind in the world, features the classic Chanel double C snap lock made of white gold and inlaid with 334 diamonds. The bag was introduced by Madonna at amfAR’s Cinema Against AIDS 2008, and includes her personal items.

The Cartier Middle East Watch, from limited and numbered edition of 20, is partially paved with diamonds and enameled, and has been designed exclusively for the opening of Cartier’s Burj Dubai boutique.

Also to go under the hammer is Los Angeles based artist Sandeep Mukherjee’s Untitled evoking a multitude of associations with natural phenomena including skin cells, water ripples, planetary orbits, sun spots and even ancient tree rings. The painting is valued at US$12,000.

Art lovers can also bid for the Horse Neck series by one of the world’s foremost fashion photographers Steven Klein courtesy of Staley Wise Gallery. Other items that go under the hammer are dream skiing in the Alps packages for 12 courtesy of La Compagnie, valued at US$210,000; and Shanghai/Versace packages offering a round-trip airfare to Shanghai for two, luxury VIP accommodation and two VIP tickets to the inaugural amfAR Asia event and Versace component. Participants can also bid for some unique celebrity-related experiences and fancy cars among other items.

Dubai Pearl is the title sponsor of the Cinema Against AIDS gala, which last year hosted celebrities including Salma Hayek, Goldie Hawn, Laura Linney, Jeffrey Wright, Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte, Preity Zinta, Oliver Stone, Terry Gilliam, Giancarlo Giannini, Pierfrancesco Favino and Anna Ferzetti amongst others.

The funds raised support amfAR’s activities focused on AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy. amfAR has invested nearly US$290 million in its programmes and awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide.

More information can be found here.

Angelina Jolie To Be Honored In Jordan

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Angelina Jolie is to be honored at the Arab Children’s Congress.

The actress flew out to Jordan yesterday to attend the 24th annual Arab Children’s Congress. Founded by Queen Noor of Jordan following the 1980 Arab Summit Conference in Amman, the event is considered to be the longest uninterrupted cultural gathering of Arab youth. According to the official website, Queen Noor wanted to “give youth age 14-16 the same opportunity as Nations Leaders to express their needs and aspirations and to be heard by decision makers in the Arab world in a program that gathers 4 youth from each Arab and European country for a week of visiting, learning and cultural interaction especially designed to promote peace, understand. For the past 24 years the Arab Children Congress is held regularly in July of every year under the patronage and care of Her Majesty Queen Noor. It brings together children age 14-16 from throughout the Arab world.”

This year’s event is to take place July 23-29 at the Noor Al Hussein Foundation’s Performing Arts Center.

Bono's Charity Auction Raises $42.6m for (RED)

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:11:22 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Sotheby’s was seeing red last week as Bono and artist Damien Hirst organized a Valentine’s Day auction of more than 60 works of art to raise funds for Bono’s (RED) charity. And by by the end of the night, the U2 frontman had rallied deep-pocketed bidders to make the AIDS charity auction a raging success to the tune of $42.6 million.

“It is a historic night for artists” said Bono, “An extraordinary night in New York City. I am very moved.”

The U2 frontman was flanked by celebrity pals as he led the guests in a sing-along of the Beatles’ ‘All You Need Is Love’. “I see myself as a servant for Africa,” Bono said, “Tonight is about the awareness of AIDS and the medical treatment that can strongly aid in the demise of this disease.”

Throngs of celebrity bidders were on hand to snatch up items such as a steel and glass cabinet by Hirst called ‘Where There’s a Will There’s a Way,’ which fetched $7.15M. The cabinet was filled with drugs to treat HIV.

“I have watched people dying for lack of these pills,” Bono said after the sale. “I actually can’t quantify how many people that will keep alive. It’s not just the money we made tonight, it’s the excitement around the issue.”

Model Christy Turlington bought Francesco Clemente’s ‘Red Flower on Scorched Earth’ for $155,000, even though it was valued at $70,000.

“When I first saw the catalog, I loved this piece the most,‘’ Turlington said after the sale. "It was completely impulsive.’’

Bono seems to inspire the best of people, so it’s no surprise that most auction items were sold for well above their estimated value.

“Tonight we got serious about love, and not just the love of art, but the love of our brothers and sisters suffering from Aids in the poorest places on the planet,” he said.

A work by London street artist Banksy sold for $1.7M, though it had been valued at no more than $350,000; Murakami’s ‘Red Flower Ball’ was estimated at $700,000, but sold for $1.5M; Richard Prince’s ‘Untitled’ sold for $1.6 million even though the top estimate was $900,000; and Andreas Gursky’s ‘Pyongyang IV’ was valued at $300,000, but adding Bono into the mix led to a final bid of $1.4M.

“I’m never going to be cynical ever again for a while,” Bono said. “We’ve helped change the world a little bit.”

Among those on hand to support the cause were NBC news anchor Brian Williams, R.E.M. front man Michael Stipe, Queen Noor of Jordan, actor Dennis Hopper, tennis star John McEnroe, supermodel Helena Christensen, actor Ed Burns and hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons.

Proceeds from the sale, which was organized at no cost by Bono’s charity organization (RED), will go directly to the United Nations Foundation to support HIV/AIDS relief programs run by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

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