Former boxing champion Muhammad Ali, the newly appointed "international ambassador" for Jubilee 2000, visited Britain in February to accept the Freddie Mercury Prize for the debt relief campaign. Ali accepted the award—presented by Bono, U2’s lead singer—saying, "Nothing is more important to the poorest nations of Africa and Latin America than to be able to keep most of what they earn and invest it in the well-being of their children."
Bono has taken a lead in promoting the campaign, and others in the music industry have planned a range of initiatives to be launched this year, including putting the Jubilee 2000 logo and "Drop the Debt" slogans on CDs. Record companies are also encouraging retail outlets to promote the petition and a Jubilee 2000 lapel badge. Other artists who have shown support for Jubilee 2000 by signing the petition or wearing the campaign’s lapel badge include David Bowie, Annie Lennox, PJ Harvey, and Peter Gabriel. Keith Flint from Prodigy has gone further than most by tattooing "Drop the Debt" on his back.
Read the Full Article
