Bono's Charity Work

Charity biography

A message from Bono on Millennium Development Goals is viewable on YouTube.

Bono was inspired to get involved in charity work after seeing The Secret Policeman’s Ball in 1979. In 1986 he joined Amnesty International’s Conspiracy Of Hope tour alongside Sting, who was one of the Secret Policeman’s Ball performers seen by Bono. He also got involved in the Band Aid and Live Aid projects which were organized by Bob Geldof – another Secret Policeman’s Ball performer, and later helped Geldof organise the 2005 Live 8 project.

Bono has been a leader in the fight against poverty, and has helped to create the ONE Campaign, DATA, (RED) and EDUN, a clothing company which is striving to stimulate trade with poverty stricken countries.

He was on Forbes’ Generous Celebrity List for his work with Debt AIDS Trade Africa (DATA) against the spread of AIDS and for debt relief in Africa, participation in fundraising concerts like Live 8, and his donation of $50,000 to One in Four Ireland, a charity that helps survivors of sexual abuse.

Bono has received 3 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize, and was knighted in 2007.

Bono met with President Sarkozy of France early in 2008, to discuss issues brought to light by DATA.

“We had a feisty factual meeting about effective aid, French aid and the risks to EU credibility of broken promises to the world’s poor,” said Bono after the meeting. “The President knows the details and moves fast.

“Within the meeting the President not only promised to restore 20 million Euros cut from the Global Fund to fight AIDS TB and malaria, he also said he would send through a plan to restore promised French aid trajectories in the next few weeks.

“The President admitted it would be very very hard, but France would keep her word.”