Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[advoca]

Have you heard of Live 8?

On 6th July 2005, the leaders of Great Britain, the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia will meet at Gleneagles in Scotland to talk about world affairs, including Africa. They will be presented with a workable plan to double aid, cancel the debt and make trade laws fair.

Live 8 has organised pop concerts in America, England, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, and Japan, with 100 artists. There was a million spectators, three billion viewers and one message: Make Poverty History.

This series of concerts and events across the world which is being staged to highlight the problem of African poverty. It's a chance for ordinary people to call on the world leaders at this year's G8 summit and tell them to put a stop to the needless deaths of 30,000 children every single day. The concerts present an opportunity to demand that the world's most influential leaders take action now.

Do you think this series of concerts will reduce poverty in Africa? Should Live 8 try and reduce poverty in America, Europe, or China as well as Africa?

[asterix]

Considering the amounbt of foreign aid that has gone to Africa, everybody should be driving a new Mercedes.

[everjac]

Over centuries mankind has sought solutions to poverty, but could never eradicated it.
Will the Live 8 change something?

Though I'm really interested in the make poverty history campaign, I can't be optimistic about the future in developing countries.
Finally our own happiness precedes that of those living in the opposite side of the world.
I want to put an end to hunger and poverty!!
As long as there exist people who benefit from business that is done even at the expense of poor people and from war business, the effort toward ending poverty and war will never pay off.
We have to change the flow of money in this world.

[hitman]

I have heard all about Live 8 and what it proposes to do. But two things concern me. Did you know that each concert (in each city) is free for the spectators? You don't have to pay to see any of the musicians. I found out that the makers of live 8 want to raise awareness (especially to governments in those 8 countries) This makes me very suspicious because, as asterix has pointed out, a lot of aide has been sent.

Second problem: where does it go? We already know that many governments of 3rd world countries are dictatorships. The money doesn't get to the people. But the makers of Live 8 want us to send more. They don't say "help, send more people to help out and create democtratic nations" The artists threaten the leaders to double their money, but the original money doesn't help.

I'm confused about all of this. I think it might be so musicians look good.

[Bob S.]

Oh man, it gets worse.

They sing against hunger while they eat expensive steak and lobster in their private dressing rooms.

To make matters worse, their efforts (along with all those of the networks that will broadcast the show) at this concert will be a tax write-off for charity. So they will deny their governments millions of dollars/ pounds/ euros/ whatever in income while demanding that those same governments give millions of USD/ BP/ Eu/ whatever in aid to these despotic regimes that have a very poor track record of administering these free funds anyway.
Typically it is meant to make a bunch of talents feel good about themselves while doing nothing truly helpful.

[stellara]

good points..

i would find it better if all these seperated actions in collecting money would get together, like, for example, collect enough money and sponsor or go to south africa and build a new water pipeline (don't know if it's the right word, but you'll understand me ) or something.
to do something that helps not 'only' for the moment but that helps the people to get more or less independent from other countries help.

i think that would be much better than this 'collect money here and there and where does it go?!'

because you can effect much more if you put much money in one big project than 'less' money in several little projects.

greets
_________________
Don't cry because it's over - smile because it happened!

MOKEY ROCKS!!!

[asterix]

I read in the Independent (a British paper) that Pink Floyd's record sales had increased 1000% since the Live 8 concert.
Maybe now we can see the real reason behind it all.

[stellara]

oh yeah, that's also true - a more than gratis puplicity for all the stars..
although i think it's not meant to be so by all stars.

greets
_________________
Don't cry because it's over - smile because it happened!

MOKEY ROCKS!!!

[kevinUNEC]

live 8 so wonderful!!
_________________
LOVE in anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1