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All-star Rome concert looks to help children
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All-star Rome concert looks to help children
A star-studded cast assembled by We Are the World producer Quincy Jones rocked Rome?s ancient chariot track on Sunday in a concert to raise money for children in war-scarred cities. Nearly 20 years after recording his hit charity album, Jones hopes his latest venture, broadcast live on the Internet, will jog the global conscience.
?We all know the world is a total mess at the moment and doing nothing is not an option,? Jones told hundreds of thousands of fans as dusk fell over Rome?s Circus Maximus.
?We?re asking you to be in the army of right and goodwill to help these kids get on their feet and create a life that is worth living,? he said, before making way for Iraqi singer Kazem Al Sahir to set the tone for the multi-ethnic, four-hour show.
Among other performers lined up for the concert were Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, Noa, Norah Jones, Herbie Hancock, tenor Andrea Bocelli and the cast of the musical stage show Stomp.
Oprah Winfrey and Naomi Campbell helped compere proceedings along with sports stars such as Brazilian soccer great Pele and former boxing heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.
Organisers hope the concert will raise up to $10 million through sponsorship, music sales and charitable donations ? money that will be used to finance the children centres.
?But it?s not just about money and it?s not just about a concert either. The concert is a global outcry, it?s a scream, you know, to pay attention,? Jones told Reuters Television in a recent interview.
The child centres are the brain child of the Glocal Forum ? an organisation created three years ago to forge grassroots links between world cities that circumvent national governments.
The first child centre has already opened in Kigali, Rwanda, and the others are due to start later this year in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Afghanistan and the West Bank.
Crispian Balmer
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