Celebs launch YouTube campaign to fight poverty

Elle MacPherson, Kristin Davis, Bono, Queen Rania al Abdullah of Jordan, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, economist Jeffrey Sachs and musician Angelique Kidjo convened outside the UN on Thursday. They participated in a call-to-action style event, promoting the In My Name program, which has pledged to cut global poverty in half by the year 2015.

Kidjo, a Benin native, joined Black Eyed Peas members will.i.am and adl.de.ap in an original song, entitled, of course, "In My Name." She relayed her concerns to the AP: "How can we continue this injustice and move forward, how can we prepare the next generation not to repeat the same mistakes that are happening today? As an African artist, as an African mother, as an African person I cannot just stand by."

The demonstration was meant to call attention to the United Nations' unfulfilled poverty pact of 2000. The goals of the agreement, set to reduce disease and poverty, while improving education and health care, have not been met by many of the participating countries.

In My Name forged a partnership with YouTube. In the music video below, will.i.am challenges viewers to create their own video contributions to the campaign. Scarlett Johansson, Annie Lenox, Fergie and John Legend are among those who have already posted. In November, will.i.am will create a new video from the clips of participants, and it will be presented directly to the U.N.

You could have your name spliced next to ScarJo's, and fight poverty too. Click here to learn about making a video contribution to In My Name.



Related links:
In My Name official website
AP: Celebs launch YouTube poverty campaign at UN
YouTube: Angelique Kidjo - "Agolo"

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