Live 8 comes to Chapel Hill

London. Moscow. Berlin. Paris. Tokyo. Philadelphia. Johannesburg. Edinburgh.

And now, Chapel Hill.

This summer, Live 8, an international series of free concerts, rocked the world. Today, Chapel Hill will host its own free Live 8 concert to raise awareness about poverty, social injustice and education.

Recording artist Edwin McCain and other entertainers will join campus performing groups, such as the Clef Hangers and Bhangra Elite, at 5 p.m. in Polk Place.

Campus Y has been organizing the concert since this summer, and group leaders hope the event attracts interest in global issues.

"Live 8 is important because students at UNC are privileged to have what we have," said sophomore Manisha Panjwani, the Campus Y's head organizer for the event. "We have the capability to help others who don't have what we do."

Campus Y has invited numerous student groups to participate in the event. During the concert, groups will set up tables to provide information about global problems.

Campus Y Co-president Stephen Lassiter said he hopes the concert will entice students to learn more about issues such as poverty while enjoying the festivities.

"I hope the concert will draw a crowd that of people who wouldn't necessarily hear about social issues," Lassiter said.

The main goal of the Live 8 concert is to raise awareness about the Millennium Development Goals, guidelines for eliminating extreme poverty, promoting gender equality and combating disease.

"We have the chance to educate, inspire and initiate social justice," Panjwani said.

In addition to the Campus Y, other groups involved include Students United for Darfur Awareness Now, Students for Students International and Circle-K.

Sophomore Tiffany McDole, a member of SUDAN, said Campus Y actively worked to encourage other groups to join the event.

"Live 8 focuses on issues that affect Africa," McDole said. "A lot of people don't know about the catastrophes going on there, and this event raises awareness about that."

At the concert students will have the opportunity to sign a petition to the U.S. Congress urging members to follow through on promises made by U.S. leaders to double aid to Africa by 2010.

Lassiter said he wants the concert to serve as a starting point for student activism.

"I hope that people will look beyond the concert to actively become involved in these issues," he said.

Campus Y also will sell T-shirts and wristbands at Live 8 to raise money for Oxfam International, a group that works to find solutions for poverty, injustice and famine.

Organizers also are hosting a Live 8 afterparty at The Sandbar on East Rosemary Street from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. All proceeds from the event also will be donated to Oxfam.

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.