The World Affairs Council, of Dallas/Fort Worth presented Bono, lead singer of Irish Rock Band U2, activist and co-founder of DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), on Friday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Hall at Fair Park. This TIME Magazine Person of the Year in 2005 has used his celebrity worldwide to influence the powerful to the benefit of the poor. Bono will speak on his work to bring attention and resources to the fight against global AIDS and poverty in Africa.
In 2002, Bono co-founded DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) to raise public awareness of these issues and put pressure on wealthy governments to increase the quantity and quality of development resources for Africa while improving policies which impact African countries. Additionally, DATA works with African leaders to improve democracy, accountability and transparency to ensure aid is spent wisely.
From his participation in Live Aid and subsequent trip to Ethiopia in 1984 to last summer¹s Live 8 concerts, Bono has been an ardent supporter of Africa. In 1998, he became a spokesperson for the international Jubilee 2000 'Drop the Debt' movement where his involvement drew public attention to the debt burden in the poorest countries and his intensive lobbying of politicians helped leverage a promise from wealthy nations to cancel $100 billion worth of poor countries' debt.
Recently, Bono and DATA helped launch the ONE campaign in America. To date, nearly two million Americans have joined this campaign to make poverty history. ONE played a pivotal role in raising American voices in 2005 to secure promises of near universal access to life-saving AIDS medicines, debt cancellation for 18 of the world¹s poorest countries, and a doubling of aid for Africa by 2010.
The New York Times cited Bono¹s work as one of the reasons why President Bush promised to increase U.S. aid by nearly $30 billion over five years, including a major new initiative to fight AIDS in Africa. In 2004, this promise resulted in the largest increase in U.S. foreign assistance in 40 years.
U2 has received extensive recognition for their music including 22 Grammy Awards. Bono has appeared on the covers of TIME Magazine (three times), Newsweek, Vogue and Rolling Stone (twelve times).
Proceeds from Bono Speaks Live benefit the nonpartisan, non-profit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and its International Education Initiative, a program that offers a wealth of world-affairs knowledge and understanding to tens of thousands of North Texas students each year.
In 2002, Bono co-founded DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) to raise public awareness of these issues and put pressure on wealthy governments to increase the quantity and quality of development resources for Africa while improving policies which impact African countries. Additionally, DATA works with African leaders to improve democracy, accountability and transparency to ensure aid is spent wisely.
From his participation in Live Aid and subsequent trip to Ethiopia in 1984 to last summer¹s Live 8 concerts, Bono has been an ardent supporter of Africa. In 1998, he became a spokesperson for the international Jubilee 2000 'Drop the Debt' movement where his involvement drew public attention to the debt burden in the poorest countries and his intensive lobbying of politicians helped leverage a promise from wealthy nations to cancel $100 billion worth of poor countries' debt.
Recently, Bono and DATA helped launch the ONE campaign in America. To date, nearly two million Americans have joined this campaign to make poverty history. ONE played a pivotal role in raising American voices in 2005 to secure promises of near universal access to life-saving AIDS medicines, debt cancellation for 18 of the world¹s poorest countries, and a doubling of aid for Africa by 2010.
The New York Times cited Bono¹s work as one of the reasons why President Bush promised to increase U.S. aid by nearly $30 billion over five years, including a major new initiative to fight AIDS in Africa. In 2004, this promise resulted in the largest increase in U.S. foreign assistance in 40 years.
U2 has received extensive recognition for their music including 22 Grammy Awards. Bono has appeared on the covers of TIME Magazine (three times), Newsweek, Vogue and Rolling Stone (twelve times).
Proceeds from Bono Speaks Live benefit the nonpartisan, non-profit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth and its International Education Initiative, a program that offers a wealth of world-affairs knowledge and understanding to tens of thousands of North Texas students each year.
I finally got a decent shot of Bono as you chatted with a fan.
I finally got a decent shot of Bono as you chatted with a fan.
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