Look To The Stars News: Oxfam

Neil Finn's New Album Gets Crowded For Oxfam

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:15:00 -0000

Crowded House frontman Neil Finn has invited a host of well known musicians to join him in recording a new album for charity.

Finn has invited the core band – and a few special guests – from his 2001 Seven Worlds Collide series of live shows and accompanying live album to create a new album at Roundhead Studios in Auckland, New Zealand, with proceeds going to support Oxfam.

Guests confirmed so far are Radiohead’s Phil Selway and Ed O’Brien, The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, Soul Coughing’s Sebastian Steinberg, multi-instrumentalist Lisa Germano, Wilco members Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche and Pat Sansone, and New Zealand musicians Liam Finn, Don McGlashan and Bic Runga.

The album will be recorded over Christmas and New Year, and will be accompanied by live performances at Auckland’s Powerstation on 5, 6 and 7 January 2009.

Previous participants in Finn’s Seven Worlds Collide shows include Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam in 2001.

Sandi Thom Backs Oxfam Campaign

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Scottish singer Sandi Thom has launched a campaign aimed at easing the food crisis in developing countries.

The 27-year-old – who, according to her hit song, wishes she was a punk rocker – is supporting Oxfam’s effort to raise US$27 million to provide relief to African families.

Thom has just returned from a visit to Malawi, where she met with impoverished families.

“My visit to Malawi opened my eyes to the extent of poverty and the harsh reality of how some people live and how rising food prices are affecting them,” she said. “You have to ask yourself what you would do if you were in the situation many Malawians face. If you had a family to feed but the prices were doubling or tripling. The people I met in Malawi, and many millions like them around the world, need people here to show generosity when they need it most.”

Oxfam will use the money for its international development and humanitarian work on food and agriculture, and also to campaign for changes to trade and agricultural policies.

“The world food crisis is hitting the poorest hardest,“ said Oxfam’s Malcom Fleming, who accompanied Thom on her trip. “Women and children are especially vulnerable. Many of the people we met in Malawi were already down to one meal a day, and it is expected things will get worse in the months ahead, with food prices possibly rising further still. Whatever the reasons behind the crisis, it’s clear that financial donations made now will help save lives in Malawi and elsewhere around the world in the next few crucial months.”

Be The First To Hear Dido's New Album

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Dido fans listen up: this is your chance to hear the singer’s new album before anybody else in the world!!

To celebrate the release of her brand new album Safe Trip Home, Dido is holding a special auction on eBay.

The star will attend a special listening party at a top-secret luxury location on October 19, and this is your chance to be there. The prize includes accommodation at the location, and all proceeds will go directly to Oxfam.

To make a bid on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, visit eBay. The auction ends on October 15.

Oxfam's Month Of Musical Magic

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

October is Rocktober for Oxfam, with the annual Oxjam festival kicking off and also a new TV advert from Annie Lennox hitting the airwaves.

Oxjam is a UK wide music event organised by the charity Oxfam which took place for the first time in October 2006. Throughout October, hundreds of musical events will be taking place across Great Britain to raise money for Oxfam’s work to find lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice around the world. To raise awareness of the events, Jarvis Cocker, The Kooks, Fatboy Slim and several other British musicians have created a PSA to encourage music fans to attend gigs or even organize a show for themselves.

Last year’s Oxjam was extremely popular and featured over 3000 gigs across the UK, as well as a special series of shows held in an Oxfam shop in London that featured Jamelia, Fatboy Slim, and The Kooks. Concerts featuring every type of musical genre imaginable were staged, encompassing rock, classical, dance, pop, R&B, rap, techno, and more. Some of the more bazaar events last year included a 12 hour “buskathon”, featuring buskers in 12 British cities, and a “guitar relay”, in which a guitar was taken from one end of the British mainland to the other, and was played at a different Oxjam concert each day on the way.

“Oxjam is all about thousands of small events adding up to something much bigger,” said The Kooks singer, Luke Pritchard. “So it’s great to join in by playing a small acoustic show. Even better, music fans can get involved by coming along to this show or going to a local Oxjam night.”

Also on a musical theme, a new T.V advert – featuring a voiceover by Annie Lennox and music from Muse – has been created by Oxfam for the campaign “Be Humankind.“

The ad has been created to encourage people to take their sense of injustice about the state of the world and do something about it. Oxfam is asking people to tap into their self conscious – that part of them that won’t stand by and watch people suffer – and join their campaign to end poverty. And with nearly half the world living in poverty, Oxfam needs everybody to join them in the fight for a better human race.

To find out more about Oxjam – including where and where events are being held – visit their website. To view this year’s PSA, click here. Annie Lennox’s new TV ad can be found at YouTube.

Coldplay Auction Tickets For Oxfam

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Listen up “Brothers and Sisters”, this will send a “Shiver” down the spines – and possibly even a “Rush of Blood to The Head” – of Coldplay fans everywhere: the Grammy Award-winning British band are auctioning tickets to their upcoming tour of North America and Canada for charity.

You need to click on the Charity Folks website at the “Speed of Sound” to be part of the auction, which will benefit Oxfam. “Don’t Panic”, the auction doesn’t end until October 24 – but you still have to set your “Clocks” to get your bid in early.

More than 1,000 Oxfam volunteers across America have worked at Coldplay shows, introducing more than 100,000 Coldplay fans to Oxfam, which works with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice. It doesn’t take a “Scientist” to realize the work they do will “Fix You” a better world to live in and “Put a Smile on Your Face”.

So click on the Charity Folks site and make a bid – or at least “Talk” to your friends about it.

“The Hardest Part” is counting the number of Coldplay song titles I worked into this story.

Celebrities Support In My Name

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

will.i.am has worked with more than thirty other celebrities and activists to create an inspiring short film titled Be the Generation, part of the In My Name campaign to end poverty.

The film, which can be viewed at the White Band Action website, explains how people can end poverty in our lifetime if leaders are held accountable to their promises. It is part of a campaign organized by White Band Action ahead of next week’s emergency UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals in New York, and a host of activists and celebrities – including Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu , Annie Lennox, John Legend, Rahul Bose, Angélique Kidjo, Scarlett Johansson, Missy Higgins, Emmanuel Jal, Wyclef Jean, Kristin Davis, Fergie and Mischa Barton – have come together for the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) to challenge their leaders to keep their promise to halve poverty by 2015.

Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am has also penned a song for the campaign titled In My Name, which calls on world citizens to exercise their power and demand their governments keep their promises to the worlds poor. The song will be downloadable free of charge from September 25.

“We can be the generation that ends poverty,” said will.i.am. “Politicians promised in 2000 to halve poverty in 15 years. They made this pledge in my name, now they must act to achieve it.”

“Governments must be held accountable for their people and their promises,” added Lennox.

To drive the message home, Kidjo and will.iam will perform ‘In My Name’ live outside the UN buildings in New York on 25 September. They will be joined by Queen Rania of Jordan, UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon, Ela Bhatt, Mary Robinson, Kristin Davis, Rahul Bose and activists from Africa, Asia and Latin America who will be amongst the first to sign their names to the “In My Name” pledge wall.

”If I put my name to something it means I am committed to its outcome,“ said Angelique Kidjo. “I want to see this sort of response from leaders and others with power to effect change. People living in poverty have waited too long and want to see tangible changes in their lives immediately.”

The White Band Action initiative is a global collaboration between the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, Oxfam, Save the Children, and Comic Relief. It is not being run by any single organization, which demonstrates the breadth of commitment to ending poverty and inequality.

“The time for action has never been more urgent,“ said Queen Rania. “Rising food prices have plunged 100 million more people into poverty, and the economic slowdown risks eroding political support for development.“

“We’re half way there, and thanks to people’s efforts and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, there has been real progress,“ added Kristin Davis. “There are more children in school. More people are getting essential medicines. But 30,000 children still die every day because of poverty.”

More information about the campaign can be found at www.whitebandaction.org.

Annie Lennox Addresses AIDS Conference

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Following Bill Clinton’s rousing speech at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico, singer Annie Lennox has made an passionate plea for those in power to use their influence to provide better healthcare access for pregnant women.

Lennox used the opportunity to speak to conference attendees – which included many world leaders and policy makers – and address the issue of access of young mothers to treatment to prevent the virus from being passed on to the next generation.

“I feel it is a right of women to be able to give birth safely, and when a woman is HIV positive the baby can obviously have the virus transmitted before being born,” said the singer, who was representing Oxfam at the event. “I think this is a fundamental human right for every woman to have access to treatment and health care, so this is something that I’m actually addressing and talking about while we are here.”

Lennox also added that complacency threatens to slow the fight against Aids, with over 1,000 South Africans dying of AIDS every day.

“People seem to think this problem has disappeared or they are unaware… generations have been wiped out,” she told the conference. “People need to focus on the real world. The feminism of AIDS has ramifications for our whole society. If we cease to respect the mother, we cease to be human and all mankind is in jeopardy. This is a ticking time bomb and it is criminal to let it continue.”

Lennox’s full speech to the XVII International AIDS Conference can be seen here.

Bill Clinton Speaks At AIDS Conference

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The eyes of the world are this week firmly fixed on AIDS 2008, the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City.

The week-long conference officially opened on Sunday night, and last night (August 4) featured a rousing speech by former US president Bill Clinton.

“AIDS is a very big dragon. The mythological dragon was slain by Saint George, the original knight in shining armor, but this dragon must be slain by millions and millions of foot soldiers,” he told activists, leaders, and experts who gathered for the conference. “We know there is so much yet to be done: to expand prevention, treatment and care, to strengthen undeveloped health systems.”

The conference will draw around 25,000 participants from across the globe, including Oxfam Ambassador Annie Lennox, UN head Ban Ki-moon, Festus Gontebanye Mogae, Margaret Chan, and Keren Gonzalez – a 12-year-old from Honduras who has been actively involved in a number of HIV-related programs aimed at young people since the age of 9, including acting as editor for a magazine aimed at children aged 8 to 12 years affected directly and indirectly by HIV/AIDS.

AIDS 2008 will provide many opportunities for the presentation of important new scientific research and for productive, structured dialogue on the major challenges facing the global response to AIDS. The conference theme of Universal Action Now emphasizes the need for continued urgency in the worldwide response to HIV/AIDS, and for action on the part of all nations. International partners in the event include UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations, the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS/International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, the World YWCA, and the Asian Harm Reduction Network.

Bill Clinton flew to the conference from Africa, where he had been visiting projects funded by the Clinton Foundation to fight AIDS and malaria.

“Today 1.4 million people with AIDS are using treatments purchased by the Clinton Foundation,” he said. “Thanks to the efforts of our partners, they cost about 120 dollars a year.”

More information about the conference can be found at www.aids2008.org.

Colin Firth Helps Oxfam Food Drive

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

After disappointing results from the latest G8 Summit in Japan, Oxfam is organizing a desperately needed food drive for Africa’s east region. Actors Colin Firth, John Hannah, and Daniela Nardini are campaigning for Britons to answer Oxfam’s call.

As food prices continue to rise, the people of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya are finding it increasingly difficult to feed themselves, millions verging on destitution.

A Make Trade Fair campaigner since 2002, Colin Firth is a vigorous supporter of Oxfam projects.

“It’s devastating to hear that these people are facing another food crisis,” he told The Press Association. “A dangerous storm of factors – drought, conflict, grinding poverty and skyrocketing food prices – have stacked on top of each other and are pushing people over the edge. Malnutrition rates have spiked and children grow ever hungrier each day.”

Frustrated with the Summit results, Oxfam International Executive Director Jeremy Hobbs said, “Several governments championed steps to tackle the crucial issues sitting on the G8 agenda, but in the end this summit did not deliver the breakthroughs that are so urgently needed. The consensus reached was shallow at best… Rich country biofuels are a major cause of the global food crisis at this moment, yet the leaders barely mentioned them and blithely continue to burn food in their cars. It’s like discussing the Titanic but failing to talk about the iceberg.”

“Oxfam desperately needs the support of the British public,” says Firth, “to help avert catastrophe and keep people alive.”

See Oxfam’s Big Heads video here

Sandi Thom Tanks Up For Africa

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

She may wish she was a punk rocker, but Scottish singer Sandi Thom definitely is one of the hottest acts in the industry today. And last week she joined workers from Oxfam Scotland as they put up an 11,000-litre water tank in Glasgow’s George Square to encourage people to donate to the charity’s emergency work across east Africa.

According to the United Nations, rising food prices, poor rains and drought have left more than 14 million people in dire need of help across the continent, and the water tank was used to illustrate the practical assistance donations can buy.

“The water tank we have built today gives people an idea of where their money goes and how Oxfam responds in an emergency,” said 26-year-old Thom. “Drought and rising food prices are some of the main causes that are propelling millions of people in East Africa towards severe hunger and destitution. The work that Oxfam is doing in East Africa is essential and sadly necessary. People should support Oxfam’s work in trying to help people who desperately need it.”

It is a sentiment that Oxfam supports.

“The situation in East Africa is dire, with colleagues witnessing heartbreaking situations where severely malnourished children are struggling to survive,” said Judith Robertson, head of the charity in Scotland. “Oxfam is there and responding to the situation, but we urgently need funds to help increase emergency response across the affected countries of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and northern Kenya.”

To learn more about how to donate to Oxfam, visit their website.

Kristin Beats Scarlett For Charity

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:57:57 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Who would be the better date: Scarlett or Kristin? Last week Look To The Stars reported that a charity auction featuring the chance to date Scarlett Johansson had raised a massive $42,000 for Oxfam America. This week we are happy to announce that another lucky bidder – known only as superiorlotus912 – has forked out a staggering $52,100 for the chance to accompany Kristin Davis to the world premiere of Sex And The City:The Movie in May.

As reported earlier by Look To The Stars, the auctions are part of a series of online sales hosted by eBay to raise money for Oxfam’s development programs and emergency relief services. Other celebrities to have already auctioned meet-and-greet packages for the international poverty relief agency include Colin Firth and Charlize Theron, and Djimon Hounsou is currently offering one lucky fan the chance to accompany him to the premiere of his new film, Push.

Scarlett Johansson - Sold To The Mystery Bidder

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:52:53 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

How much would you pay to accompany blonde bombshell Scarlett Johansson to her future movie premiere? The final bid in the auction to date Ms. Johansson was $40,100, with money going to Oxfam. Auction site eBay.com reported 695,183 visits and 170 bids for the date.

The UK-based top bidder, known only by the user name “bossnour”, will be thrust into the spotlight when the fortunate person escorts the star to the premiere of the actress’ upcoming film He’s Just Not That Into You in Los Angeles in June next year.

Johansson is not the only celebrity to offer herself up for auction. Mommy-to-be Minnie Driver is auctioning off a $100,000 lunch date as part of an effort between the actress’ TV show The Riches and Oxfam America.

A Wave Of Charity Auctions Hit The Web

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:47:04 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The surf’s up for those interested in celebrity internet auctions this week, with three major auctions being run for good causes.

First up is a selection of exclusive tickets to the fifth annual Kokua Festival to be held in Honolulu on April 19. The sold-out concert will feature performances by Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews, and proceeds will go to the Kokua Hawaii Foundation – an organization founded by Johnson and his wife, Kim, that supports environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawaii. The funds raised from the Kokua Festival will be used to further support school recycling on Oahu and sponsor field trips to provide students with opportunities and experiences that will enhance their appreciation of the environment.

The two pairs of tickets are available through the Dave Matthews Band website for another four days. Other acts expected to appear at the gig include Tim Reynolds, Paula Fuga, and Brushfire Record’s latest signing, Mason Jennings.

Another auction budding bidders must be quick to get to is raising money for Sense, the UK’s largest organization for children and adults who are both deaf and blind.

The auction features a selection of clothing donated by some of Britain’s biggest stars, including Ewan McGregor, Shirley Bassey, Helen Mirren, and Harry Potter stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. There is also a Versace jacket signed by Kevin Spacey up for grabs, as well as a bra signed by former Page 3 girl Samantha Fox.

“When Sense asked me to give them the clothes of my back – I was only too happy to hand over my bra,” said Fox. “These clothes are a charity auction with a difference. All the money raised from the celebrity items in store will raise vital funds for deafblind people, helping them to lead independent lives.”

Sense was founded in 1955, and is passionate about changing the lives of those affected by deafblindness and advocating for them to be accepted into the community. The auction can be accessed through eBay Giving Works, but the opportunity ends in the next few days.

Finally today, fans of the FX Network’s hit series The Riches will be excited to hear that season two of the show begins on March 18. But what may excite them even more is the new auction being run in conjunction with the premiere.

As well as a selection of awesome items up for auction – including lunch and a photo opportunity with The Riches star Minnie Driver, authentic props from the set, tickets to FX premieres, and a swag of autographed posters, DVDs, and scripts – the big drawcard is the chance to win $100,000 just by bidding.

“On The Riches it is all about the big score, but this show has heart,” said Stephanie Gibbons of the FX Network. “With this auction we’re able to tie in both themes, giving someone the chance to get the win money while making a difference. We couldn’t be more excited to work with eBay and see this auction come to fruition.”

All of the proceeds will go to Oxfam America, and the auction can be accessed through eBay. Bidding opens on March 13 and runs until March 23.

Oxfam Auctions Celebrity Experiences

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:57:21 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

“If you are the kind of person that always wanted to see middle aged men in tight spandex trying to sing, then this is the film for you…”

These are not the kind of words you would expect to come from one of Britain’s leading actors, but Colin Firth is talking about Mamma Mia, his upcoming movie based on the hit stage musical. And two lucky people have the chance to see the spandex clad actors stretch their vocal cords at the world premiere in July.

International relief and development agency Oxfam America has launched a series of exciting celebrity auctions to benefit their poverty relief and advocacy efforts around the world. Six of the hottest celebrities on the planet have put a wave of once-in-a-lifetime experiences up for bid on eBay, with 100% of the proceeds going to Oxfam. But eager fans had better be quick – each celebrity will only list their items for 10 days.

Colin Firth is kicking off the fundraising initiative by auctioning two VIP passes to the World Premiere of Mamma Mia in London, including the opportunity to attend the after party with a chauffeured car service and a meet-and-greet with Firth.

The 47-year-old actor has worked with Oxfam for over five years, and in 2006 was nominated for European Campaigner of the Year. Firth has also traveled to Ethiopia and co-founded the fair trade coffee chain Cafe Progreso with Oxfam.

Firth is also auctioning a special personalized video birthday greeting to one lucky bidder, as well as tickets to the Mamma Mia premieres in Berlin and Stockholm. Several signed DVDs are also on offer, and the auction can be accessed through eBay Giving Works. For more information, Firth has posted a personal message on YouTube.

The Colin Firth auction will be followed by a similar auction featuring Scarlett Johansson on March 2. The 23-year-old starlet and Oxfam Ambassador is auctioning two tickets to be her guest at the June premiere of He’s Just Not That Into You, including hair and makeup services and a chauffeured car. This will be followed by an auction spotlighting Kristin Davis on March 12.

Davis, who has worked with Oxfam for two years and has traveled to South Africa and Mozambique as an Ambassador, is placing a “Sex and the City” experience up for bid. The package will feature two VIP passes to the Sex and the City movie premiere in New York in June, including a unique photo opportunity with Davis, hair and makeup services, Jimmy Choo shoes, and a chauffeured car service.

The celebrity auctions will run through to April 1, with auctions featuring Djimon Hounsou, Helen Mirren, and Felicity Huffman. More information can be found at Shop Victoriously.

Editorial: What Motivates Giving?

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:16:31 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

What motivates giving? This question has been asked of a number of philanthropy websites as part of this month’s Giving Carnival, and Look To The Stars has been invited to join in the discussion.

Hope is what motivates giving. People need to have hope for a better future. Once they feel hope for the future they are more free to explore ways in which they can help. I constantly come across charities and causes while working on Look To The Stars, and the ones that really grab my attention are not those that say, “We are desperate for help!”, but those that say, “We have done so much already, and here is how you can help us solve this problem.”

Picture a child looking at a messy room. He sees an unending and exhausting future. What the child needs is help to see that the task isn’t impossible, and that progress is inevitable. Once he sees that, he has hope, and he can start taking steps to clean things up.

Before supporting an organization, I want to see that it is making a difference. I want the group’s actions to give me hope that they will achieve their goals, and then I want to see how my donation is going to offer hope to others.

An example that really excited me is Oxfam’s Unwrapped campaign. I looked at the site and could clearly see how my donation could make a difference in the lives of others. I could picture how so many lives could be helped with such a simple act, and I felt hope.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama is employing hope to excite voters across the U.S. His great success with fundraising and his sweeping wins of the last ten states seem to show that people do respond to a message of hope.

Celebrities who understand that hope is the key are able to carry their fans along on their philanthropic journeys, sharing the excitement that comes with being able to make a positive difference to the world. A classic example is Bono, who tirelessly manages to remind people that there is suffering in the world, while still offering a silver lining.

Celebrity economist Jeffrey Sachs and his Millennium Promise Alliance created hope and won countless supporters by showing that an enormous problem like poverty can be solved with clear, simple goals. More than 400,000 people across Africa are giving their time to this project. They have enough hope that poverty can be eradicated that they are there now, making a difference to hundreds of thousands of people.

Hope is a good feeling, and good people – like those who donate time or money to worthy causes – thrive on feeling it.

What do you think? Post your comments below.

For more on this topic from other participants of the Giving Carnival, visit ASmallChange.net starting Monday, February 25th.

Kristin Davis Visits Africa With Oxfam

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:12:03 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former Sex and the City star Kristin Davis has just returned from a 4-day Oxfam visit to South Africa aimed at raising awareness of the country’s AIDS problem.

It was the second trip to the continent for the Oxfam Global Ambassador, and she took the time to visit community workers and learn about the treatment of HIV/AIDS in rural areas and informal settlements.

“I have been amazed by the incredible strength and energy of South Africa’s community groups in tackling the AIDS epidemic in this country,” said the 42-year-old Emmy Award-nominated star. “People like Mama Grace, who runs a soup kitchen in Soweto for orphans and other vulnerable children, are an incredible tower of strength in South Africa’s uphill response to AIDS. These unsung heroes are pulling together what little food and money they have to provide care to those living with HIV. Oxfam helps support them in this effort. These people are inspirational, but can’t win the battle on their own. These communities need nurses and doctors. These wonderful people are holding up their communities and need our support.”

The World Health Organization estimates that over 400,000 people die of HIV-related illnesses in South Africa every year, and the country has mounted the biggest rollout of HIV treatment in the world, with over 300,000 people receiving anti-retrovirals on the public health system. However, a shortage of doctors, nurses and clinics prevent many people from getting the treatment they need – in one community Davis visited, the nearest clinic is over 80km away, which means people must take a day off work and pay $14 or more for a round trip on public transport to get the treatment they so desperately require.

“The AIDS epidemic does not respect race, class, gender or ethnicity,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America. “But lives can be saved through unique partnerships that support access to medicines, quality health services, and empowered community leadership. Behind the statistics lies a preventable human tragedy that can and must be confronted.”

During her trip, Davis also visited organizations such as Let Us Grow in Orange Farm, Circle of Promise in Soweto, and a HIV and AIDS project in Rustenburg.

George Clooney - A Messenger Of Peace

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:34:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Academy Award winner George Clooney was made a United Nations Messenger of Peace at a function in New York yesterday, January 31, and has pledged to “shine a light” on UN peacekeeping efforts around the world, particularly in Darfur.

“When I stood in the hospital next to women who had been raped and set on fire, they looked up to me and said ‘please send the UN’ – not the US, not China, not Russia, just the UN,” said the 46-year-old actor who has just returned from visiting the war-torn nation of Sudan. “You are their only hope.”

However, several UN member nations claimed the actor’s trip was “inappropriate”, and blocked him from delivering his full message to the assembly. Instead, Clooney read it to reporters during a press conference that followed.

“The message is that the world is watching, and that at this point we cannot afford to fail,” he said. “Millions are homeless – not from famine or disease or acts of God – but from a well armed militia intent on ridding the land of its people.”

The conflict in the Sudanese region of Darfur began in 2003 when ethnic African rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government. Sudan’s regime is accused of retaliating by organizing a militia of Arab nomads, known as the Janjaweed, to reign terror on the region’s African inhabitants, an allegation the Khartoum denies. It has been estimated that over 200,000 people have been slain since the conflict arose, and the United Nations now states that the humanitarian crisis in Darfur is the worst in the world. However, plans to send 26,000 UN peacekeepers into the region are now in doubt due to restrictions imposed by the Khartoum, as well of the failure of Western countries to offer help.

“We tend to not get to see enough of what we need to see anymore,” said Clooney. “It seems as if at times celebrity can bring that focus. It can’t make the policies, it can’t change people’s minds really, but you can bring a camera where you go because they’ll follow you and you can shine a light on it. That seems to be my job.”

Clooney is the ninth person to be made a United Nations Messenger of Peace since the program was established in 1998 by former Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. Each Messenger of Peace is chosen from the art, music, literature, or sports worlds to focus attention on UN work, with each Messenger holding the post for three years. Former Messengers of Hope include Michael Douglas, Muhammad Ali, and Vijay Amritraj.

Clooney said his new role was to raise awareness about UN peacekeeping efforts generally, and he would “go wherever I have to to bring some attention.”

He also plans to lobby countries to fulfill their UN peacekeeping funding commitments, and specifically mentioned the United States, which he said owed $1.2 billion.

“There are some groups protecting 250 square kilometers of desert with no helicopters and no radios that work,” he said. “These men and women risking their lives for peace are your responsibility. So either give them the basic tools for protecting the population and themselves or have the decency to bring them all home because you can’t do it halfway.”

George Clooney was born in Kentucky in 1961, but spent part of his childhood in Ohio. After attending – but not graduating from – university, Clooney caught the acting bug. His father was a journalist and talk show host who often used to take young George to the set with him, and the experience added to his son’s wish to become an actor.

Clooney spent the 1980s appearing as minor characters in shows such as The Facts Of Life and The Golden Girls, but it wasn’t until he appeared as Dr Doug Ross in ER in 1994 that he achieved stardom. This was followed by his first movie role in Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn, opposite Quentin Tarantino.

There was no looking back for Clooney after that. The rest of the 90s was spent with starring roles in One Fine Day (opposite Michelle Pfeiffer), The Peacemaker (opposite Nicole Kidman), Batman And Robin, The Perfect Storm, and Three Kings.

But it was his appearance in Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 remake of Ocean’s Eleven, alongside Don Cheadle, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon, that really shot his star into orbit. As well as spawning two sequels, the film set up a friendship that would help raise awareness of one of the worst humanitarian crises of the new century, and also raise much needed funds for the charities that are involved.

In 2006, Don Cheadle started to write a book about the crisis in Darfur. His passion for the subject attracted the attention of Clooney, who visited the Sudanese region armed with a video camera. The footage he shot of refugees was shown around the world and became a call to action for the two actors. In September of that year, Clooney spoke in front of the UN Security Council, to raise their awareness of the crisis and plead for their help. In December, Clooney accompanied Cheadle on a tour of Egypt and China, in which the pair met with government officials to convince them to pressure Sudan’s Khartoum to bring a halt to the fighting.

Cheadle’s book, Not On Our Watch, was published early in 2007, and in May, Cheadle and Clooney launched the Not On Our Watch organization at the Cannes Film Festival. Their fundraising was an immediate success, with over $9.2 million raised during the first month, and another $750,000 raised in June. The money was donated to a number of charities that work in Darfur, including the International Rescue Committee, Oxfam, Save the Children, and the World Food Programme.

In October, Clooney appeared in Cheadle’s Darfur Now film, and talked about his experiences in the region, as well as the atrocities he had witnessed during his visits. And in December, both Clooney and Cheadle received special Peace Medals from Nobel Peace Prize laureates in Rome.

Clooney hopes his Messenger of Peace status will help him raise awareness of the horrors he has seen in Darfur, and he will continue to work towards the goal of sending peacekeepers to the Sudan to protect the innocent people being butchered, raped, and tortured every day.

“There’s a lot more responsibility with this one than with an Oscar, which all you really have to do is, you know, drink after the party.”

Kristin Davis Supports Oxfam on Rachael Ray Show

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:57:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Sex and the City actress Kristin Davis is set to appear on the Rachael Ray Show today, with an adorable miniature donkey by her side.

The donkey will be there to help Kristin introduce Oxfam America Unwrapped. The Oxfam program supports poverty relief around the world, and allows gift-givers to purchase unusual items such as camels ($175 each), gender rights training ($90), one year’s irrigation for a farm ($120) or a can of worms ($18). The gift’s recipient receives a photo card of the gift, and information on how it is helping someone in need.

Oxfam America Unwrapped is mirrored across the Atlantic by Oxfam Unwrapped. Supported by Dame Helen Mirren, Helena Bonham Carter, and Will Young, the British Oxfam Unwrapped site allows givers to purchase 100 school lunches (£6/$12), teach a teacher (£24/$48) or provide safe drinking water (£18/$36).

Oxfam America strives to provide lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and social injustice in the US and around the world.

Celebrities Offer Support To Darfur

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:29:43 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Sudanese region of Darfur is benefiting from several new initiatives this month, all designed to raise awareness and money for the war-torn area. And the biggest effort comes from an independent record label that has waded into the music industry to put its money where its mouth is.

Waxploitation, established in 1997 by Jeff Antebi, is a label for innovative artists that has broken with the tradition of managing “producer/engineers” and instead manages artists as record producers – a huge difference in the industry, and one that has led to a huge shift in industry interests.

But not only are they challenging the way record companies operate, Waxploitation is leading the way with programs to fight poverty and hunger, especially in war-affected Sudan. The label has just released a compilation CD, featuring a host of artists who have donated songs to the effort, which has debuted at number 32 on the iTunes chart and almost sold out its first physical CD printing.

“Causes 1:Darfur” includes songs by The Cure, Travis, Death Cab For Cutie, and Spoon, with all proceeds going to three non-profit organizations: Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, and Oxfam America.

“This level of attention is not something we were expecting, given how grassroots our marketing efforts have been,” said Jeff Antebi. “But it shows the strength of the fans and artists who participated and the enormous desire to help Darfur. It’s quite telling that on iTunes people have chosen to buy the album, instead of cherry-picking individual songs. That says people are aware of how important the donation is.”

“Causes 1:Darfur” follows the label’s first charity release, “Genocide In Sudan”, and is available from www.waxploitation.com and iTunes for only 90 days to highlight the urgency of the situation.

The label has also hit the news this week by launching its fourth Darfur Benefit Auction, a massive online event that aims to raise money for the 2 million people forced to flee their homes in the wake of conflict in the region.

The auction, which can be viewed on www.ebay.com/causesauction, features a huge range of unique and collectible items, many of them personally signed by celebrities such as Kanye West, Coldplay, Macy Gray, and Gnarls Barkley. Norah Jones, Avril Lavigne, and Nickleback have all signed guitars for the auction, and other items have been donated by Sony, Xbox, Nintendo, Nokia, and Adidas.

Also joining the fight for Darfur this month is Golden Globe winning actress, Mia Farrow. The 62-year-old has launched Fund4Darfur in association with the Aegis Trust, the UK’s leading genocide prevention organization.

“I have visited Darfur seven times since 2004,” said Farrow on the Fund’s new website. “In these visits, I have seen the suffering that the people of Darfur endure. I believe strongly we should work together to give dignity and hope to survivors and enable Aegis to continue its work against genocide.”

Singer Annie Lennox has also lent her support to the initiative, and has donated a track from her new album to be used to promote the Fund.

Fund4Darfur will directly support survivors of Darfur’s ethnic cleansing, and one third of the money raised will be used to fund campaigning for the protection of Darfur’s threatened African population. Donations can be made at www.fund4darfur.org.

Colin Firth - Pride And Philanthropy

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:53:28 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

“Fame hasn’t got much use to anybody really, except for getting upgraded tables in restaurants.”

These are the words of British actor Colin Firth, who believes more celebrities should use their stardom to highlight good causes.

At Look To The Stars, we believe it is important to highlight the work that celebrities carry out to support charities and good causes. It is all too easy to be cynical and think to yourself that the stars only use their so called “good work” to bolster public opinion and their own fame, but the more you dive into the topic, the more you find that this just is not true. Firth is a perfect example of someone who, in his own words, “puts my money where my mouth is” and prefers to get involved with issues he believes are worthwhile.

“I think you can have a profile and you can also use it as a tool,” said the 47-year-old actor. “One is increasingly aware that there are too many people trying to get heard in the world, and there are all too many people who are heard too easily but have absolutely nothing to say. If you can try to be a vessel for [those without a voice], then I don’t see what’s wrong with that.”

Born in Hampshire, England, Firth has become the benchmark for the perfect English Gentleman in modern film, and is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Mr Darcy in Jane Austin’s Pride And Prejudice. It seems that for almost every role he takes on, from the almost tragically over-mothered Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones Diary to love struck writer Jamie Bennett in Love Actually, female movie-goers fall over themselves to look up into his smoldering eyes.

But Firth is not the kind of actor who is scared to get his hands dirty out in the real world. A passionate supporter of Oxfam and its Make Trade Fair initiative, Firth has both feet planted firmly on the ground.

“I suppose what attracts me to Oxfam is that I trust them,” said the actor. “I have been helping Oxfam out a little bit for about 5 or 6 years now. Oxfam is a household name in England. You grow up with Oxfam. It’s a very, very big fixture in life. Basically, they are not a charity in the conventional sense of the word – they are not just about raising money and throwing it at problems. It’s about actually trying to raise the awareness that we are very much connected with some of the stuff that goes on in far-away places.”

Firth, who divides his time between London and Italy, is also extremely vocal in his support of Amnesty International. Early in 2007, the actor intervened in the deportation of a Congolese nurse from Britain. Firth, whose mother is the president of an asylum-seekers support group, firmly believes that people should not be deported from a country if there is a strong chance they will be murdered when they reach their destination.

“To me, it’s just basic civilization to help people,” he said during the court case involving the nurse. “I find it incredibly painful to see how we dismiss the most desperate people in our society… it makes me furious.”

Along with his wife, Livia, Firth also produced a film called “In Prison My Whole Life” to highlight the plight of prisoners on death row in America.

Firth is a supporter of Survival International, and in 2003 openly condemned the Botswana government for evicting Gana and Gwi bushmen from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

In 2006, Firth won the title of Campaigner of the Year, an honor voted by the senior editors of The Economist and advisors drawn from the European Union community. The award was primarily for the work Firth has done with Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign, in which the actor engaged in meetings with politicians from all around the world, including the head of the World Trade Organization.

His involvement in the initiative led the star to found Café Progreso, a chain of fair trade co-operative cafes in London. Profits from the sale of coffee in the cafes are shared directly with farmers in coffee growing regions.

“The failure so far of the governments of so many of the world’s most powerful countries, in the face of such egregious unfairness, to make the slightest progress on the issue of fair trade is hard to explain,” said the actor, who also lobbied against Starbucks on behalf of Ethiopian coffee farmers to own the trademarks of their own specialty coffees.

Café Progreso has now led Firth to open Eco Age, an eco-friendly shop in Chiswick, London. The store, lit and heated by sunlight, is fully self-sustainable and offers shoppers the chance to buy commodities that are completely environmentally friendly.

“It’s all about rethinking our habits,” said Firth just before the shop opened to the public. “A huge number of people support the idea of eco-living, but don’t know what to do next.”

Firth’s three-storey shop offers a huge array of eco items, ranging from a bamboo computer to recycled pencils, solar mobile phone and MP3 chargers, natural paint and wallpaper, environmental kitchen appliances, Estonian Christmas decorations, and coat hangers recycled from old chairs.

The venture sits well alongside Firth’s other work, which includes being patron of Out Of The Blue, a theatre that provides the opportunity for disabled and non-disabled young people in the south of England to perform onstage together. But although he occupies himself with philanthropic work, Firth still worries the public may soon suffer from what he calls “celebrity aid work fatigue”.

“I’m not against the idea of celebrities using what they have to raise awareness, “ he said recently. “But you have to be very circumspect about how you employ it.”

Colin Firth’s next movie, “St. Trinian’s”, will be released in England on December 21.

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