Human and Civil Rights

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Work done by Marcucci and Moyano 

10 Music collaborations that changed the world

From the 1985 classic “We Are the World” to 2014′s agriculture anthem “Cocoa na Chocolate,” pop stars around the world have been coming together to make music for a cause for decades. Whether it’s to raise awareness for apartheid or funds for famine relief in Africa, benefit concerts and songs have rocked the hearts, minds and ears of activists – and helped make real and lasting change.

Here’s ten music collaborations that show how some of the world’s biggest artists used their voices for the humanitarian issues of their time: 

1. Concert for Bangladesh (1971)

George Harrison, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and more 

This sold-out concert, organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, was the first benefit concert that brought artists ranging from the legendary Beatles to Bob Dylan for a humanitarian cause. The concert, held in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, raised awareness on the refugee crisis in Bangladesh after the 1970 Bhola cyclone, and more than $200,000 dollars for relief efforts. Most notably, it set a precedent for music as a tool of social change.

2. Gift of Song (1979)

Various, including ABBA, Rita Coolidge, Elton John and more

Pop music artists, including ABBA, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rod Stewart and Donna Summer, gathered at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City to sing a “Gift of Song” to the world’s children. Broadcasted in 60 countries and reaching over 200 million, the event served to kick-off the International Year of the Child, a year that brought awareness to children’s issues and eventually led to the first universal declaration of children’s rights. The single also raised $4 million dollars for UNICEF’s life-saving programs.

3. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and Live Aid (1984)

Band Aid, including Bob Geldof, Bono, Paul McCartney and others

Band Aid, a charity band founded by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, first released “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” (1984) to raise money for the famine crisis in Ethiopia. It was no surprise that the collaboration with rock stars like Bono, Paul McCartney, Paul Young and more resulted in more than six million copies sold, raising $14 million dollars for relief. The single also peaked at No. 1 in more than 15 countries.

In 1985, the band held “Live Aid,” one of the most influential charity concerts. Two decades later, Geldof organized Live 8 Concerts (2005) which brought together more than 1,000 musicians in the US and UK. The concerts also served as political actions that coincided with the G8 summit on world poverty.

4. ”We Are the World” (1985)

USA for Africa, including Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, Billy Joel and more

Following Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” single, USA for Africa produced ”We Are the World,” a song produced by Quincy Jones and written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. The song features a number of renowned artists like Willie Nelson, Diana Ross and Billy Joel. The collaboration generated more than $100 million dollars  to fight a famine that killed nearly 1 million people in Africa between 1983 to 1984. USA for Africa foundation continues the legacy of philanthropy. 

5. Farm Aid (1985)

Various, including Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, B.B. King, Tom Petty and many more

Inspired by a remark by Bob Dylan at his performance at Live Aid, ”Wouldn’t it be great if we did something for our own farmers right here in America?” Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized Farm Aid. The concert, first held in Champaign, Illinois brought 80,000 music-lovers to raise awareness about the issues farming families faced, and raised more than $9 million dollars to assist America’s family farmers. To this day, Farm Aid  acts as an advocacy platform and resource network for farmers, while still producing an annual benefit concert.

6. “Sun City” (1985)

Artists United Against Apartheid, including Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel and others

Known as the most fervent political music single, “Sun City” brought 54 artists from across genres to take a stand against apartheid. From rock stars like Bruce Springsteen to hip-hop pioneers like Kurtis Blow, this collaboration drew attention to apartheid and urged artists to stop playing at venues that practiced the racist policy.

7. “Blackfella Whitefella” (1985)

Warumpi Band

1985 was sure the year of music collaborations for social change, and it did not stop there. Like “Sun City,” “Blackfella Whitefella,” a song by Australia indigenous group Warumpi Band, served as a political statement on racism against indigenous groups in Australia.

8. A Conspiracy of Hope (1986) and Human Rights Now! (1988)

Various artists including Bruce Springsteen, U2, Sting, Peter Gabriel and many more

Organized by Amnesty International, “A Conspiracy of Hope” (1986) and “Human Rights Now” (1988) were a series of global benefit concerts raising awareness on human rights atrocities around the globe and in 1988, the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Artists included Tracy Chapman, Youssou N’Dour, The Police and local guest artists from each host country that participated. Most notable? The venuesincluded countries like Hungary, Costa Rica, India, Argentina, Zimbabwe and more.

9. “America: A Tribute to Heroes” (2011)

Various artists including Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and others

On the 10-year remembrance of September 11, 2001, a day we will never forget, artists from across genres came together for “America: A Tribute to Heroes.” The concert was not just a tribute to those who lost their lives but also a benefit to the September 11 Telethon Fund. The telethon raised more than $150 million for the victims of the terror attacks. In the video above Willie Nelson closed out the telethon with an ensemble version of “America the Beautiful.”

10. “Cocoa na Chocolate” (2014)

Various artists, including D’Banj, Femi Kuti, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Judith Sephuma

Africa’s hottest recording artists have come together to support our Do Agric campaign, and together have written and recorded the track “Cocoa na Chocolate.” The artists involved include some of the hottest artists from Africa, including D’Banj, Femi Kuti, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Judith Sephuma, Diamond and Omawumi. And get this – it’s the biggest music collaboration in Africa’s history. Their message is simple: agriculture in Africa has the potential to provide food, create jobs and boost economies, but African leaders need to invest now. The song dropped last month, and only time will tell whether it will ignite an agriculture revolution.

http://www.one.org/

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Not to forget!!!

Civil Rights Movement

US Civil Rights Movement

Civil Rights Movements

Civil rights are personal liberties that belong to an individual, owing to his or her status as a citizen.

The civil rights movements aimed to eliminate slavery, racism, and social and religious discrimination. These movements had great, courageous leaders and participants who risked, and in some cases lost their lives for the sake of equality and racial justice. Leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela planned and led non-violent campaigns in pursuit of liberty and equality.

The pioneer of these movements was Mahatma Gandhi. His name means “great soul” in Sanskrit. He was born in India in 1869, when this country was part of the commonwealth ruled by the British Empire. Indian population was divided due to geographical, racial, social, cultural, linguistic, and religious reasons, but also it was divided into rich and poor

He knew about racial discrimination in South Africa, where he moved after graduating as a lawyer in London. It was then the idea of truth and firmness what inspired him “inflicting oneself the suffering one would impose to the enemy”. It demands great control, every insult, beating, imprisonment should be born patiently, make the opponent see their wrongdoing.

True to his belief in peaceful and non-violent civil resistance, Gandhi devoted his life to make India an independent country. By the time he died at 78 years old, India had already celebrated its independence.

Quotes from Gandhi: “They may torture my body, break my bones, and even kill me. Then they will have my dead-body not my obedience; “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind”.

Deeply influenced by the works of Gandhi, King made the struggle for civil liberty for African-American in the U.S.A. his sole motto. Although King became involved in the civil rights movement from his university days, his first major success came only in 1955 in Alabama. That year a black woman named Rosa Parks was arrested by refusing to surrender her seat to a white passenger. In protest, African-American activists boycotted the state’s transport system and chose King as their leader. The boycott continued 383 days until the U.S.A. Supreme Court declared Alabama’s racial segregation laws unconstitutional. In December 1964, King was awarded the Nobel Peace prize. Delivering his Nobel lecture he said: “Non violence is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it”. Four years later, he was shot dead.

As regard Nelson Mandela, he was a son of an African’s tribal chief, and he became leader of the African National congress, political party that called for racial equality. In 1964, after sabotaging the government many times, he was sent to prison; there he became a symbol of South Africa’s struggle against apartheid.

Civil rights movements were successful at least by some measures. The movements were also an inspiration; they evoked and embodied high moral ideas of racial equality and justice. Technology played a key role in these movements by making the struggles of protesters highly visible. The world could not help but recognize the righteousness of the protesters cause and the evil, violent repression necessary to subdue the wish for justice.

Students:

Cuello, Ana

Orieta Bertolotti, M. Cecilia


Other posts on the subject: Pioneer in India; A bird in a cage;   America also needs equality; Human Rights. 

Women´s rights. Women and young people as objects of consumerism.

WOMEN´S RIGHTS

Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.

In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behavior, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed.

Issues commonly associated with notions of women's rights include, though are not limited to, the right: to bodily integrity and autonomy; to vote (suffrage); to hold public office; to work; to fair wages or equal pay; to own property; to education; to serve in the military or be conscripted; to enter into legal contracts; and to have marital, parental and religious rights.

During the whole 19th century, women had no political rights though there had been some movement in other areas to advance the right of women. In 1839 a law was passed which stated that if a marriage broke down and the parents separated, children less than 7 years old should stay with their mother. In 1857 women could divorce husbands who were cruel to them. In 1870 women were allowed to keep money they had earned. In 1891 women could not be forced to live with husbands unless they wished to. These were very important laws which advanced the rights of women.

The First World War provided the first opportunity for women to take on traditional male jobs so it isn't surprising that in 1918 women over 30 were given the same political rights as men. But this change was not just a result of war - women had been campaigning for decades to be given the right to vote. During the 19^th century the right to vote was gradually extended in many countries and women started to campaign for their right to vote. In 1893 New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote on a national level.

 In the U. K., The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies - the Suffragists - was formed in 1897 and led by Millicent Fawcett. The group was made up of mainly middle-class women and campaigned peacefully. The organization built up supporters in Parliament, but private members' bills to give women the vote all failed.

The Women's Social and Political Union - the Suffragettes - was formed in 1903 and led by Emmeline Pankhurst. Although this group was also middle class, it heckled politicians, held marches; members chained themselves to railings, attacked policemen, broke windows, slashed paintings, set fire to buildings, threw bombs and went on hunger strike when they were sent to prison. One suffragette, Emily Davison, ran out in front of the king's horse during the Derby of 1913 and was killed.

The East London Federation of Suffragettes - formed in 1914 by Sylvia Pankhurst - was made up of working-class women. This group concentrated on social reform, and rejected the violence of the WSPU.

Women were not given the vote before the war. At the end of the war, in 1918, however, the Representation of the People Act gave women over 30 the vote, and in 1928 this was extended to all women over the age of 21.

The arguments for and against women's suffrage

For	Against
Women are equal before God.	A woman's place is in the home; going out into the rough world of politics will change her caring nature.
Women already have the vote in local elections.	Many women do not want the vote, and would not use it if they got it.
Women pay taxes.	Women do not fight in wars.
Some women (eg doctors and mayors) are far better than some men (eg convicts and lunatics) who have the vote.	The vast mass of women is too ignorant of politics to be able to use their vote properly.
Other countries have given women the vote.	If women are given the vote, it will not be the gentle intelligent women who will stand for Parliament, but the violent Suffragettes. Parliament will be ruined.

Happy Christmas!!!

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1971 by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and the Plastic Ono Band. Although ostensibly a protest song about the Vietnam War, it has become a Christmas standard and has appeared on several Christmas albums.







Remeber the message...War is over if you want it!!

Rock 80-90s and Solidarity

Word done by Pagnotta and Maldonado

Human Rights

Work presented by Wendt Barrios and Grassino

Other posts in this blog from previous years: Gandhi,Luther King, Mandela