Update: 9 bands including Junction Pool [Celtic-Fusion band] from Edinburgh. The concert will be called Orkney Musical Stramash. All profits go to Make Poverty History through Christian Aid. Organiser John Adams from Kirkwall.
Original Post (14-6-05)
Just announced this morning on the radio – and not in the papers yet. Live Aid will happen in Orkney on July 2nd, as a result of bands wanting to travel up to Orkney and create another venue for the Live Aid concerts. Tickets become available next week and the event will happen at the Pickaquoy Centre.
More details later.
As for our plans, we have decided NOT to attend Live Aid in Edinburgh because:
1. A large part of the debt to poor countries has been cancelled
2. Live Aid Orkney will happen on our own doorstep
3. The group that was joining us in Edinburgh is now coming to Orkney
4. I will still be speaking in Birmingham on July 2.
For those of you going to Edinburgh, there will be a 24/7 Prayer Room set up for the duration of the event. And Protest4 is organizing a group. Talk to Si Johnston.
Andrew, although it looks like absolute sense to me that you should be in Orkney, the issue of debt hasn’t gone away. I just picked this up from the MPH website: Make Poverty History today welcomed the G8 Finance Ministers announcement that 18 poor countries will receive an immediate $1.5 billion annually for debt relief. However, MPH has stated that this is a small proportion of the estimated $10 billion in debt relief each year that is needed to help lift millions out of poverty. … It is imperative that thousands turn out on the streets of Edinburgh on 2 July to demand action from the G8 that they fulfill their promises to halve poverty by 2015.
So there’s still work to be done on that front. The full text of the MPH statement is here.
Wherever you are on the day – I hope you have a wonderful celebration.
I had similar reservations, Paul. I haven’t checked the MPH website lately, so thanks for highlighting what they are saying.
I had also heard that this was a fairly small proportion of the debt relief hoped for and I think there will be strings attached, which could be a good thing if it is simply to make sure the money is spent wisely, but it could be linked to conditions that are unfavourable to developing economies. I’m not clear what the conditions will be.
thanks – appreciate more info on that . .
Hi Andrew,
[Irrelevant aside: I’m one of the bloggers you videoed at greenbelt last year – under the Wibsite gazebo…]
Yes, whilst it’s true that some of the debt has been cancelled its the Trade Justice aspect of the Make Poverty History campaign which seems to be not getting as much attention. To my mind making the rules on trade fairer will be the thing that will shift the balance a bit between rich and poor on a longer term basis.
Hello Dave. I know who you are if Andrew doesn’t. :0)
Yes the politicians don’t seem to be making a lot of noise about the trade rules – did you year last Friday’s “Any Questions”? Someone there said that fairer trade rules would be worth a lot more than debt cancellation or aid. Trouble is our own economies might suffer a tinsy bit and some of the big multinational companies might notice a fraction shaved off their profits I expect.
TallSkinnyKiwi: Orkney Live Aid
Link: TallSkinnyKiwi: Orkney Live Aid.