Est. 1998
Michael made a brief public appearance today to announce that he would organize and headline a series of concerts to benefit the World Peace Foundation for Children.
Michael will be joined by opera great Luciano Pavarotti and legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor in Seoul, South Korea, for the first event on Oct. 11th, which will raise funds for the Korean Peace Foundation for Children, a chapter of the WPFC.
“I am very excited to be organizing and performing the first of what I hope will be a series of concert appearances to benefit his recently formed World Peace Foundation for Children,” Michael said during a three-minute-long prepared statement at the Beverly Hilton.
Michael wore sunglasses, a black jacket, black plastic pants with red stripes down the sides and black boots. He smiled frequently as he stood at the podium to speak and made periodic upward glances as he addressed the crowd.
During his appearance, which lasted no more than ten minutes, Michael said it has been his dream to organize such benefits since collaborating with many of the ’80s finest musical artists on the charity song ‘We Are the World’, which led to the hugely successful USA for Africa benefit concert in 1985. “Today, with the help of many friends, we are taking the first steps toward realizing that dream,” he said.
“I am delighted to be working with my good friends Luciano Pavarotti and Elizabeth Taylor to perform the first of these concerts at Chamsil Stadium in Korea, a country I have grown to love very, very much,” Michael continued, adding that additional performers will be announced.
A special performance in the de-militarised zone that separates North and South Korea is also in the works, he said.
Michael, was joined by Michael Hyun of Cheil Communications, which is promoting the event, as well as David Goldberg of Don Mischer Productions, which is consulting with Michael on the production. The funds raised by the benefit will be distributed to children and their families affected by a severe flood that struck North Korea in 1995, according to Hyun.
“Michael cares desperately about his work,” Goldberg said after the conference. “He is incredibly creative and an extraordinary performer, and we hope that these concerts will not only be entertaining but will focus attention on the plight of starving children in Korea.”
Jackson also expressed his intention to follow the Seoul event with similar benefits that will bring together musicians and raise funds for children suffering from famine and war-related turmoil worldwide.
In ending his statement, Michael looked up and said, “I love you,” before turning to shake hands with Hyun and Goldberg.
Source: MJWN
