Look To The Stars News: Yoko Ono

Hard Rock Serves Up John Lennon For Charity

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Last week, Look To The Stars brought you the news that Yoko Ono had donated John Lennon’s Give Peace A Chance to charity. Now we can reveal that she has also donated another of the singer’s songs to another charity campaign.

The World Hunger Year (WHY), along with Hard Rock Cafe, has released Serve4, the latest in their series of albums designed to fight hunger around the world. Yoko Ono has donated John Lennon’s Gimme Some Truth to the album.

“This is a beautiful step towards world peace,” she said. “By imagining there’s no hunger, like what John sang in his song, we express our strong desire to bring a world in which children will never again suffer from hunger or poverty. Let’s come together and help spread this message around the world. John would have loved the fact that so many illustrious and good meaning partners and organizations have stood up to make this effort together.”

It is the second time Ono has donated one of Lennon’s songs to Hard Rock’s Imagine There’s No Hunger campaign and Serve CDs.

100% of net proceeds from Hard Rock’s campaign will directly benefit WHY and its grassroots partners around the globe, that have developed ways to feed children worldwide who are victims of poverty and also teach them farming and entrepreneurial skills for the future. Proceeds will be donated directly to WHY to benefit local charities, including the Common Ground Foundation and Pathfinder Academy both located in Kenya, the Pattanarak Foundation located in Thailand, City of Joy located in India, the Yéle Haiti Foundation located in Haiti, Hope North located in Uganda, Roots and Shoots located in China, Project Bona Fide located in Nicaragua and Sentabale located in Lesotho.

“Hard Rock has been a longtime supporter of WHY, and I’ve seen firsthand how the organization helps to make a difference around the world,” said Hamish Dodds, President and CEO, Hard Rock International, and Global Ambassador for WHY. “We are proud to continue to support WHY’s life-saving efforts, in hopes that one day, we will have a world without hunger and poverty.”

The track list of Serve4 is as follows:

John Lennon “Gimme Some Truth”
O.A.R. “Lay Down”
Brandi Carlile “If There Was No You”
Starsailor “Listen Up”
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint “The River In Reverse”
Earth, Wind & Fire / Chicago “You”
Eric Hutchinson “OK, It’s Alright With Me”
The Low Anthem “Home I’ll Never Be”
Arno Carstens “Heartbreak Monday”
Brett Dennen “Heaven”
Toby Lightman “One Day”
moe. “Wicked Awesome”
The Raveonettes “Oh I Buried You Today”
Uncle Kracker “Smile”

In addition to SERVE4, beginning November 9th, Hard Rock locations around the globe will offer IMAGINE THERE’S NO HUNGER merchandise, including a limited-edition bracelet and pin to benefit WHY.

A charity event held in New York to launch the CD last week attracted a plethora of famous supporters, including Ringo Starr.

“You get so many invites every day to do stuff,” said Starr. “When I read the statistics of this, it just blew me away. So I thought, why not? How hard is it to do something? Because it is of some value, you give your name to great causes.”

The 14-track Serve4 is available as a download card at Hard Rock locations and at hardrock.com and as a download with five bonus tracks at Amazon ($8.99 or 99 cents a track). Cafe patrons who add a $1 donation to a meal tab receive an Imagine bracelet.

Yoko Ono Gives Song To United Nations Peacebuilding Fund

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

To celebrate the unifying spirit and 40th anniversary of the Plastic Ono Band’s universal anthem, “Give Peace a Chance,” Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Julian Lennon have partnered with EMI Music and Sony/ATV Music Publishing to donate net proceeds from the sale of a commemorative 40th Anniversary digital single to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).

Beginning today, iTunes will exclusively offer the single’s special anniversary edition for download purchase, with net proceeds benefiting the PBF through December 31.

Says Yoko Ono, “I am thrilled that so many in the music business are readily supporting ‘Give Peace a Chance’ on its 40th anniversary. It is indeed a time when we are all getting more aware of the necessity of doing something to achieve world peace, no matter how small. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I feel deeply that we are all one, regardless of where we stand.”

“I am delighted to see that a song so closely identified with the pursuit of peace, will shine a light on the United Nations’ peacebuilding efforts and financially support PBF projects,” the Chairperson of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile said.

Written during John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1969 honeymoon bed-in protest against the Vietnam War, “Give Peace a Chance” was inspired by Lennon’s off-the-cuff explanation to a visiting reporter of the couple’s purpose for protesting the war by remaining in their honeymoon bed. From March 25 to March 31, the newlyweds invited the world’s media to visit and interview them daily between the hours of 9am and 9pm in their bed at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel.

The song was recorded live on June 1, 1969 in a room at Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel, with several well-known friends joining Lennon and Ono to sing the chorus. Since the single’s original release on July 4, 1969, it has been the world’s foremost anthem for peace, beginning most notably with the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam’s massive protest in Washington, DC on November 15, 1969, where more than 500,000 people gathered and sang “Give Peace a Chance.”

Stars Write Letters To Themselves For Charity Book

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

If you were to write a letter to your 16-year-old self, what would it say?

In the new book Dear Me, some of the world’s best loved personalities have written just such a letter. Their letters range from the compassionate, to the shocking via hilarity and heartbreak – but they all have one thing in common: they offer a unique glimpse at the teenager who grew up to be a house-hold name.

£1 from each copy sold will be given to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

“We’ve all written a letter to our sixteen-year-old selves collected together in the fabulous new book, DEAR ME: A LETTER TO MY SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD SELF,” said Sir Elton John. "It’s a wonderful, uplifting and poignant journey through the lives of some of the country’s best-loved personalities and would make a great gift for all your friends and family this Christmas.

“Your purchase will also directly benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which works throughout the world to provide support to those affected with HIV and AIDS.

“DEAR ME made me laugh, cry and reminisce to when I was 16 – so I went and wrote a letter too. It starts ‘Dear Reg’ and ends ‘CHANGE YOUR NAME!’ I hope you enjoy it!”

Some of the stars featured in the book include Annie Lennox, Burt Bacharach, Alan Carr, Rosanne Cash, Julian Clary, Jackie Collins, Jenny Éclair, Tracey Emin, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Jane Fonda, Mark Foster, Stephen Fry, Rolf Harris, Debbie Harry, Peter Kay, Patsy Kensit, Lynda La Plante, Baz Luhrmann, Joanna Lumley, James Nesbitt, Yoko Ono, Jonathan Ross, Emma Thompson, Desmond Tutu, Suzanne Vega, Alfre Woodard, and Sir Elton John.

Dear Me is the perfect gift for anyone, mum, dad, cousin, aunt, nephew or perhaps someone who is turning 16.

To buy a copy, click here.

Legends Sign Guitars For Charity Auction

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

A huge selection of guitars signed by rock legends both old and new will go under the hammer next weekend to aid in the fight against child cancer.

Stars Guitars is a family friendly gala that will feature a concert by REO Speedwagon, exciting live and silent auctions featuring guitars signed by popular musicians and a gourmet strolling dinner. Proceeds from this high-energy evening support the Charles A. Main, M.D. Pediatric Cancer Survivor Scholarship Fund of Beaumont Hospitals. In addition to college scholarships, health grants will also be awarded to Beaumont Hospitals’ Late Effects Clinic for Survivors of Childhood Cancer.

Among the guitars on offer are instruments signed by Carlos Santana, Ozzy Osbourne, The Doobie Brothers, Jason Mraz, Alice Cooper, Steve Vai, Yoko Ono, Paramore, Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, Les Paul, Bad Company, Melissa Etheridge, Motley Crue, Counting Crows, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Kid Rock, Bob Seger, Angels & Airwaves, Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, Rob Zombie, Staind, The Jonas Brothers, Gretchen Wilson, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney and many more.

Stars Guitars will take place on Oct. 24 at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

Proceeds support the hospital’s pediatric cancer programs in the Detroit suburbs of Royal Oak, Grosse Pointe and Troy.

To find out more about this amazing event, go to the official website.

Yoko Ono Donates iPod To Charity Auction On John Lennon's Birthday

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Yoko Ono has given her support to a small Liverpool charity that is planning a fundraising initiative at a Beatles landmark to celebrate John Lennon’s birthday on Friday.

The Henshaws Society for Blind People will hold a concert at The Cavern Club on October 9 – World Sight Day and Lennon’s birthday – which will feature a number of local bands and a special auction. Going under the hammer will be a John Lennon-engraved 16GB ipod touch and a personally signed postcard donated by Ono, as well as football shirts, artwork and more.

“The Cavern gig last year was such a huge success but this year it’s bigger and better,” said Henshaws fundraiser Nikki Andrews. “We’re so glad that Yoko Ono has given her support on such a significant day.”

Henshaws aims for a society where anyone affected by sight loss has choice and control over their future and can live, learn and work as part of their community. They deliver practical, caring and imaginative services to visually impaired people and to their friends, family and colleagues. They also work to raise awareness around visual impairments in the wider community. Celebrity supporters of the charity include Roger Moore, Judi Dench and more.

Henshaws Live at the Cavern will take place on Friday from 8pm. Tickets will be available on the door and cost £10. For more info about the charity, click here.

World March For Peace Starts In New Zealand

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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:

nuclear disarmament at a global level
immediate withdrawal of invading troops from occupied territories
progressive and proportional reduction of conventional weapons
signing of non-aggression treaties between countries
renunciation by governments of the use of war as a means to resolve conflicts

A rehearsal march was held in New Zealand earlier this week, led by Xena Warrior Princess star Lucy Lawless, who walked beneath a Chinese-style dragon made from the sails of the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior, sunk by French agents in Auckland in 1985.

Earlier this year – as a lead up to the march – organizers created roving billboards and also recreated the famous Bed-In held by Yoko Ono and John Lennon.

Look To The Stars is proud to support the March For Peace and Non-Violence, and wish all those taking part a great and successful journey.

More info can be found here.

Elizabeth Hurley Donates To Imagine Appeal Event

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Alder Hey Imagine Appeal has teamed up with the Racquet Club in Liverpool for it’s first ever Clothes Throw.

With some of Liverpool’s finest fashionistas supporting the event, and the generosity of Merseyside’s style conscious ladies, it’s hoped there will be a plethora of top designer wear for sale at this unique gathering – and with all money raised going to help the work of the world famous children’s hospital.

The concept, the idea of Racquet’s owner Helen Ainscough, is simple. Anyone wishing to make space in their wardrobe for the new season’s must-have’s can donate anything that’s no longer a favourite in advance of the sale. All donated items will then be sold at the Clothes Throw on Monday 28th September at The Racquet Club in Liverpool.

Helen, who wanted to help the hospital after her young daughter Molly May was taken there with viral meningitis earlier this year said, “After our ordeal with little Molly we feel indebted to the team at Alder Hey particularly in the caring way they looked after her and us during the illness. Having made a full recovery we are very keen to work with the Appeal Team in creating new events that capture the imagination and are fun to attend whilst helping raise funds.”

Amongst the famous names who have already donated items are The Saturdays, Coleen Rooney and Elizabeth Hurley.

Elizabeth, who has donated a piece from her amazing Elizabeth Hurley Beach collection, added, “I am delighted to be able to donate something for this event which will raise much needed funds for Alder Hey Imagine Appeal. The Clothes Throw is a great way of combining recycling and fundraising for a very worthy cause.”

Alder Hey, Europe’s busiest children’s hospital, provides family-focused care for around 250,000 young patients every year and is responsible for the health of more children than any other hospital in the UK. Alder Hey Imagine Appeal was launched in October 2005 with the support of Yoko Ono, who is Honorary Patron of the charity. It aims to support the pioneering work of the hospital by funding research, improving the environment and providing facilities for patients and their families and buying the very latest medical equipment.

If you’d like to donate an item from your wardrobe please contact The Racquet Club on 0151 236 6676 or The Imagine Appeal on 0151 252 5726.

Beatlemania Returns For Charity

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Beatlemania has hit the headlines once again this week, with the release of the Fab Four’s remastered CD collection, their Rock Band video game, and a popular British presenter’s efforts to re-record their hits for charity.

A whole new generation of fans are currently being exposed to the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo through the release of Rock Star, and a number of limited edition Xbox 360 consoles are available to benefit Doctors Without Borders. The consoles are available at eBay.

Doctors Without Borders is an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971 working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, personally selected the charity as the beneficiary of these proceeds.

According to eBay: "Starting Sept. 9, Xbox 360 will also give its more than 20 million Xbox LIVE members the opportunity to give to charity and support the Beatles’ eternal message of peace and love. “All You Need Is Love,” the Beatle’s iconic anthem of peace, will be released exclusively on Xbox 360 as a downloadable song for the game through Xbox LIVE with Apple Corps Ltd, MTV Games, Harmonix and Microsoft, with proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders. Good deeds never go unnoticed: purchasing and downloading the “All You Need Is Love” track for 160 Microsoft Points for charity will also register you for the “The Beatles: Rock Band” Download & Win* for a chance to win one of the limited edition “The Beatles: Rock Band” Xbox 360 consoles and a Rickenbacker 325 replica guitar controller."

In other Beatles news this week, British TV and radio presenter Sir Terry Wogan has been busy in a recording studio with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman laying down tracks of classic Fab Four songs for the upcoming Bandaged Together album to benefit Children in Need.

The project has been organised by a group of Terry Wogan fans known as The TOGs (Terry’s Old Geezers and Gals).

“Last year, thanks to the TOGs, we raised about £3 million for Children In Need,” said Sir Terry. “We had Bandaged One which sold an awful lot and made hundreds of thousands of pounds for the charity. The idea this year is Bandaged Two and we are hoping to raise even more money.”

The album – which will feature Sir Terry’s take on All You Need Is Love – will be released next month.

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.”

Initiated by the organization World Without Wars, the World March for Peace and Nonviolence begins its historic journey October 2 in Wellington New Zealand before traveling through seven continents, 100 plus countries and 300 plus cities. It will arrive in New York City on November 30, 2009 and reach its final destination in Punta de Vacas, Argentina on January 2. 2010.

The primary goals of the World March include:

nuclear disarmament at a global level
immediate withdrawal of invading troops from occupied territories
progressive and proportional reduction of conventional weapons
signing of non-aggression treaties between countries
renunciation by governments of the use of war as a means to resolve conflicts

To find out more, click here. To view the celebrity billboards, click here.

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.

An international team of marchers will kick off the World March in New Zealand on October 2nd, the International Day of Nonviolence and bring together more than one million direct participants in 95 countries on seven continents for thousands of supporting marches, festivals, exhibits, concerts, forums, conferences and social, cultural, educational and athletic events. The goal of the march is to celebrate and demand peace, end wars, dismantle nuclear weapons and eliminate all forms of violence.

The march will arrive in New York City on November 30, 2009, and reach its final destination in Punta de Vacas, Argentina on January 2, 2010.

The World March has been endorsed and backed by more than 500 prominent newsmakers, Nobel Laureates, heads of state, mayors and artists, including Jimmy Carter, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Penelope Cruz and Yoko Ono, who has received a special invitation to attend the anniversary event she so famously brought to the world’s attention 40 years ago.

In a special message to March organizers, Ono writes: “Remember, each one of us has the power to change the world. Power works in mysterious ways. You don’t have to do much. Visualize the domino effect. And just start thinking PEACE. The message will circulate faster than you think. It’s Time For Action. The Action is PEACE. Spread the word. Spread PEACE.”

The World March was launched by the international organization World Without Wars affiliated with the Humanist Movement. For more information, go: www.worldmarchusa.net

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":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/1636-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."

The World March for Peace and Nonviolence will be held in seven continents, starting in New Zealand on October 2nd, the International Day of Nonviolence, and will bring together more than one million direct participants in 95 countries, who will celebrate and demand peace for all countries. The message carried by all is the end of wars, the dismantling of nuclear weapons and for an end to all forms of violence.

The World March is backed by hundreds of endorsements including Nobel Laureates, heads of state, mayors and artists, such as former President Jimmy Carter, President Michelle Bachelet and Penelope Cruz. The World March was launched by the international organization World Without Wars and the Humanist Movement. For more info: www.worldmarchusa.net.

“Remember, each one of us has the power to change the world,” said Ono. “Power works in mysterious ways. You don’t have to do much. Visualise the domino effect. And just start thinking PEACE. The message will circulate faster than you think. It’s Time For Action. The Action is PEACE. Spread the word. Spread PEACE.”

More information on how to take part in the Peace Sign initiative can be found here.

Yoko Ono Supports Call For Oneness Day

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Yoko Ono is calling on people to sign a petition that asks the United Nations to declare a Oneness Day.

The petition has already been signed by Desmond Tutu, Deepak Chopra and the Dalai Lama, and Ono has called it “Potentially the most important petition ever launched . . . toward a New Spirituality, a new humanity, a new earth.”

Humanity’s Team – a spiritual movement whose purpose is to communicate and implement the belief that we are all one, one with God and one with life, in a shared global state of being, so that the behavior of humanity may shift to reflect this understanding – is collecting 50,000 signatures to “persuade the United Nations to declare a Oneness Day, a day set aside and embraced by individuals, communities and nations for humanity to celebrate, discuss and experience our commonality, while still acknowledging and respecting our beautiful cultural diversities…a day to unite in Oneness for the greater good of the Human Family.”

To sign the petition, click here.

Paul McCartney Launches Meat Free Mondays

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sir Paul McCartney is spearheading a campaign to encourage people to “go vegetarian” for at least one day every week. Meat Free Monday is a food campaign to encourage the world to help slow climate change by reducing their meat consumption by having one meat free day a week.

The former Beatle is leading the star-studded campaign that includes Stella McCartney, Yoko Ono, Kelly Osbourne, Moby, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Ricky Gervais, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Sheryl Crow, artist Jeff Koons and chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Giorgio Locatelli.

“I think many of us feel helpless in the face of environmental challenges, and it can be hard to know how to sort through the advice about what we can do to make a meaningful contribution to a cleaner, more sustainable, healthier world,” said McCartney. “Having one designated meat free day a week is actually a meaningful change that everyone can make, that goes to the heart of several important political, environmental and ethical issues all at once. For instance it not only addresses pollution, but better health, the ethical treatment of animals, global hunger and community and political activism.”

The UK’s Food Climate Research Network states that food production is responsible for between 20-30 percent of global green house gas emissions. The United Nations has supported the figures, saying that the livestock sector is ‘one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global’.

“A couple of years ago the United Nations came out with a report that said for people to eat less meat would have a big impact on the environment,” McCartney told Sky News. “It’s all got a bit out of hand and I think people want to do their bit to bring it back into line, and this is an answer we’ve got involved in. A few years ago you’d say to people recycling is good. And they’d stick it all in one bin anyway. I mean I was the same. Now you don’t see that. You go round to people’s houses and they’ve got the bins and stuff. I think the time is right now for that idea.”

The Meat Free Monday campaign states that meat consumption has quadrupled since 1961, and poultry consumption has increased 10-fold.

“The reality is a lot of people don’t eat meat every day,” said Stella McCartney. “You don’t have to be a vegetarian to cut out one day of meat consumption. It’s something anyone can do.”

“I thought this was a great idea,” Sir Paul told reporters at the campaign’s official launch yesterday. “To just reduce your meat intake maybe by one day a week and this would seriously benefit the planet. It’s kind of easy to do. You’ve had too much over the weekend anyway and you’re all running down to the gym to try and work it off – so just have a meat-free Monday.”

To find out more about Meat Free Mondays and lend your support, visit the official website.

Cyndie Lauper Launches Charity Auction

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Cyndi Lauper has launched the True Colors Fund online auction which aims to raise money to strengthen the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and allied community by growing the number of volunteers and donors to the non-profit organizations working on their behalf.

Items up for grabs include lunch and Tarot card reading with Lauper, tickets to the Entourage season premiere in LA, a meet-and-greet with Bette Midler in Las Vegas, a set visit to 30 Rock, meet-and-greets with Lady Gaga and Rosie O’Donnell, autographed items from Dolly Parton, one-of-a-kind handwritten lyrics from Jason Mraz, Peter Gabriel, Michael Stipe and many more, and items from Mark Wahlberg, Yoko Ono and others.

“I am excited to launch the True Colors Fund’s Summer Online Auction,” said Cyndi Lauper, who created the True Colors Tour, an annual music tour that tour benefits the Human Rights Campaign and other organizations that provide support to the LGBT community and to the straight friends and family who love them, including PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the Matthew Shepard Foundation, as well as local organizations in cities where the concerts were held. “There is literally something for everyone. All of the proceeds will go directly to support the True Color Fund’s work to get everyone – especially my fellow straight allies – to do what they can to help make equality a reality for the GLBT community.”

The True Colors Fund is currently developing an in-depth public awareness and education campaign to inspire, engage and challenge every GLBT and allied person to do what they can to personally effect change within and for the GLBT community by volunteering and supporting the organizations working on their behalf each and every day.

Planned to launch in late 2009, the campaign will include public service announcements (PSAs) that tell the personal stories of people who have been benefited from the work of GLBT organizations. The PSAs will also direct viewers to an extensive online volunteer village where they will find all the tools and information they will need to become and stay personally involved.

Also the True Colors Fund continues to work with the True Colors Tour to raise money and awareness for GLBT issues. Over the past 2 years, True Colors is proud to have raised over $200,000 for GLBT organizations like HRC, CenterLink & PFLAG.

The auction runs until June 25 and can be accessed here.

Beatles Launch Game With Charity Download

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were in California earlier this week to launch the new Xbox The Beatles:Rock Band game. During the event, the musicians announced that one of the songs from the game, All You Need Is Love, will be released exclusively as a download through Xbox Live, with proceeds to benefit Doctors Without Borders.

McCartney and Starr joined Yoko Ono – widow of John Lennon – and Olivia Harrison, widow of George Harrison, in unveiling the game at Microsoft’s 2009 E3 Media and Business Summit.

All You Need Is Love will be released exclusively as a downloadable song on September 9, with all proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders. Also known as Médecins Sans Frontières, this international humanitarian aid organisation provides emergency medical aid in more than 80 countries. Established in 1971, Doctors Without Borders provides aid “to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. MSF provides independent, impartial assistance to those most in need and reserves the right to speak out to bring attention to neglected crises, to challenge inadequacies or abuse of the aid system, and to advocate for improved medical treatments and protocols.” The organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

Find out more about the work of the organization at its official website.

Beatles Day 2009 To Benefit Charity Appeals

Wed, 13 May 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fans of the Fab Four around the world will have the chance to celebrate their favorite band during Beatles Day 09 and raise money for the Imagine Appeal for the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Marina Dalglish Appeal for a radiotherapy centre in Liverpool.

Officially launched by Julia Baird – John Lennon’s sister – and Ricky Tomlinson, the event will take place on July 10 in places as diverse as China, Russia, New Zealand and of course Liverpool.

This year will mark the second time the event will be held, with last year’s homage to John, Paul, George and Ringo – which gained support from Pink, Russell Brand and the Sugababes – raising over £45,000. Liverpool will once again host a concert as part of the event, and there will be loads of merchandise and happenings available.

July 10 was chosen as the date as it is the anniversary of the Beatles triumphant return to Liverpool from the States and the premiere of the film ‘Hard Day’s Night’ in 1964. The streets were lined with thousands of adoring fans, and organizers hope to re-create the same sort of Beatlemania this year.

“It’s 24 hours when people can show their love for the Beatles and celebrate the legacy of their music,” said Chas Cole, Summer Pops promoter. "The concert at the Echo Arena will be a great way to finish, but BEATLES DAY is really a chance for the ordinary people of Liverpool and other towns and cities all over the world to take part in Beatles related fundraising activities and events. The most important thing is to have fun whilst raising money.

“Liverpool will be the centre of events on 10th July. It would be a great time to visit and let the people show you what makes this city truly great; its heritage, humor, boundless enthusiasm under pressure and above all, its ability to not take itself too seriously. BEATLES DAY here we come!”

The Imagine Appeal is a fundraising campaign launched in 2005 with the help of Yoko Ono to raise money for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital – the largest children’s hospital in Europe. Since 1914, the hospital has led the way in the care of sick children and now treats more than 200,000 young patients every year. And with patrons such as Wayne Rooney, the Imagine Appeal aims to make the work of the hospital easier.

To find out more about this event, visit the official website.

Katy Perry And Friends Design T-Shirts For AIDS

Fri, 08 May 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Singer Katy Perry has joined with Cyndi Lauper, Yoko Ono and hip hop group N.E.R.D. to design T-shirts as part of H&M’s second Fashion Against AIDS collection.

H&M, a chain of 1,500 stores spread across 28 countries, has joined together with Designers Against AIDS to launch Fashion Against AIDS, a clothing collection for men and women, designed to draw attention to HIV/AIDS and increase awareness of the disease. Last year’s campaign featured Timbaland, Good Charlotte, Rihanna, and Ziggy Marley who created a special selection of T-shirts, tank tops, and hooded sweatshirts that use color and style to highlight the cause.

For the 2009 Fashion Against AIDS collection, the message is loud and clear with bold language and vibrant colors. Roisin Murphy’s t-shirt is bold with the phrase “Protection is power” on the front and back of a men’s t-shirt and a women’s bodysuit. N.E.R.D uses a clever graphic to shout “use your brain” on vibrant tank tops and t-shirts for both men and women. Estelle designed a tank top with the slogan “LIFE IS TOO SHORT – HAVE SEX BE SAFE” next to a sassy silhouette of an empowered woman. Katy Perry’s clever safe sex message, “WHAT’S ON THE OUTSIDE IS WHAT COUNTS,” appears on both a bodysuit and a cap-sleeved shirt. In a nostalgic nod to her roots, “GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE SAFE SEX” is scribbled in pink lipstick on Cyndi Lauper’s t-shirt. Others include Yoko Ono’s design of the words “IMAGINE PEACE” in multiple languages and Robyn’s feisty “PROTECT YOUR BODY.”

Dita von Teese, an avid supporter of AIDS causes, created an alluring image of her iconic red lips and arched brow on a cute cap-sleeved T: “It is really great that H&M continues to educate its customers and the world about HIV/AIDS with their campaign Fashion Against AIDS. We must never give up the fight against this horrible disease and we must constantly remind each other not to become apathetic or careless. The war on HIV/AIDS must continue.”

25% of the sales price will be donated to HIV/AIDS prevention projects of Designers against AIDS, UNFPA, MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation and YouthAIDS.

This year’s T-shirt designs will hit stores on May 28.

Yoko Ono Revisits Acorn Peace Campaign

Tue, 05 May 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Yoko Ono is to recreate a peace promotion she originally carried out in 1969 with her husband, John Lennon, to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

The 76-year-old artist will send acorns to 123 world leaders – including Barack Obama – encouraging them to strive for world peace. Each world leader will receive two acorns in a transparent box with the inscription “Acorn Peace by John And Yoko, Spring 2009”.

On 15 June 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono planted two acorns for peace at Coventry Cathedral. The acorns were planted in east and westerly positions, symbolizing the meeting of the couple and the union of their two cultures. This was the first of many peace events that the couple would initiate throughout their lives. They followed the planting by sending acorns to world leaders in the hope that they would plant oak trees in their gardens.

Beatles fans will remember and recognize the stunt from the lyrics of their number 1 hit The Ballad of John and Yoko: “Caught the early plane back to London/Fifty acorns tied in a sack/The men from the press said, ‘We wish you success, it’s good to have the both of you back’”.

To see the letter Ono has written to Obama, as well as the original letters she received from world leaders in 1969, visit the Imagine Peace website.

Yoko Ono’s Promise On World Autism Day

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Artist Yoko Ono’s two-metre jigsaw puzzle mural, called Promise, is being auctioned piece by piece to raise money for Autism Speaks. The art work was unveiled on April 2 on the United Nation’s World Autism Awareness Day.

Yoko explains the mural’s white clouds on blue sky, already missing some pieces: “Once the solution for autism is discovered, we will see the sky shimmering in its original beauty, with no holes.”

Her long-time friend, Peter Brown, explains the 67-piece acrylic puzzle further: “She met John [Lennon] in ’67 and, coincidentally, there are an estimated 67 million people around the world with Autism.”

Autism is a complex neurological disorder that effects language development and the ability to have social relationships. Autism Speaks funds research into its causes, preventions, treatments and support for families affected by it. The charity also raises awareness, and attention is exactly what autism is getting.

On World Autism Awareness Day, many world leaders spoke out. US President Barack Obama issued this statement: “…We must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes and discrimination. Policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and we must ensure that everyone has the chance to live independently as full citizens in their communities. For too long, the needs of people and families living with autism have gone unrecognized and underappreciated. That is why my administration supports increased funding for autism research, treatment, screening, public awareness, and services for Autism Spectrum Disorders.”

Austism Speaks says: “It is our firm belief that, working together, we will find the missing pieces of the puzzle.”

Jarvis Cocker To Play For Children's Hospital

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

British musician Jarvis Cocker is to play a special charity gig in Manchester next month.

The former Pulp singer will perform at the Royal Northern College Of Music on April 16 as part of the second John Lennon ‘Imagine’ Charity Fundraiser.

Imagine Appeal is a fundraising campaign launched in 2005 with the help of Yoko Ono to raise money for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital – the largest children’s hospital in Europe. Since 1914, the hospital has led the way in the care of sick children and now treats more than 200,000 young patients every year. And with patrons such as Wayne Rooney, the Imagine Appeal aims to make the work of the hospital easier.

Also due to play at the gig are Badly Drawn Boy, I Am Kloot, Stephen Fretwell and Cherry Ghost. James Harrington is supporting Alder Hey Imagine Appeal with this event

For information about tickets or to find out more about the Imagine Appeal, visit their website.

Yoko Ono To Auction Artwork On World Autism Awareness Day

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Yoko Ono – artist, singer and widow of former Beatle John Lennon – is to unveil a new mural titled at UN headquarters next month in honor of World Autism Awareness Day.

Titled Promise Piece, the mural is to be auctioned off in support of the non-profit group Autism Speaks, and will be revealed at an event that marks the 2nd Annual World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) on April 2.

The artwork is to broken apart into smaller pieces, and the 58 signed puzzle pieces will be auctioned throughout the month of April, with the caveat that they are to be “re-united” and re-assembled when the cure for autism is found. The event will be sponsored by the Chilean Mission.

  "I am proud to partner with Autism Speaks in promoting awareness and advocacy for children with autism," said 76-year-old Ono. “World Autism Awareness Day is not only a day to raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, but also to celebrate another big step towards healing our world.”

WAAD was created by the UN General Assembly in 2007 to increase public awareness about autism and to stress the importance of early diagnosis and intervention, and is one of only three health issues honored by the UN with its own special awareness day. Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, will hold a series of national and international events to mark the second annual celebration of World Autism Awareness Day, on multiple continents and in venues ranging from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to the United Nations.

“Last year’s WAAD events were a remarkable success, and we are confident that the scope of this year’s activities will help elevate autism as a topic of international discussion and exploration,” said Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks. “On this day, we will highlight the tremendous contributions of individuals with autism, as well as the strength and dedication of their families. Together, we are inspiring compassion, inclusion and hope by building a global autism community whose voice is finally being heard.”

To find out more about WAAD events, visit the Autism Speaks website.

John Lennon Serves Up Song For Charity CD

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Hot on the heels of John Lennon’s charity TV advertisements for lap tops, Hard Rock International is proud to announce the launch of its 2008 global “Imagine There’s No Hunger” campaign to benefit WHY, a nonprofit organization that strives to fight against hunger and poverty in America and around the world.

Setting the foundation for the “Imagine There’s No Hunger” campaign, artist and musician Yoko Ono has graciously donated her late husband John Lennon’s inspirational song “Give Peace A Chance” to the SERVE3 compilation. The CD will also include rare, new or previously unreleased tracks from some of music’s most influential artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Joss Stone, Avril Lavigne, Starsailor, My Morning Jacket and more. SERVE3 will be available at Hard Rock locations around the world and on www.hardrock.com, with digital downloads available at iTunes.com.

“I am glad that WHY is using John’s lyrics to communicate the seriousness of this issue to the world,” said Yoko Ono. “Let’s all work together to make a world without hunger as soon as humanly possible. We owe this battle to our children. WAR IS OVER if you want it. In brotherhood and sisterhood.”

The “Imagine There’s No Hunger” campaign also includes a charity bracelet, as well as a limited-edition pin and holiday ornament, featuring John Lennon’s famous self-portrait and signature. All net proceeds from the campaign will be donated directly to WHY to benefit grassroots efforts in Kenya, Haiti, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa, Venezuela and New Orleans.

More info can be found here.

Stars Hold Bed-In For Peace

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:36:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Thirty nine years ago, celebrities didn’t have to travel round the world to give peace a chance. They didn’t need to rush to the poorest places, be seen at the flashiest charity parties, donate their old clothes to online auctions (well, they didn’t have the internet, so that last one was definitely out of the question). All they needed to do was stay in bed. Just ask John Lennon and Yoko Ono. OK, so you can’t exactly ask John Lennon, but you get the idea. Because back in 1969, when that illustrious pair held their famous bed-ins for peace, the world was a much simpler place – people wore their hair long, their feet bare, and smiled more than today. And believe it or not, history repeated itself last week.

Award-winning actress and peace activist Maggie Gyllenhaal, founder of Peace One Day Jeremy Gilley, and Roy Kerwood, original photographer from Lennon’s 1969 Montreal Bed-in, spent the day in bed at the Ben & Jerry’s Times Square Scoop Shop in New York to launch a John Lennon tribute flavor, “Imagine Whirled Peace,” and announce a new social mission partnership between the ice cream makers and Peace One Day last week.

The bed-in followed a nation-wide competition held by Ben And Jerry’s Ice Creams to identify modern-day peace activists who embody the values set forth by Lennon through their work to create positive change in the world. The winners were presented with $10,000 each to donate to the peace charities of their choice.

“As a company that has supported peace initiatives throughout our thirty year history, Ben & Jerry’s is thrilled to continue its commitment through a joint effort with Peace One Day,” said Walt Freese, Chief Euphoria Officer of Ben & Jerry’s. “Founder Jeremy Gilley has worked tirelessly to help create a UN recognized annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence, now universally known as Peace Day. We applaud his efforts and are excited to join his mission to encourage people to recognize and celebrate Peace Day, and to support Peace One Day’s event on September 21st.”

The John Lennon tribute flavor, “Imagine Whirled Peace,” is described as a caramel and sweet cream based ice cream with toffee cookies and chocolate peace signs, and was developed to support Ben & Jerry’s social mission campaign.

“When Ben & Jerry’s decided to engage in a campaign about peace, we couldn’t think of a better person to exemplify the message than John Lennon,” said Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s. “Through his art and lyrics he imagined a world without war and asked us all to ‘Give Peace a Chance.’ We’re urging people to log on to www.PeaceOneDay.org and to make their own commitment to Peace Day.”

I just hope they didn’t drop any ice cream in the bed.

Seal To Headline Charity Benefit Concert

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:07:38 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Seal is set to headline the 4th Annual Benefit Concert for
Musicians on Call, an event scheduled to take place at the Hard Rock
Cafe in New York’s Times Square on January 29. Concert organizers hope to raise
money for the charity to continue its work in bringing music therapy into
hospitals, and the show will also feature the sibling country
quartet, Jypsi

The Annual Benefit is accompanied by an auction at CharityBuzz featuring over 100 items, such as a Sting
autographed Fender Bass guitar, front row tickets to see
Melissa Etheridge, a Bon Jovi autographed
acoustic guitar, and VIP tickets to the Late Show With David Letterman. The auction ends February 7, though some items will be
auctioned live at the event on the 29th.

Musicians on Call was founded in 1999 with the mission of
bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in
healthcare facilities to enhance the healing process. To date, their
volunteers have played for almost 90,000 people. Musicians On Call
continues their mission through room-to-room hospital performances by
both local musicians and national celebrities, as well as their CD Pharmacies
and Project Playback programs.

The charity has partnered with Hard Rock International
for the concert and auction, and has raised close to $1 million through
its past three benefit events. Items from some of those past events
include a signed 1952 reissued Telecaster from Bruce Springsteen, a harmonica from the Johnny Cash Estate, a
Carrie Underwood package ( which included front row tickets, a meet and
greet, a signed set list, and an article of clothing worn at her show),
time in the studio with Maroon 5, a VIP Grammy Awards Show
package, artwork from John Lennon stamped by Yoko Ono, and
a signed basketball from Justin Timberlake.

“Musicians On Call’s campaign to bring music straight to the bedsides
of patients in hospitals would not be able to continue to expand
without the donations made at our annual event,” said Leslie Faerstein, Executive Director of Musicians On Call. “It’s an exciting
night made even
more special by a performance by Seal. The impact of this one night
has a profound effect throughout the rest of the year improving the
health and spirits of thousands of patients one by one, bedside to
bedside.”

Bid Now For Christmas Gifts

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The countdown to Christmas has begun, and celebrities are doing their best to make holiday shopping easy this year. Several charity auctions have already kicked off to raise money for good causes, including one that may be eBay’s largest sale of celebrity items… ever!

The BID 2 BEAT AIDS online auction will open on December 1, World AIDS Day, and will feature over 1000 specially signed items, ranging from posters to iPods. The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity, and in the past has raised up to $175,000.

The array of memorabilia up for sale this year is simply colossal, with perhaps the most interesting items being a series of “Lend a Hand to LIFEbeat” cards that feature the handprints of over 100 celebrities. Stars such as Britney Spears, Jack Black, and Kathy Griffin traced around the outlines of their hands and decorated their artworks for the auction, and the finished products will make a unique addition to any Christmas stocking.

Also included in the auction is a selection of signed musical instruments. Rapper 50 Cent has donated the tambourines he used during his performance at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, and Metallica and the Foo Fighters have both donated guitars. There are also over 200 official RIAA gold and platinum record awards up for sale, from artists such as Annie Lennox, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Green Day. Rare tour crew jackets from Guns N Roses, Cher, George Michael, and Prince are also available.

There are a stack of autographed CDs and DVDs on offer in the auction, from Mariah Carey, Elton John, Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5, Amy Winehouse, and Val Kilmer, as well as books signed by Madonna, Bill Clinton, Rosie O’Donnell, Martha Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Ethan Hawke. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Elijah Wood, and Usher have all signed posters for the auction.

For those people after something a little different, the auction also includes an iPod designed by Yoko Ono, a box of cereal signed by Will Ferrell, Borat’s hat signed by Sacha Baron Cohen, and a Spiderman action figure autographed by Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

And if nothing mentioned so far whets your appetite, there are also signed items from Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Nelly, Joan Collins, John Travolta, Kanye West, The Cure, Jay-Z, Cameron Diaz, Victoria Beckham, Robin Williams, Hilary Duff, Jason Alexander, Jack Nicholson, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adam Sandler, John Legend, Jessica Simpson, Whoopi Goldberg, Aerosmith, Denzel Washington, Good Charlotte, James Blunt, Jeremy Piven, Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Norah Jones, Razorlight, Wyclef Jean, and many more… far too many to list here.

More information and a full list of items can be found at www.bid2beataids.com.

As if this wasn’t enough choice for Christmas shoppers, there are also several other auctions and events on the go at the moment. The biggest of these is the 10th Annual Collaborating For A Cure Benefit Dinner and Auction, a massive black tie gala to be held on November 29. It also happens to be one of the highest grossing charity events held every year in New York, and last year raised over $4 million for the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that has provided over $55 million in grants to cancer research, and has been instrumental in the development of new cancer drugs.

The gala dinner and live auction will be held at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue, New York City, and over 1200 guests are expected to attend. The host for the evening is Chevy Chase, and attendees will be treated to a very special performance by Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh, members of 70’s rock group, the Eagles.

Selected items up for auction on the night as well as online include dinner with Chevy Chase, the chance to play tennis with Andre Agassi, and a meet and greet with Aerosmith.

More information can be found at www.charitybuzz.com.

Also on the Charitybuzz website is an auction to raise funding for Stand Up For A Cure, an organization dedicated to lung cancer research and awareness.

The auction runs from November 28 until December 12, and features unique items such as the chance to have Andrea Bocelli perform in your own home, the opportunity to have Patti LaBelle host your cocktail party, and VIP tickets to see Céline Dion at Madison Square Gardens.

And if you still can’t find a suitable gift, have a look at the Have A Heart Auction on Charitybuzz. All proceeds from the auction, which features the chance to meet Avril Lavigne, a copy of “An Inconvenient Truth” signed by Al Gore, and a “Godfather II” DVD signed by Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, will benefit HEART, an organization that aims to foster compassion and respect for all living beings.

But you have to be in quick, as the auction ends on November 29.

New CD To Raise Aid For Darfur

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:28:22 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur is a new CD that seeks to raise aid for the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. It features the music of John Lennon recorded by some of the world’s best known musicians.

U2, Green Day, Christina Aguilera, and Avril Lavigne are some of the 50 musical artists and groups that are included in the Amnesty International project.

The album was released around the world on 12 June by Warner Bros Records, and was put together by Amnesty International’s “Make Some Noise” initiative.

“Make Some Noise” is a global venture that hopes to inspire a new generation to stand up for human rights. It mixes music, celebration and action to protect people wherever freedom is denied. Yoko Ono has been a longtime supporter of the initiative, and donated the rights to the entire John Lennon songbook to the project.

“Music speaks the language of freedom, revolution and solidarity. Without that freedom – without music that is angry, joyful and necessary – we are nothing” she said of the album’s release.

The CD calls attention to the war-torn countries of Darfur and Chad. All proceeds from the album and music downloads will go towards alleviating the risk of starvation and disease in these areas.

Other artists featured on the CD include Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper. REM is also featured, and drummer Bill Berry came out of retirement to record the track “#9 Dream”. It is the first time the original four band members, including singer Michael Stipe, have been in the studio together since 1997.

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