Inspired by concert promoter Bob Geldof’s “Live Aid” fundraiser events, organizers of the popular online internet community known as MySpace.com are staging a worldwide humanitarian event to aid the people of Darfur, Sudan. MySpace is enlisting the support of rock musicians at concert venues in 20 US cities on October 21. OXFAM America spokesperson Laura Rusu tells VOA English to Africa reporter Howard Lesser the artists will donate performance revenues to send a message that the Darfur tragedy must end now.
“The concerts were actually scheduled ahead of time, and it was the idea of MySpace to reach out to the concerts that day, and it’s actually the bands that are volunteering to participate in this one-day event. They’re the ones who are going to donate the portions of the ticket proceeds to OXFAM’s relief efforts in Sudan, and in Chad, and definitely in Darfur,” she said.
Next weekend's Rock for Darfur concerts will offer proceeds to the Sudan Crisis Relief and Rehabilitation Fund, which is being coordinated by OXFAM America’s international arm. Rusu says thousands of young Americans who communicate over the internet, sharing photos and common interests, will reach out to a growing network of friends attending concerts to voice alarm about Darfur’s deteriorating conditions and what has so far been an ineffective international response mechanism to stop the violence.
“MySpace of course has publicized this quite a bit on their home page, and a lot of people can become ‘friends,’ as they say on MySpace, of the Rock For Darfur Concert. That’s the great thing about MySpace, that it’s currently the world’s leading lifestyle portal, so all the different kinds of people are going to MySpace.com to talk to their friends, to learn about issues, and to listen to new music,” says Rusu.
OXFAM America’s Laura Rusu advises that more information about the October 21 concerts can be obtained on the internet at http://www.myspace.com/rockfordarfur
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