Look To The Stars News: Peter Gabriel

Peter Gabriel Hosts Focus For Change Concert

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:15:00 +0000

Music legend and human rights advocate Peter Gabriel hosted the 7th Annual Focus for Change benefit dinner and concert at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC Thursday, November 10, for Witness, the international human rights organization.

Peter Gabriel. Photo Witness via Flickr

Peter Gabriel To Host Charity Dinner And Concert

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Music legend and human rights advocate Peter Gabriel will host the 7th Annual Focus for Change benefit dinner and concert for Witness, the international human rights organization on Thursday, November 10th at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC.

The event will feature performances by Rodrigo y Gabriela, David Crosby and Graham Nash, as well as other special guests.

The evening celebrates citizen activists from around the world who are fueling revolutionary change with the use of video, technology and social media. This past year saw incredible movements spreading across the Middle East and North Africa with the help of Facebook, YouTube, video and text messaging, as well as a rise of a new generation of young activists, who are tech savvy and hungry for social transformation.

Mena Suvari Urges Fans To Help The Hungry In East Africa

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Mena Suvari is urging her fans to donate to UNICEF’s campaign to end the famine in East Africa.

“Help Humanity Half a million children are going to die of malnutrition if we don’t act,” the star tweeted yesterday.

The epicentre of the drought has hit the poorest people in the region in an area straddling the borders of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia where families rely heavily on livestock for survival. In some parts of the region, up to 60 percent of their herds have already died while the remainder are either sick or dangerously underweight. The price of animals has plummeted by half while the cost of cereals has soared. In Somalia the price of a main staple sorghum has risen by a massive 240 percent since this time last year.

Ewan McGregor Speaks Up For Starving Children In East Africa

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

UNICEF ambassador Ewan McGregor has made a heartfelt plea for the victims of what has been called the worst food crisis of this century in East Africa.

“East Africa is in crisis – war, failing harvest and the worst draught in fifty years means that over 2 million children are at risk… risk of disease, risk of death,” says the actor and humanitarian in a new video filmed for UNICEF. “At just one refugee camp in Kenya, there are almost half a million people in urgent need of food, water and basic healthcare. The situation throughout the region is becoming more and more critical. The threat of starvation is very real. By giving just £5, you could give desperately needed food to the most malnourished children. UNICEF’s most experienced teams are already on the ground, ensuring lifesaving aid is getting through, but we urgently need your help to reach every child who needs us. I promise your donation will make a real difference.”

David Lynch Launches Music That Changes The World

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:00:00 +0000

David Lynch has gathered a huge number of artists to contribute to a digital album that will raise money for the David Lynch Foundation.

“Download For Good: Music That Changes The World” includes 33 tracks from artists such as Moby, Maroon 5, Daryl Hannah, Peter Gabriel, Iggy Pop, Band From TV, Heather Nova, Dave Stewart, Tom Waits, Ben Folds, Alanis Morissette, Nancy Sinatra, Julio Iglesias Jr., The Police guitarist Andy Summers and many more.

“The artists who have shared their music are spreading happiness,” says David Lynch. “With their music alone they’re supporting programs that take away suffering and bring bliss to many people.”

Celebrities Sign Letter About Worst Food Crisis Of This Century

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Celebrities including Peter Gabriel, Lauren Laverne, Annie Lennox and Michael Morpugo have signed an open letter about the worst food crisis of the 21st century.

“East Africa is facing the worst food crisis of the 21st century,” states the letter. "Livestock are dying, markets are empty, food prices are rocketing and people are starving. Levels of acute malnutrition among refugees fleeing Somalia are some of the highest seen in decades.

“Across Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya, 12 million people are in dire need of clean water, food and basic sanitation. Loss of life on a massive scale is a very real risk, and the crisis is set to worsen over the coming months.

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:

Demi Moore Contributes To CNN Documentary On Nepal's Stolen Children

Fri, 06 May 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Demi Moore is a special contributor to CNN’s new documentary – Nepal’s Stolen Children – to air on June 11.

In Nepal’s Stolen Children: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary, actress and anti-sex trafficking activist Demi Moore partners with the CNN Freedom Project to shine a light on the shocking trade of human life in Nepal. As a special contributor to the CNN Freedom Project, Moore joins up with 2010 CNN Hero of the Year Anuradha Koirala and her organisation, Maiti Nepal, which has rescued more than 12,000 stolen Nepalese children from sex trafficking since 1993.

David Lynch Gets Celebrity Help For Charity CD

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Film director David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Mulholland Drive) released a 17-track charity compilation on March 8 to support his foundation, which encourages healing through meditation.

The album features exclusive tracks by Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, Peter Gabriel, Moby, Ben Folds and others.

“Music itself is such a beautiful, beautiful thing,” said Lynch, “The world of music-like all the other worlds-is infinitely deep…some of the great music just thrills us to the soul…any sales of DLF music goes to support these now growing number of programs from the David Lynch Foundation.”

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.

Christmas Gift Idea: Stars Sign Guitars For Amnesty International

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Last week, LookToTheStars.org suggested those looking for the perfect Christmas gift bid on Bruce Springsteen’s Amnesty International guitar. Now we have some other great celebrity charity gift ideas.

A host of other artists have also signed guitars designed by Fender to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights in 2008. Among the stars who have added their signatures to the instruments are U2’s The Edge, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie and The Cure.

Nobel Peace Laureates Gather In Hiroshima For World Summit

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:30:00 +0000

The 11th Edition of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates was held in Hiroshima on November 12th-14th, 2010.

The international conference was historic and groundbreaking in that it marked the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombings of two Japanese cities. In light of recent meetings between the United States and the Russian Federation to reduce each nation’s nuclear weapons arsenals and of the results of the recent U.N. Conference of New York, the Summit confronted the issue of nuclear disarmament and propose concrete measures to address this most pressing issue.

Chaired by Mikhail Gorbachev and Walter Veltroni, former Mayor of Rome, the event attracted Nobel Peace Laureates such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Fredrik Willem De Klerk, Lech Walesa, José Ramos- Horta, Oscar Arias Sanchez, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Mohamed ElBaradei, Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams. Senior representatives of such international organizations as the United Nations (UN), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), International Labor Organization (ILO), United Nations Children’s Found (UNICEF), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), Pugwash Conferences (PUGWASH), International Peace Bureau (IPB), American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International (AI) and many others also attended.

Download Music To Bring Relief To Haiti

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:00:00 +0000

In partnership with the United Nations Foundation, Habitat For Humanity and the Dave Matthews Band’s Bama Works Fund Haitian relief effort, Music for Relief is working to provide immediate aid with food, water, and emergency medical supplies, and long-term sustainable housing solutions for the people affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12th at 4:53pm.

To help, people can download a mixtape of nine original songs by Linkin Park, Slash, Alanis Morissette, Peter Gabriel, Hoobastank, The All-American Rejects, and Enrique Iglesias. There is no set price for the album. However, donate what you can and donate generously as this catastrophic natural disaster requires that the world step up to help.

Music for Relief is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing aid to victims of natural disasters and the prevention of such disasters. Since its inception in 2005, Music for Relief has raised over $3 million for victims of multiple disasters across four continents and planted over 810,000 trees to help reduce global warming. Music for Relief was found by the band Linkin Park.

Annie Lennox Awarded As Woman Of Peace

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Singer Annie Lennox has been honored by Nobel Peace Laureates for her work promoting awareness of AIDS and peace at the 10th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Berlin.

The 2009 Woman Of Peace award was presented by former Nobel Peace Prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev. Lennox was chosen by 22 Nobel Peace Laureates for her work in raising awareness of the HIV/AIDS impact on women and children, especially in South Africa, through her SING campaign that enlisted 23 of the world’s most acclaimed female vocalists in recording “Sing,” written by Lennox.   

Annie started the SING campaign after visiting South Africa to perform in the inaugural concert of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 HIV campaign. During that trip, she witnessed the lack of resources available to help the world’s largest population living with the devastating disease. Since 2003, SING has raised $2 million and through its partnership with the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), has helped to provide South Africans with treatment and testing, HIV education, and prevention programs.

Top Rockers Protest Against Music Torture At Guantanamo

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

A coalition of US and international musicians, including Trent Reznor, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Jackson Browne, Rise Against, Rosanne Cash, Billy Bragg and The Roots have announced they are joining the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo—a campaign led by retired Generals Robert Gard, John Johns, former member of Congress, Tom Andrews, and Vote Vets Chairman and Iraq War veteran, Jon Soltz.

The musicians have also launched a formal protest of the use of music used in conjunction with torture that took place at the prison and other facilities and announced they were supporting an effort seeking the declassification of all secret government records pertaining to how music was utilized as an interrogation device.

Lenny Kravitz To Headline Peace Day Concert

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Kasabian and Lenny Kravitz have been confirmed to play at a one-off gig at the Paris Le Grand Rex to mark Peace Day next month.

“I’m delighted to support Peace One Day once again to take the message of Peace Day to the people,” said Kravitz. “Peace One Day is all about uniting the world, and music can drive that message. I’m pleased to be carrying the torch for POD this year.”

The show will take place on September 19 – two days before Peace Day – and will also feature Keziah Jones, Ayo, Olivia Ruiz and Charlie Winston.

Peter Gabriel Dedicates Song To Murdered Activist

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Former Genesis singer Peter Gabriel dedicated a track to a murdered human rights activist at this year’s WOMAD festival in Wiltshire, England, during the weekend.

Gabriel played Biko – a song he wrote about South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko – for Chechen Natalia Estemirova, who was brutally killed earlier this month.

Estemirova worked with Russian human rights organization, as well as Gabriel’s own Witness organization, which empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change. Gabriel hopes to raise £100,000 for Witness – which encourages people to use video and online technology to expose human rights violations in their communities – at the WOMAD Festival.

Cyndie Lauper Launches Charity Auction

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

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.”

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.

Annie Lennox - Human Rights Now!

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:30:00 +0000

Annie Lennox was awarded a Special Achievement Award at the German Sustainability Awards last week.

The ceremony – which took place in Düsseldorf – recognized the music legend’s commitment to a sustainable future through her work in the fight against HIV/AIDS, including her commitments to the Treatment Action Campaign, Oxfam, the 46664 Campaign, and SING.

The event was followed this week by a special documentary that aired on BBC2 radio. Human Rights Now! was a 1 hour presentation hosted by Lennox that highlighted the important part artists and musicians play in generating support and awareness for Amnesty International.

Annie Lennox Hosts Amnesty Arts Fund Launch

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:30:00 +0000

Singer Annie Lennox hosted the launch of the Amnesty Arts Fund at The Twentieth Century Theatre in London last night, September 25.

The Amnesty Arts Fund brings together people who believe passionately in freedom of expression and projects which have the potential to reach new audiences and inspire creative activism around the world. Amnesty International has a long and proud tradition of working with creative industries and individuals to raise awareness for human rights issues across the globe. This work has inspired change, action and momentum throughout the audiences which have been reached. The launch event celebrated past, current and future creative projects and creative activism.

“Arts and artists have the unique power to bring people together and inspire positive action,” said Lennox. “The Amnesty Arts Fund recognizes that power and uses it to call for change.”

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.

Celebs Sign Mercedes for 46664 Auction

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:30:00 +0000

There was a lot of action backstage at the 46664 Concert Honouring Nelson Mandela at 90 last Friday night. In addition to performing and giving interviews, celebrities were asked to sign a new Mercedes-Benz C350. Mercedes-Benz, a lead sponsor of the Mandela concert, then presented the vehicle to 46664, which will put it on the auction block.

Celebrities whose autographs now decorate the car include Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Queen and Paul Rodgers, Annie Lennox, Simple Minds, Peter Gabriel, the Sugababes, Razorlight, Jamelia, Zuccero, Geri Halliwell, Eddy Grant, the Soweto Gospel Choir, Quincy Jones, and Lewis Hamilton.

Earlier in the day, tennis legend and Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador Boris Becker – who is also a representative of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation – took the vehicle to visit socially disadvantaged children in London. The children decorated the sedan with multi-colored handprints; they were also invited to attend the concert later that evening.

Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday Party Rocks London

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Hyde Park was transformed into a giant birthday bash Friday night as 46,664 people joined “birthday boy” Nelson Mandela and a stellar lineup of entertainers to raise funds and awareness for his 46664 charity.

It had been raining on and off all day in London, but the skies cleared just in time for the once-in-a-lifetime lineup of musicians and entertainers to take the stage in honor of Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday. The event was hosted by an enthusiastic Will Smith, and performers included Jivan Gasparyan, Razorlight, the cast of Into the ’Hoods, Sipho Mibuze, Leona Lewis, Zucchero, Suzanna Owiyo and D’Gary, Sugababes, Annie Lennox (who performed with the Agape Children’s Choir), Emmanual Jal, Vusi Mahlasela, Jamelia, Loyiso, Johnny Clegg, Joan Baez, Eddy Grant, Kurt Darren, Simple Minds, Brian May and Andrea Corr, Amy Winehouse, 9ice and Bebe Cool, Josh Groban, Amaral, and Queen and Paul Rodgers. The renowned Soweto Gospel Choir accompanied many of the acts. Additional entertainers who introduced the musical acts included Quincy Jones, Lewis Hamilton, Geri Halliwell, Peter Gabriel, Stephen Fry, and Jerry Dammers.

After Jivan Gasparyan opened the show with an instrumental piece to accompany a moving series of photographs of Mandela, Will Smith took to the stage with his wife Jada and announced, “The party starts now.” An energizing performance by Razorlight set the tone for the rest of the evening.

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.