Look To The Stars News: Colin Powell

Aid For The World Presents An Evening With Colin Powell

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Aid for the World, the global humanitarian organization that uses everyday resources to meet the most basic needs of people worldwide, will be hosting its first annual gala benefit “Leader In Action” featuring keynote speaker General Colin Powell – who will speak on “ Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust and Values” – and honoring His Excellency President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi.

71-year-old Colin Powell was the 65th United States Secretary of State (2001-2005), serving under President George W. Bush. He was the first African American appointed to that position. During his miltary career, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989), as Commader-in-Chief, U.S. Army Forces Command (1989), and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993), holding the latter position during the Gulf War.

General Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. military awards and decorations including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Soldier’s Medal, Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart.

There will be only 1000 seats available for this unforgettable evening which will take place on Wednesday, February 4, 2008 from 6.30 pm to 10 pm at the America Museum of Natural History of New York. The program also includes performances by the Grammy and CMA award winning Peasall Sisters and The Orphan Unification Drummers of Burundi. Orphaned by war, the twelve children come together – each from a different province of the nation – and create drum music as part of a unification, reconciliation and healing.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities or VIP inquiries contact: Melissa Hoffman: mhoffman@aidfortheworld.org or call 347-522-1742.

Colin Powell Gets Funky For Africa

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Christina Aguilera and Seal may have headlined last night’s Africa Rising THISDAY Gala in London, but it was former US Secretary of State Colin Powell who stole the show with his funky Hip Hop dance.

The 71-year-old joined Nigerian rappers Olu Maintain on stage at the Royal Albert Hall for the show, which aimed to highlight the continent’s culture and talents.

“I stand before you as an African American,“ he said before joining the group for their item. “Many people have said to me you became Secretary of State of the USA, is it still necessary to say that you are an African American or that you are black, and I say yes, so that we can remind our children. It took a lot of people struggling to bring me to this point in history. I didn’t just drop out of the sky, people came from my continent in chains.”

The musical acts were followed by a fashion show featuring Sudanese model Alek Wek and Tyson Beckford and the latest trends from the House of Momo.

“Asia is expanding, it created jobs for people, and Eastern Europeans are doing the same, in my continent – Latin America, it’s happening also – it’s now Africa’s turn,“ continued Powell. “[With] all this wealth creation going on in the world, it won’t happen with just wishing, it will be done with hard work. Africa needs aid, but more than that it needs trade – it needs capital, but it has the same potential as Asia and Eastern European countries. There’s no reason a new Africa can’t be created here and now.”

The concert was the final leg in a four-show series that kicked off in Abuja in July before heading to Lagos and Washington DC, and featured performances from Youssou N’Dour, Jay-Z and John Legend. The shows also raised money for Africa Rising, an organization established in 2006 to reflect the culture and positive attributes of Africa’s social, political and economic progress.

“As Secretary of State, I pushed for support for the continent,“ said Powell. “Aid quadrupled during my tenure. We supported the fight against HIV/AIDS with over $15 billion. However, Africans must rise and take the responsibility for the development of the continent. They must end the wars. They must fight corruption.”

Taylor Swift Teams With Def Leppard For TV Gig

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

Written by Tim Saunders

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!”

Led by Advisory Board members former President Jimmy Carter, Maya Angelou and Gen. Colin Powell, CMT One Country offers tools that enable virtually anyone to start making a difference immediately. They also celebrate the accomplishments of everyday heroes and showcase other nonprofit partners – including Second Harvest, the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, the USO, and Habitat For Humanity – working to keep America great.

According to CMT executive vice president and general manager Brian Philips, “CMT will enlighten our fans and inspire them to take action in the places where they live. With the help of our biggest stars, we’ll reinforce the messages that resonate in so much of CMT’s music. We know our viewers care deeply about the needs of their neighbors. One Country will make it easy for them to help.”

The auction, which runs until October 2, can be accessed via the CMT Auctions website.

Look To The Stars News: Colin Powell

Aid For The World Presents An Evening With Colin Powell

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Colin Powell Gets Funky For Africa

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Taylor Swift Teams With Def Leppard For TV Gig

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