Live 8
May - July, 2005
A series of free, simultaneous concerts in 10 cities was the climax of ONE's contribution to a global movement resulting in unprecedented commitments to cancel debts, double aid and deliver near universal access to AIDS treatment at the 2005 G8 Summit in Gleneagles. However, these promises mean nothing if they are not delivered and ONE is working hard to ensure they follow through.
Overview
2005 was a historic turning point in the fight against poverty and disease. A mass global movement, involving ONE as part of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) and the Make Poverty History (MPH) coalitions, targeted the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, with demands for increased and improved development assistance, debt cancellation and more just trade rules.
In the month leading up to the July 6 to 8, 2005 G8 Summit, ONE mobilized 1.5 million people in the United States to sign the ONE Declaration, wear the white band, and send 500,000 letters to President George W. Bush expressing those demands.
The mass mobilization received strong support from Nelson Mandela, Bono, Bob Geldof and a number of other leading ONE supporters, including Brad Pitt, Beyonce, George Clooney and Djimon Hounsou.
20 years after the historic fundraising Live Aid concerts, Bob Geldof organized Live 8 - this time calling for justice, not charity. The string of concerts on July 2, 2005 in each of the G8 countries and in South Africa was timed to harness the massive momentum of the global movement to maximize pressure on the leaders of the world's most powerful countries. More than 1,000 musicians (including U2, Pink Floyd, Will Smith, Elton John and Madonna) performed at the concerts, which were broadcast on 182 television networks and 2,000 radio networks worldwide. More than 2 million people attended Live 8; over 30 million people took action and an estimated 2 billion watched Live 8 on TV.
As a result of a combined effort of thousands of organisations as part of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty with the added boost of Live 8, and the Commission for Africa report (which detailed policy demands), G8 leaders pledged on July 8 to double development assistance to Africa (from 2004 levels), reaching an extra $25 billion per year by 2010. The G8 also agreed to cancel remaining debts for qualified countries, and to strive to provide universal access to life-saving ARVs for AIDS patients and education for children.
Campaign Milestones
-
May 24 2005
ONE Launches G8 Campaign
ONE announces a massive effort to mobilize people in the United States to call on President George W. Bush to deliver a historic deal for the world's poor at the G8 Summit in July.
-
May 31 2005
“Live 8” Announced
Bob Geldof, Bono, Dave Matthews and others announce "Live 8," a series of free global concerts to take place simultaneously in 10 cities on July 2.
-
Jun 6 2005
ONE Members Begin Writing to Bush
ONE begins collecting letters from members to ask President Bush to take bold leadership on extreme global poverty, including debt cancellation, more and better assistance, and reforming trade rules to help the poorest countries help themselves.
-
Jun 7 2005
Progress Towards US-UK Deal on Debt Cancellation Announced
President Bush announces progress towards an agreement with the United Kingdom on 100% debt cancellation for the world's poorest countries, as well as increased aid to Africa.
-
Jun 11 2005
The G8 Commit to Debt Relief
The G8 finance ministers agree to free some of the world’s poorest countries from crushing debts by writing off billions of dollars in debt in return for promises from the qualifying countries that they will invest savings in poverty reduction.
-
Jun 21 2005
Nelson Mandela Speaks Out on HIV/AIDS and Extreme Poverty
As part of the Global Call to Action on Poverty, Nelson Mandela calls on the world's leaders to take action to end HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty with an unprecedented deal on debt, aid and trade for people in the world's poorest countries.
-
Jun 24 2005
Robertson and Clooney on “Nightline”
Pat Robertson and George Clooney go on ABC's "Nightline" to ask viewers to sign the ONE petition to President Bush to support G8 action on behalf of the world's poor.
-
Jun 30 2005
Bush Commits to Fighting Global Poverty and Disease
President Bush makes an important speech committing to do more to fight malaria, put kids in school and overcome extreme poverty in Africa, pledging to double U.S. assistance to Africa by 2010.
-
Jul 1 2005
“Countdown to the G8” Events Begin
ONE supporters across the U.S. join together in churches, community centers and concert halls to launch the ONE "Countdown to the G8," with events in 20 states and the District of Columbia involving more than 150 local musicians, artists and community leaders.
-
Jul 2 2005
Live 8 Concerts Rock the World
More than 2 million people in attendance called in one voice for an end to extreme poverty and global AIDS at Live 8 concerts in 10 cities around the world. More than 2 billion more tuned in to the concerts on TV.
-
Jul 6 2005
Final Concert in Edinburgh
"Edinburgh 50,000 -- The Final Push" concert in Edinburgh takes place.
-
Jul 6 2005
Petition Delivered to the G8
Over 30 million people from all around the world gave their voice to the G8 petition which was presented to Tony Blair, chair of the G8, by representatives of Live 8 and the Global Call to Action against Poverty.
-
Jul 7 2005
500,000+ Letters Delivered to Bush
ONE members send more than 500,000 letters to President Bush in advance of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland.
-
Jul 7 2005
Unprecedented G8 Deal on Debt Relief
At the Summit in Gleneagles, President Bush joins G8 leaders in an unprecedented commitment to cancel debts and double aid to Africa. This means a US$25 billion increase in aid, and wiping out 100% of outstanding debts owed by HIPC countries to multilateral institutions.
Related Press Releases
-
Live 8 Celebrities, Grassroots Activists and One Million Americans Join ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History
Deliver 300,000 Letters Calling for Historic Deal at G8, Call for End to Global Aids and Poverty. MORE
-
George Clooney, Pat Robertson, Bono and Bob Geldof Help Take Over Weekend Television
Pat Robertson and George Clooney go on ABC's "Nightline" tonight to encourage Americans to join the more than 200,000 people who have written to President Bush asking for a breakthrough in the fight against extreme poverty at the G8 Summit July 6 - 8. MORE
Quick Facts
The concerts
Live 8 was a string of concerts which took place on July 2, 2005, in London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Philadelphia, Barrie (Canada), Chiba (Japan), Johannesburg, Moscow, and Cornwall (England). They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and Summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from July 6-8, 2005. The "Final Push" concert was held in Edinburgh on July 6, 2005.
More than 500,000
ONE members in the U.S. sent more than 500,000 letters to President Bush, calling for the G8 to make an unprecedented deal to cancel debts and double aid to Africa.
Double the aid
On July 7, 2005, the G8 leaders pledged to double 2004 levels of aid to poor nations from US$25 to US$50 billion by the year 2010. Half of the money was to go to Africa.