Who is George Harrison?
George Harrison, legendary musician and humanitarian set the precedent that music could be used to serve a higher cause. In 1971, the pioneering former Beatle, hearing fellow musician Ravi Shankar's distress, used his fame and the power of music to organize the Concert for Bangladesh. At that time, the country was ravaged by floods, famine and civil war, which left 10 million people—mostly women and children—fleeing their homes. The Concert for Bangladesh was one of the most ambitious humanitarian efforts in rock music history. It produced an extraordinary contribution for UNICEF, exceeding $15 million. Perhaps more importantly, the concert focused global attention on the crisis in Bangladesh and raised the consciousness of other musicians and millions of their young fans to a new awareness of UNICEF and its role in the developing world.
August 1, 2006 marked the 35th anniversary of George Harrison's historic Concert for Bangladesh, which pioneered the all-star rock concert benefit model. With the lyrics "Now I'm asking all of you, help us save some lives," George Harrison turned music in to a political and social force.
For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org/georgeharrisonfundforunicef.
