Look To The Stars News: Jet Li

Jet Li Blogs On Charity

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Action star Jet Li has blogged on Forbes.com about his aim of creating a culture of charity in China.

“As I see communities improve through charitable work, I envision even more positive change in China in the next 10 years,” wrote Li. "China’s growing wealth and people’s increased access to education and knowledge will create an ever-growing capacity for giving. By fostering better standards of efficiency and ease of exchange among nonprofit organizations around the world, globalization should nurture the accountable and meaningful use of funds here in China.

“This is the vision I have for the [”One Foundation":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/86-one-foundation], which I founded in 2007. Since then, we have contributed to the relief of 12 national and international disasters, including last year’s Sichuan earthquake – the next day close to 1 million individuals donated to the One Foundation through mobile telephones and the Internet."

The China-based One Foundation was created to deal with issues related to disaster relief, health, and education. Over one million volunteers have pledged their commitment to the One Foundation and the organization is hard at work to garner more.

With Li’s guidance, the company is aiming to gain more sustainability and public credibility. Breaking away from traditional charity models, the One Foundation is employing social entrepreneurship “to help groom the next generation of leaders,” and show that one can make money while volunteering and helping others.

“As millions of citizens and many commercial leaders—such as Deloitte, McKinsey, Alibaba, China Merchants Bank and Tencent—have come to support our vision, we have further moved to support China’s charity industry with philanthropy grants to promote professionalism and transparency,” wrote Li. “In 2008, we awarded 7 million yuan ($1 million) in funding to seven outstanding Chinese nonprofit organizations. This year we will be awarding 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) to 10 organizations.”

To read Jet Li’s full blog, click here.

Jet Li Launches Thousand Villages Project

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Action star Jet Li has blogged about an exciting new initiative he is involved in with former British prime minister Tony Blair.

“Yesterday, I visited Guiyang, China with Former Prime Minister Tony Blair to announce our “Thousand Villages Project” that focuses on changing the way electricity is consumed in China and the world by taking people off the electrical grid and switching them to solar power," wrote Li. "In addition to using renewal power, switching lighting not only in the household but also in buildings and streetlamps to LED takes less power to use longer. That’s like doing three simple things at once to make sure the next generation can see blue skies more often.

“Tony told me that in Britain, driving electrical cars and using renewal power has already become the norm.

“Over the past two years, each progressive step that the [”One Foundation":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/86-one-foundation] has taken in helping with public welfare matters or charity related work often makes me very excited. I’m always touched when I see even more people join hand-in-hand with the One Foundation and launching a project together because of an idea, because they identify with us, and because they care about our society. This kind of feeling totally exceeds the satisfied feeling of that I get after completing a film.

“If you don’t take the small steps, how will you walk a thousand miles; the progress of public welfare and charity related work depends precisely on every little matter that might not be of any interest.

“Yesterday, the Climate Group and the One Foundation jointly launched the “Solar-powered LED Lighting the Thousand Villages Project”. This is the first collaborative project between the Climate Group and the One Foundation since signing a cooperative strategy memorandum agreement in March of this year.

“I’d like to ask everyone a very simple question – have you ever experienced a power-cut before? Or maybe try to imagine, what would you do if you had no power at night? How much would it affect your lifestyle and the way you live? What I want to say is, there are a lot of people living right next to us – in rural villages throughout China, in India, in Africa – they live in an environment with no electricity or power sources.

“Luckily, this kind of phenomenon is in the process of changing. Yesterday, I represented the One Foundation and together with one of the co-founders of the Climate Group, former British Prime Minister Mr. Tony Blair, we jointly launched the “Solar-powered LED Lighting the Thousand Villages Project”. We also visited Baigong Village in Dang Wuxiang of Huaxi district, Guaiyang. This village is also our first illustrative example for the Thousand Village Project. The time frame set for the Solar-powered LED Lighting the Thousand Villages Project is five years. The project will involve 400 villages around China in the first two years. In the next three years to follow, the project will expand to over 600 villages within countries including China, India and Africa.

“Let’s take action together! I hope that everyone in our One Foundation family will be proud of the One Foundation for taking another progressive step!”

To read the full blog, click here.

Jackie Chan And Jet Li Give To Typhoon Victims

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Action stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li have stepped up to help victims of the typhoon that devastated Taiwan last week.

Jet LI – who founded the One Foundation to help victims of natural disasters – lined up with aid workers from the Red Cross to hand out urgently needed supplies to people who have lost their homes in the floods and mudslides.

“It will get better,” said the star, who took part in a celebrity fundraiser on Friday that raised Taiwan$1.1 billion (US$33 million). “Everybody is working very hard. We should have more understanding and give more encouragement.”

Look To The Stars can also reveal that Jackie Chan has donated over 2 million RMB (US$293,000) to the disaster relief effort after Typhoon Morakot swept across parts of mainland China.

Chan recorded a Chinese language video to encourage people to help by making donations they can afford. He also promised to keep himself informed of the relief effort and to provide continued support to the victims.

The video (Chinese, no subtitles) can be viewed here.

More photos of Jet Li can be viewed on Facebook.

Jet Li Aims To Change The Face Of Charity

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Catrina K. Sally

Jet Li’s One Foundation was created after the action star began to ponder the meaning of life.

Two years ago, the China-based foundation was created to deal with issues related to disaster relief, health, and education. Over one million volunteers have pledged their commitment to the One Foundation and the organization is hard at work to garner more.

Li conceptualized his charity on the idea that if each person donates at least one dollar or yuan each month, the individual donations can be transformed into a much larger sum. Li affirms, “One dollar is not little; $1 million is not a lot. What’s most important is that we are willing to give.”

For more information on Jet Li’s One Foundation, please visit http://www.onefoundation.cn.

Penelope Cruz And Donatella Versace To Host Charity Gala

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Italian luxury fashion house Versace, is pleased to announce that for the second straight year, it will sponsor the Whitney’s Gala and Studio Party. Taking place Monday evening October 19th, the event will be co-chaired by Penelope Cruz, Liz Swig and Donatella Versace.

In addition to sponsoring the Gala, Donatella Versace collaborated with the Whitney’s Education Department and designed a project called Art Unites to provide children in need in the United States and China with the incomparable spirit, creativity, inspiration and solace that visual arts bestow.

The program, which officially launched on July 1st, will benefit Starlight Children’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families in the US, and the One Foundation in China, an organization committed to the long-term recovery of the areas devastated by last year’s earthquakes in the Sichuan province, funding and operating two Versace One Foundation children’s centers with schooling, psychological therapy, and post trauma counseling for over 1200, through creative visual arts an essential form of relief.

As part of the program Versace will provide canvas and art supplies to 500 children from Starlight and 900 children from the One Foundation to create original drawings using the theme of “friendship”. Each child’s work of art will be fashioned into a one-of-a-kind Versace canvas tote bag which will be sold worldwide at Versace boutiques and the Gilt Groupe, a member’s only ecommerce site this October. The bags are expected to retail for between $200 and $250, and 100% percent of the proceeds from the sale of the bags will be donated equally to Starlight and to One Foundation.

“I have been blessed with incredible success in my life,” says Donatella. “And part of that success means being able to give back to people in need. As a mother, children’s causes are especially close to my heart, and I am honored to be able to work with The Whitney on the creation of a program that inspires children through the arts. Both Starlight and the One Foundation provide critical support for children and their families, and I look forward to our ongoing partnership.”

Kicking off the program, The Whitney’s Education department hosted a day of art-making at the museum on July 1st with children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses from the New York chapter of Starlight. Donatella Versace was on hand at the party to encourage and inspire the children in the creation of their designs for the tote bags.

Once all the drawings worldwide are complete, a panel of judges led by Donatella, including Adam D. Weinberg, the Whitney’s Alice Pratt Brown Director, Glenda Bailey, Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar, international actress Penelope Cruz, and Jet Li, actor and founder of the One Foundation, will select one winning bag from each charity which will be featured in the Versace runway show this September.

Jet Li To Launch Quake Anniversary Welfare Program

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

One year after the deadly May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, China, actor and kungfu master Jet Li’s One Foundation is launching One Family, Walk Together, a welfare campaign to bring attention to the devastated region and its survivors.

In a February speech for the China Global Philanthropy Forum, former US president Bill Clinton gave his support to Li’s foundation: “As a global community we face many challenges, including global warming, poverty and disease. Individually, these problems are insurmountable, but together we can overcome them. The One Foundation believes as I do in the strength of our common humanity, and the spirit of giving is the same no matter how much money you give or how many hours you volunteer.”

But therein lies the problem in China. “The charity sector’s development in China is quite recent compared to the US, where it has been registered for 100 years, or 400 years in the case of Europe,” Li said in an interview with Shanghai Star Weekend. “Most people in China today think that charitable acts are limited to donating money, but that’s actually not the case.”

Although Li sees charity as the undertaking of his life, he realises that not everyone is able to be as dedicated. He does, however, offer this reminder: “By helping others, we’re helping ourselves, because one day, everyone will know that our lives need mutual support.”

Jet Li Appointed Goodwill Ambassador

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Action star Jet Li was appointed as a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the World Health Organization (WHO) – the United Nations’ public health arm – on Friday, and is expected to launch World Health Day in Beijing on Tuesday.

“I would like to thank WHO for this great honor and opportunity,” he said. “Health is essential to the well-being of humanity, and I am very happy that WHO trusts me to take on this important responsibility. If we do not take care of our bodies, we will not be able to do many things. This is our common belief, and I will do my very best to spread this shared belief to the world.”

The action star will use his position as ambassador to raise awareness of issues such as public health responses to emergencies, as well as mental health. Both causes are close to the star’s heart, and he founded the One Foundation after narrowly escaping the December 26, 2004 tsunami with his family. He has also been a Red Cross ambassador since 2006.

“I am very pleased to appoint Jet Li as a Goodwill Ambassador for WHO,” said WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. “Jet Li’s commitment to promoting community involvement and young people’s participation in social and health issues will be a great asset to WHO’s work. He has been personally involved in providing emergency response following natural disasters and has promoted mental health amongst youth. We are grateful that he is willing to use his energy and fame to promote health and well-being.”

Jet Li Reveals Philanthropic Vision

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Action star Jet Li has revealed his ideas about philanthropy to INSEAD Knowledge, a business research website.

“In 1997 I started thinking about the meaning of life,” he told INSEAD during the recent Global Social Innovators Forum in Singapore, where he received the SIP Distinguished Fellow Award. “Why do we live? What do people hope to gain from living? Regardless of whether you’re Chinese, European or Asian … I think every living thing desires happiness. People feel anxious and insecure because they lack happiness.”

The star founded the One Foundation to help victims of natural disasters after almost drowning on the Maldives during the 2004 Asian tsunami.

“In the past seven years, my understanding of life – of which the tsunami was one of the driving forces – was that one shouldn’t wait for retirement before helping others… We position the One Foundation as an engine to drive charitable activities in the 21st century. If we can accumulate one-dollar donations, we would be able to effectively address the natural disasters in the world.”

The One Foundation – which has partnered with the Red Cross – has become one of the leading charities in China. But natural disasters are not the only cause on Li’s mind. The Foundation also addresses youth suffering from mental health problems, and Li is also interested in appealing to people’s inner soul to help alleviate poverty.

“Governments around the world are trying to resolve poverty but none of them can successfully achieve it. We don’t expect NGOs to achieve such a goal. Rather we’re building a platform to get people to express what’s in their hearts.”

Li also indicated his hope that the One Foundation survives after he has gone: “Regardless of whoever heads the One Foundation in the future, the importance is that people identify with the spirit and ideals of the foundation. That’s the ownership for everyone not just Jet Li.”

The One Foundation has led Li to a place where he can be at peace with himself while encouraging people to find happiness through giving.

“Because I’ve learnt that life and death are naturally unavoidable, I’ve learnt to live happily and to the fullest every day. Because I’m happy and have no pressure on myself, I can choose to produce or not to produce movies, and I can choose to do or not to do charity work. But I choose to share my happiness with others.

“Actually what I’m really asking for is not money. Rather it’s the heart. What’s in your heart, your love, your kindness and your goodness. Everyone has it, but most of the time we just put that into our families, but I’m asking people to spread their kindness to others.”

A video of the full interview can be found at the INSEAD website.

Jet Li Speaks At Clinton Global Initiative

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former President Bill Clinton kicked off his first Clinton Global Initiative conference abroad in Hong Kong on Tuesday to focus on education, energy and climate change and public health issues in Asia.

Speaking at the event, action star Jet Li said that China is ready for an “explosion” of volunteer work as the country becomes more prosperous after two decades of capitalist-style economic reforms.

“Before the reforms, China’s 1.3 billion people couldn’t even fill their stomachs,” said Li. “The only way people could help others is a word of encouragement.”

Jet Li is well known for his charity work in China. He set up the One Foundation to help victims of natural disasters – a cause that became extremely important following the Sichuan earthquake in May. Along with Jackie Chan, the star made huge donations to victims of the earthquake, and recently joined Donatella Versace on a visit to schools affected by the disaster.

“Countless volunteers were on the front lines,” he said

Jet Li Visits Earthquake Victims With Donatella Versace

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Action star Jet Li visited a school devastated by the Sichuan earthquake in China earlier this month, and he took with him a very special guest – Donatella Versace.

According to an article in Time magazine, the pair visited the village of Sanjiang, Wenchuan county, to see a school and counseling center designed to provide post-trauma and psychological relief in China’s Sichuan province funded by Versace through the One Foundation.

“When you see things on television, you don’t know if it’s true,” said Versace. “I wanted to see it with my eyes and touch it myself.”

The counseling centers and schools provide a place to live while families rebuild their homes, as well as one-on-one counseling sessions with doctors. Versace hopes to raise $1.2 million more to open two or three schools in the earthquake zone.

“I cannot begin to imagine the terrible effect something like this must have on young children,” she said. “Children want to feel safe and cared for, and so I hope that through providing expert care for them, we might be able to bring back some of that feeling of security into their lives.”

“I don’t ask for CEO’s money, I ask for their hearts,” added Li. “With hearts we can change a lot.”

Versace To Join With Jet Li For Children

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Jet Li’s One Foundation will get a major boost next month when Donatella Versace jets into Beijing to hold a special charity fashion show.

The show – to take place on November 13 – will be the first time a Versace fashion show has ever been held in China, and will present the brand’s women’s and menswear spring/summer 2009 collections. It will raise money for a series of new children’s centers designed to provide post-trauma and psychological relief in China’s Sichuan province, which was hit by a devastating earthquake in May. The first center will be opening in San Jiang next month.

Versace is also proud to announce that it has also created a very special Versace/One Foundation logo that will feature on limited edition designs in China, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to the One Foundation.

The show will take place in a brand new facility located near Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

Jet Li Urges China To Give

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Action star Jet Li has urged his fellow Chinese to be more charitable.

The 45-year-old star of The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor spoke to a group of entrepreneurs at a conference held by Chinese Internet giant Alibaba on Saturday, and explained his views on charity in China.

“Politely speaking, our charitable institutions in China are 20 years behind our economic development and reform,” Li said. “Speaking more directly, they are probably 30 years behind.”

He also explained that the concept of corporate social responsibility sometimes fosters the wrong attitude. While companies have money to make large donations, it is individual citizens who should take action.

Li has spent the last few months campaigning for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake, and is declining all movie roles in 2008 to focus on his charity work.

Li also established the One Foundation to provide relief to victims of natural disasters, as well as youth suffering from mental health problems. He told the conference attendees a little about what inspired him to start the charity.

“Once I was in the hospital, being treated for a neck injury,” he explained. “While I was there, I could see that everyone, no matter where they were from, no matter whether they were rich or poor. Everyone has the same needs. Everyone cries.”

Li’s One Foundation asks people to give one dollar or one Chinese yuan – or one hour of their time – to charity each month.

Jet Li Attends Earthquake Relief Banquet

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Action star Jet Li attended a charity banquet in China last week to raise money for the victims of the devastating Sichuan earthquake that struck in May.

Held in the glitzy Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Beijing, the evening was sponsored by Swiss watchmaker DeWitt and Jet Li’s One Foundation, an organization the star established after the 2004 Asian tsunami to help victims of natural disasters. Legendary film director John Woo and the cast of his upcoming blockbuster film Red Cliff – including Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro – also attended the banquet.

Li has spent the last few months campaigning for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake, and is declining all movie roles in 2008 to focus on his charity work.

A documentary about the disaster relief efforts of the One Foundation was shown during the banquet, after which Jet Li stated that the One Foundation had launched a plan for post-quake reconstruction. He called on everyone to donate one yuan per month to help the victims.

The evening raised 1 million yuan (US$147,000) for the Chinese Red Cross.

Also in Asia recently, Taiwanese pop singer Keung Hang has launched a new charity to help students, in association with the Shanghai Charity Foundation.

The new fund – Traces of Love – will help disadvantaged primary and middle school students, as well as students who suffer from serious diseases in China.

The first donation – 500,000 yuan (US$71,428) – was provided by Daphne Shoes.

“I think I should do something for them, but my own power is not strong enough to help all the needy students,” said Keung. “So I want to urge more people to help.”

The singer plans to expand the fund to include secondary and college students as more donations roll in.

Jet Li Takes Action For Earthquake Survivors

Wed, 28 May 2008 11:32:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Following the devastating earthquake in China earlier this month, the 5.12 Sichuan Earthquake Disaster Relief Command has been formally set up by action star Jet Li in Chengdu.

Li has established the relief effort with his One Foundation, a charity he set up to help those affected by natural disasters. The initiative aims to conduct long-term reconstruction work, and the Foundation has sent in three teams to organize and train volunteers in association with the Red Cross Society of China.

“We have deployed proper arrangements and the third batch of supplies will arrive tomorrow,” said Li. “A One Foundation Family will be built up in Jiangyou county and other places to help students in more than 130 schools resume classes.”

Jet Li also expressed that One Foundation’s post disaster work will focus on sponsoring and supporting the elderly, orphans, and the disabled.

Jackie Chan Urges For A Peaceful Olympics

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:19:50 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Jackie Chan has come out fighting for the Olympics – despite the current protests occuring around the world as the Olympic Torch makes its way to Beijing.

The 54-year-old star of over 100 action films believes the Games should be used as a platform for peace – not politics – and should represent “unity and love” to heal the problems of the world. The UNICEF and UNAIDS Ambassador is a strong believer in philanthropy and goodwill, and although he can understand the protestors’ desire to be heard, he is disappointed with the way they are doing it.

“They wish to find an outlet to voice their opinions, but I don’t think they should use the Olympics to do so,” said Chan after arriving in Beijing with Jet Li for the world premiere of The Forgotten Kingdom yesterday. “I hope people do not mix sports with politics. This is wrong. I don’t understand why people would want to destroy the Olympics.”

The martial arts star is looking forward to the Games, and has already starred in a series of Olympic TV commercials for Visa, attended a ceremony last August for the official start to the Games’ countdown, and recorded the official Olympic song, We Are Ready. But protests over the Games has been strong, and the running of the Olympic Flame has been marred with hold-ups and opposition. Most of the disapproval centers around China’s continued support of the Sudan despite the on-going humanitarian crises in Darfur, and the issue of Tibet following violent riots in March.

Jet Li, a follower of Tibetan Buddhism who has met the Dalai Lama, refused to comment on the situation.

Jet Li's New Movie To Provide Kick For Charity

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:25:16 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Action stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li’s new film The Forbidden Kingdom is set for release on April 18, and the film company behind it has just announced an exciting new initiative with Li’s One Foundation.

China’s Huayi Brothers Film Corporation officially announced their cooperation with the One Foundation at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday. Wang Zhongjun, Huayi Brothers CEO, has committed a portion of their box office profits for the next decade to the foundation.

“Since the fund’s launch last year, many film companies, directors and actors have offered help to the One Foundation,” said Li, who set up the foundation last April to provide assistance to victims of natural disasters and youth affected by mental illness. “Today, we have set up cooperation with Huayi Brothers. That means more and more celebrity friends will join in to promote the charity campaign.”

As well as Li and Jackie Chan, other supporters of the One Foundation include Ang Lee and Chow Yun Fat.

Jet Li and Jackie Chan Join Forces to Aid Earthquake Victims

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 08:31:16 -0000

Written by Saskia Akyil

Action star Jet Li has allocated 100,000 Yuan (over $13,000) through his charity, the One Foundation, to boost relief efforts following the earthquake that struck the Yunnan province of China on June 3rd. Jackie Chan matched the allocation a day later.

The 6.4-magnitude earthquake damaged nearly 250,000 houses, affecting half a million residents, and also resulted in injuries and deaths.

Jet Li has now invited Jackie Chan to become the honorary director-general of his One Foundation for two years, and Chan has accepted. Charity is not new to Jackie Chan; in 1988, he created the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation to provide scholarships to young people in Hong Kong. The scope of his Foundation has since widened, to include providing medical services and aid to victims of disasters.

It is hoped that Li and Chan’s combined effort will bring more attention to the One Foundation, which Li founded in 2007 in cooperation with the Red Cross Society of China to provide relief to victims of natural disasters and to help youth cope with mental illness.

According to the charity’s website, over 200 million Chinese are affected by natural disasters every year, and mental health issues are becoming a leading cause of death among Chinese youth.

Li believes that donations by many people in small amounts can make a big difference, and a publicity campaign for the charity encourages each person to give one Yuan (approximately 13 US cents) per month to the charity to help with the most vulnerable members of society.

Look To The Stars News: Jet Li

Jet Li Blogs On Charity

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