Look To The Stars News: Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn Helps British Politicians With Education

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0000

Goldie Hawn will work with Britain’s Conservative Party on new schooling techniques, with the possibility of opening a school with a difference in the UK.

The actress established The Hawn Foundation to promote “mindfulness training” in schools which – through breathing exercises – promotes social and emotional progress over academic testing.

“We are meeting to discuss how she might be able to help education here,” said Conservative education secretary Michael Gove. “We need more new schools outside local authority control to challenge the bureaucratic monopoly. Some parents would want a rigorous traditional academic education for their children with desks neatly marshalled and traditional football. Others will want something that is more flexible, more imaginative.”

“We need to rethink our whole approach to classroom education, integrating neuroscience with the latest social and emotional learning techniques,” added Hawn. “A peaceful, happy child is the first step towards a peaceful world.”

Find out more by visiting the Hawn Foundation website.

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.

Stars For A Cause On Display

Mon, 04 May 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A selection of celebrity designed/autographed jewelry, footwear and other unique items will be on display at auction house Bonhams in New Bond Street, London, tomorrow before being auctioned at Bonhams and Butterfields in Los Angeles on May 28.

Half of the proceeds of the auction, organized by Stars For A Cause, will go to charities chosen by the participating stars, such as the The Art of Elysium, Keep A Child Alive, Red Cross, Elton John AIDS Foundation, UNICEF and many many more. The other half will go to the Prince's Trust, which helps young people develop confidence, motivation and skills to find work.

Celebrities taking part in the campaign include Kate Winslet, Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz, Ricky Gervais, Charlize Theron, Goldie Hawn, Miley Cyrus, Colin Farrell, Susan Sarandon, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, Sigourney Weaver and more.

To learn more about this amazing auction, visit the official website.

Salma Hayek To Help At Auction In Dubai

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A selection of luxury items will be auctioned today, December 12, for charity in Dubai, with stars such as Salma Hayek, Goldie Hawn, and Laura Linney lending a hand.

The auction is part of the Dubai International Film Festival, with all proceeds going to the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). Some of the rare and exclusive lots include a Cartier ‘Salma Hayek’ Love Handcuff – customized especially for Cinema Against Aids Dubai – as well as a limited edition hand-painted dress from Balenciaga’s Paris runway show, and a Suzuki DRZ 400 SM prototype motorcycle used in the film Terminator Salvation.

AmfAR is dedicated to the support of AIDS research, AIDS prevention, treatment, education and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy. Their annual Cinema Against AIDS gala has generated more than $22 million for essential AIDS research since 1993.

“AmfAR is an event where the world’s most famous faces come together to make a difference,” said Shivani Pandya, Dubai International Film Festival’s Managing Director. “Dubai’s philanthropic connoisseurs will be in the centre of a world-renowned event that has a tangible, positive impact on the world.”

The auction will be held at Atlantis The Palm Hotel in Dubai.

Harrelson, Hayek Play For Charity In Cannes

Fri, 23 May 2008 10:52:23 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Competitors Alice Taglioni and Woody Harrelson came out on top at the Partouche Charity Poker Festival on May 17th in Cannes. The two fought it out at the tables until 1 AM before conceding that they were both winners, and agreeing to split the $1 million pot between their chosen charities.

Taglioni’s $500,000 will go to the French association Enfants et santé, which helps children affected by leukemia and other diseases, while Harrelson’s winnings are going to Oasis Preserve International, an ecological charity acting for the worldwide ecosystem preservation.

Eliminated players will also receive checks for their charities of choice. Goldie Hawn was playing for the The Hawn Foundation, Salma Hayek played for her Salma Hayek Foundation, Edward Norton was hoping to win for the National Landscape Conservation Foundation, Tim Robbins was in for The Actors Gang, Dennis Hopper attended for the Center For American Progress and Adrien Brody did not disclose his charity.

After the game, all players were interviewed by Sogimage camera teams and invited to comment on their experience. The resulting show will be broadcast all around the world, presenting the highlights of the tournament, as well as their glamorous arrivals at the Palm Beach Casino and interviews.

Celebrity Doodle Sale For Genetic Disorder

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:48:44 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

One of the most exciting celebrity auctions of the year will take place in May to raise funds for an organization supporting sufferers of a painful and disfiguring condition.

National Doodle Day will kick off on May 8 as part of Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month, and will mark the start of a week-long auction of over 100 celebrity doodles from stars such as Ellen DeGeneres, Scarlett Johansson, and Goldie Hawn. Money from the doodles, which were hand-drawn by each celebrity on a 5" by 8" card, will benefit Neurofibromatosis, Inc., a national organization that supports NF patients, their families, and research into the disorder.

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is one of the most common genetic disorders in the Untied States, affecting one in every 2,500 births. It is a disorder of the nervous system that causes tumors to form on the nerves anywhere in the body at any time, and can lead to disfigurement, deafness, blindness, seizures, bone deformities, and cancer. Half of the children born with the condition have no family history of the disorder, so it can strike in any family without warning.

The doodle auction runs from May 8 to 18, and follows a successful auction run by the organization last year that featured one-of-a-kind works of art from Cindy Crawford, Kathy Griffin, Kenny G, Josh Groban, Jay Leno, Rick Springfield, Donald Trump, and The Fonz himself, Henry Winkler. However, the highest bid went to a drawing from Barack Obama, which sold for a massive $2,075.

Funds raised from the Doodle Day auction this year will go to support education, advocacy, coalitions, and research for treatments and a cure. Other stars who have put their drawing skills to good use include Gillian Anderson, Candice Bergen, Jeff Bridges, David Cassidy, Dom DeLuise, Garfield creator Jim Davis, Julia Louis Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Seth Green, and many more. There is also an autographed photo and NCIS call-sheet from Mark Harmon on offer.

To view the doodles for sale, visit the Doodle Day website or www.nfinc.org.

Goldie Hawn Swings A Sporran For Israel's Water

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 06:15:07 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actress Goldie Hawn was in Glasgow, Scotland, recently as guest speaker to over 500 supporters of the Jewish National Fund (JNF).

The JNF is addressing the chronic water shortage by building reservoirs and dams in Isreal where annual rainfall only occurs between November and March. The reservoirs store both surface run-off and treated waste water for the irrigation of a land that is 2/3 desert.

Founded in 1901 for the purpose of purchasing land for agriculture and new communities, the JNF is still buying and building, and also planting trees. In efforts to reclaim land, the organization is involved in cleaning up Isreal’s riverways, draining marshes, creating parks, caring for the environment, and turning useless land into thriving resources for its population.

“It’s a little chilly, but it’s great to be here,” Hawn told fans outside the Glasgow fundraiser. “I love Scotland.”

The event raised $200,000 for the Gazit reservoir in the Galilee.

Natalie Portman - Beauty, Brains, And Heart

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:01:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

She may have made her name as Luke Skywalker’s mother in Star Wars, and has since gone on to make some of the most interesting art-house films produced in the last five years, but young starlet Natalie Portman is more than just another Hollywood bimbo. Under the beauty lies a brain and heart many people only dream of possessing.

Born Natalie Hershlag in Jerusalem, Israel, to an Israeli father and an American mother, the 26-year-old actress comes from a family with a long history of social and political activism. Her grandfather, for example, was a socialist economics professor of the developing world who set up one of Israel’s first Kibbutzes. It was an atmosphere that left its lasting mark on Portman – she became a vegetarian at the age of eight, and joined an environmental dance troupe at the age of 12.

The star of the Star Wars prequels, as well as independent films such as “Closer” and “Garden State”, is an enthusiastic advocate for animal rights, and refuses to wear products made from fur, feathers, or leather. In 2007 she even launched her own range of vegan footwear, and she has also appeared in a documentary in which she trekked through a Congolese national park in search of the endangered Rwandan Mountain Gorilla.

But the Harvard University psychology graduate’s real passion is alleviating poverty in Third World countries. In May, 2007, Portman joined Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan to launch the Village Banking Campaign for the Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA). The campaign is designed to provide financial services to the world’s lowest-income entrepreneurs so they can create jobs, build assets, and improve their standard of living.

“I really wanted to work on Middle East peace, because I’m from Israel originally,” said the young star. “And I really wanted to work on something with Queen Rania of Jordan, because she’s probably the woman I admire most from my region. So I got in contact with her and her staff, and they recommended for me to get involved with FINCA.”

Portman is immensely proud of her role as an Ambassador of Hope for FINCA, and has visited programs run in countries such as Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Uganda. She even produced a charity album for the organization, Big Change – Songs For FINCA, that featured songs by artists such as Norah Jones.

“My goal for this campaign is to galvanize my generation to support Village Banking, and take a leadership role in the fight against poverty,” she said at the launch of the initiative. “We have the ability and the responsibility to make our shrinking world a more hopeful, stable and peaceful place. With all of the tools we now have at hand – new anti-poverty approaches like microfinance; technology that helps us mobilize even greater numbers of people; and a growing understanding of the imperatives – we have no excuse to miss this opportunity.”

Portman has also recently been chosen to represent the Listen Campaign, joining Hollywood legends such as Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, and Jessica Lange in a new and exciting multimedia charity initiative designed to highlight the plight of needy children around the world. The scheme, launched in November 2007, hopes to raise $1 billion over the next 10 years.

“I understand that people might be jaded,” said Portman. “I know I get turned off by most celebrity joining-in efforts. But I’m interested in this because it’s about diverting some of the unwarranted attention we have in our celebrity-crazed culture and passing it on to something else. We can give people a voice who would not normally have one.”

The Listen Campaign website includes a video of Portman visiting a young 17-year-old boy named Nicholas in Uganda – an HIV-positive AIDS orphan who is trying to raise his sister and three brothers.

“The thing that upset me most is that we weren’t taught about this stuff at school,” said Portman. “We weren’t taught that half the world lives on less than $3 a day.”

Although she has had a lot of success in films, the young actress has thought about trading the position in for work in a non-profit organization, and claims that her travels through some of the poorest countries in the world has really opened her eyes about life, ambition, and true happiness.

And if she has one wish for the future of the planet, it would be this:

“People [should] pay attention, look to their neighbors. I think we’ve lost so much community. I think that’s one of the things I’ve appreciated most seeing in these villages is just the sense of community, where an entire family – an entire community – takes care of each other. And we’ve really lost that. And when you lose that on a personal level, you lose that on a global level as well. But I see a lot of people really wanting to do positive things in the world. And I feel that it’s like a new generation. You can watch the news and it feels like it’s the end of the world, very apocalyptic. So I just try and find people around me who are doing positive things.”

Celebrities Listen For Disadvantaged Children

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:33:55 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A huge and exciting new global media campaign has kicked off to raise awareness and funds for some of the world’s most disadvantaged children.

The Listen Campaign is the result of seven years work and research, and is being supported by a host of celebrities who want the public to listen to the rights and needs of children affected by poverty, disease, natural disaster, exploitation, war, and AIDS in places such as Africa, America, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

“Listen is an annual global media campaign bringing together some of the finest creative artists in film, music, and the arts to raise awareness and funds for 200 children’s charity projects around the world, and to develop a worldwide community of supporters,” said Tony Hollingsworth, Executive Producer of the campaign.

The campaign’s website was launched in November, and contains short films made by some of the world’s biggest stars, who have spent time visiting and listening to children in need. Brooke Shields, Jessica Lange, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Natalie Portman, and Ashley Judd have all pledged their support for the campaign and are featured on the site, and Samuel L. Jackson has recorded a film about children in New Orleans.

“I had to come here for this… to listen to remarkable stories,” said Jackson, who was drawn to the project from the outset. “I don’t know how [the children] get through it. These kids shouldn’t be hungry and homeless, going to school hearing gunshots, without good schooling, getting ill from the formaldehyde leaching out of the trailer walls. That these kids are still suffering, two years after Hurricane Katrina, is a national scandal. Their voice should be a call to action.”

The campaign has set a fundraising target of $100 million for its first year, and hopes to raise over $10 billion within 10 years. Magazines, newspapers, internet, and television – in fact, every type of media available – are all going to play their part in attaining the campaign’s goal of making 500 million people a year aware of the plight of desperate children. Broadcasts will be made in over 60 countries, with two television specials set for worldwide release in June. One of these, Listen Live, will be a spectacular concert event in Los Angeles, in which major music stars will collaborate to perform one-off versions of their most famous songs, with musical direction from the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart and legendary music producer Don Was.

Over seventy of the world’s most respected charities, such as Save the Children, CARE, Christian Aid, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, (RED), and WaterAid have nominated 200 children’s projects for the campaign to benefit. All of the beneficiary projects have been pre-declared, and can be seen on the website so the public knows exactly how their donations are to be used. As a unique addition, all donors will also receive five update reports to show exactly how their money is changing the lives of children.

“Pre-declaring the projects that will be funded and then reporting back on the effect of the donor’s money is a key difference of the Listen Campaign to other major international fundraising campaigns,” said Hollingsworth. “This pre-declaration and impact reporting will build public trust, and the creative artists’ contributions will generate interest leading to a sustained community of supporters.”

To take part in the campaign, to read exclusive short stories by some of the world’s best novelists, and to donate and enter competitions, the public can register their support at www.listencharity.org.

Paris Heads To Rwanda

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:51:20 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Paris Hilton is to head to one of the poorest countries on the planet to raise awareness of child poverty.

Plans have been confirmed for the 26 year old socialite and heiress of the Hilton Hotel chain to travel to Rwanda next month, as part of her image makeover following her brief stint in jail in June.

“I’ll be going in November, after I get back from filming my movie,” said the star of “A Simple Life”, who is currently making “Repo! The Genetic Opera” with director Darren Lynn Bousman. “There’s so much need in that area, and I feel like if I go, it will bring more attention to what people can do to help.”

The trip is being undertaken in conjunction with Playing For Good, a charity dedicated to children’s issues set up a year ago by Scott Lazerson. Playing For Good was founded as a way to inspire and help businesses and celebrities to get involved in philanthropic work, and has attracted the support of stars such as Eva Longoria, Fran Drescher, and Goldie Hawn. Events organized by the charity in the past year have raised money for Millennium Promise Alliance, Keep A Child Alive, Spread The Net, and The Hawn Foundation. Lazerson plans to film Hilton’s journey to the war-ravaged nation and sell it as part of a new reality show, “The Philanthropist”, which will feature various celebrities on missions to help the world’s poor.

“She’s using her celebrity status and the cameras that follow her for the good of the world,” he said.

Thirteen years ago, the African nation of Rwanda was the scene of one of the worst massacres witnessed in recent history, when the Hutu-led military slaughtered almost a million Tutsis, in a country with a population of only 9 million people. Today, the political situation remains unstable, although President Paul Kagame is currently restructuring the Government to form a more secure country.

“I’m scared, yeah. I’ve heard its really dangerous,” said Hilton, regarding the trip to a country with an average life expectancy of 39 years, and where only 41% of the population has access to safe drinking water. “I’ve never been on a trip like this before.”

Hilton’s trip will last for five days, and is the first step in the shedding of her old persona, a promise she made to herself and the world in June.

“Before, my life was about parties – it was a fantasy,” she said. “But when I had time to reflect, I felt empty inside. I want to leave a mark on the world. I want to visit more countries where poverty and children’s issues are a big concern. I know there’s a lot of good I can do just by getting involved and bringing attention to these issues.”

Also as part of her new image, Hilton plans to make her new home in Beverly Hills more eco-friendly.

“I just bought the house,” she said. “I haven’t been able to work on it yet. But I intend to.”

Diaz Joins Pangea Day

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:58:22 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Actress Cameron Diaz, besides working on environmental awareness activities, joins Goldie Hawn, Meg Ryan and other artists, directors and activists on the Pangea Day advisory board, an organisation set on creating a worldwide network of concerned citizens who are making a difference and believe that film can change the world.

The brainchild of Arab-American, award winning documentary film-maker Jehane Noujaim, the group’s first action is to create a global film day where short films will be screened simultaneously across the world, and subsequently be available from the Internet. Submitted by any person from anywhere in the world, the films, which “should provide a powerful glimpse into various aspects of our lives,” will be judged and four hours of the best shorts, visionary speakers and live music will be broadcast May 10, 2008, on Pangea Day.

Towards her wish for world peace and in her effort to heal the world’s conflicts, Ms Noujaim believes that by showing meaningful clips of people of different countries and cultures to the whole world at the same time, she can make conflicts more personal to individuals than perhaps a newspaper report might, humanize the issues, and begin a healing process. After the world wide screening next year, Pangea Day organisers will connect inspired people with appropriate organisations to “facilitate community-building activities.”

Ms Noujaim was last year’s recipient of the TED award at the Technology, Entertainment, Design Conference where "the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers come together to give the talk of their lives. You can hear Ms Noujaim’s wish speech, the wish that she is granted by TED along with $100,000 prize money, at www.pangeaday.org

Pangea is the word given to the earth’s complete land mass before the continents split off. Pangea Cinema Day for Ms Noujaim is “the day the world comes together by reaching out to people’s hearts and souls through film.”

Look To The Stars News: Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn Helps British Politicians With Education

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