one campaign

The ‘One’ Campaign Makes its Mark

By Paul Strand
Washington Sr. Correspondent

CBN.com – WASHINGTON - President Bush says that America must do more to help the world's poor, and so does a leading group of Hollywood celebrities, musicians, and religious leaders.

It is an unusual combination that works.

A worldwide campaign led by such celebrities as Bono and Brad Pitt to help erase debt and poverty is already making a difference.

Bush says he wants to double aid to Africa over the next five years. Bush and other leaders of the richest nations decided in recent days to forgive massive amounts of debt owed by the poorest nations.

"We're determined not only to relieve debt, but to erase it, so nations in need can face the future with a clean slate," Bush said.

Much of the pressure to take such action came from the One campaign -- a massive anti-poverty effort that brought together such diverse personalities as actor George Clooney and CBN's Pat Robertson.

Clooney and Robertson appeared on a recent "Nightline" together.

"George is a tremendous humanitarian," Robertson said.

"Obviously, it's rather strange bedfellows," Clooney commented.

Another part of the effort is Saturday's globe-spanning Live 8 concert -- the world's largest rock concert featuring more than 100 famous rock musicians. The musicians will perform in 10 cities around the world, all connected up by satellite and TV in a 24-hour extravaganza.

Preparations have begun from Tokyo and Moscow to London and Philadelphia. It is called Live 8 because the goal is to push the leaders of the world's eight richest countries into doing more about relieving debt and poverty in the world's poorest countries.

The original plan was to build worldwide pressure until it was so overwhelming, so by the time the Group of Eight leaders meet in Scotland next week they'd have to do something.

But as seen by the G-8's decision last month to relieve debt, the campaign has already made a huge impact.

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