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STARS LINE UP
FOR REFUGEE PLIGHT
Copyright 2001 www.bbc.co.uk
[ September 28th 2001 ]
Angelina
Jolie, Celine Dion and Peter Gabriel are part
of the growing number of celebrities offering
their services to support appeals since the US
atrocities. Jolie has donated $1m (£680,000) to
an appeal to ease the suffering of Afghan refugees.
Canadian
singer Dion and British singer/songwriter Gabriel
are joining forces to stage a benefit concert
for the US victims of the terror attacks. About
12 rock groups will perform in two concerts across
the US to raise money for the victims.
Jolie,
who is also goodwill ambassador for the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, became
the first person to privately donate money to
the refugee fund. The UNHCR launched an appeal
on Wednesday to raise $252m (£171.5m) to assist
with the growing Afghan refugee crisis.
Jolie,
who played the lead in the film Lara Croft: Tomb
Raider, visited Afghan refugee camps for herself
in Pakistan in August. She called it the "worst
situation" she had seen. UNHCR head Ruud Lubbers
praised Jolie's sense of "humanitarian responsibility"
in giving the donation "despite the trauma of
recent events in her country".
Dion,
who had been in temporary retirement from live
performing due to the birth of her son, will also
sing at a benefit concert for US victims of the
attacks on Friday in Montreal. She also took to
the stage for the recent TV telethon, which raised
$150m (£103m).
Gabriel
and a host of Quebec artists will also perform
in Montreal with Dion, and proceeds will benefit
the American Red Cross. Styx, REO Speedwagon and
Lynyrd Skynyrd are among the bands performing
at concerts for the victims of the US attacks.
The concerts
are scheduled to take place next month in Atlanta,
Georgia and Dallas, Texas. "The response has been
amazing and we expect to add many more artists
to the line-up," said Styx lead singer, Tommy
Shaw. REO leader Kevin Cronin added: "We are all
feeling so many intense emotions that it's imperative
that we channel our energy into doing what we
can to help heal ourselves and our country."
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