Video: Annie Leibovitz shoots the Hewsons for Vuitton

Video taken during Annie Leibovitz’s photoshoot for Louis Vuitton. Bono and Ali are wearing Edun rather than Vuitton and Ali’s handbag was co-designed. Profits from the sale of this bag will be donated to Africa TechnoServe to support the work of the Conservation Cotton Initiative and related programs. Bono and Ali’s fees are also donated to TechnoServe, Conservation Cotton Initiative, which supports sustainable farming in Africa, and Chernobyl Children’s Project International.

The ‘Core Values’ ad campaign with the tag line “Every journey began in Africa” will launch mid-September in a range of daily newspapers, October magazines and on louisvuittonjourneys.com.

U2360 – Luzhniki Stadium – Moscow, Russia

photo by @kardanik

For the first time in their career, U2 play the capital of Russia. Security at the stadium is very strict and the place is full of police and military. In the afternoon, police shut down the Greenpeace, ONE Campaign and Amnesty International stands at the stadium. One Amnesty International activist is reported to have been arrested. Police claim the activists organised an ‘illegal rally’. However, as at every U2 show, these volunteers are actually authorised to set up stands and distribute information. In a Greenpeace blog post about the matter it’s stated “U2′s management are puzzled” by the situation and Bono’s been informed of what went on.

The head of Amnesty International in Russia, Sergei Nikitin, has stated that police detained five volunteers who were distributing leaflets and displaying banners for holding an unsanctioned protest at Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium. “I am very sorry about what happened … it overshadowed the concert,” Nikitin said. The activists were later released without charge.

It rained quite hard hard during the show which is attended by Mikhail Gorbachev, “a great hero of mine”, Bono says, “I’ve known him for over 10 years.” Most of the new songs were dropped from the set, except Return of the Stingray guitar and the band delighted the crowd by playing Knocking on Heaven’s Door with Russian rockstar Yuri Shevchuk. Shevchuk has become a significant figure in Russia’s opposition movement since he delivered a rare public rebuke to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in May.

Reports from fans inside the GA area say Russian police wouldn’t allow the fans to leave the GA area and clashed with U2 security. Fans claim Russian soldiers hindered U2 security when they wanted to move the barricades to let fans out. Other people stepped in to separate Russian solders and U2 security.

Unprecedented security measures at U2 concert

Setlist

AWF Auctioning Limited-Edition Bono Photograph

Irish photographer Colm Henry has kindly donated a limited edition photograph of Bono to the African Well Fund. The print is being auctioned for ‘Build a Well for Bono’s Birthday’.

The photograph was taken of Bono during the “Rattle & Hum” recording sessions. The print measures 20 x 24 inches and is No. 3 in an edition of only 15 copies.

Colm Henry is currently exhibiting his early U2 photographs at the Proud galleries in London.

Click here to place a bid on the limited-edition Colm Henry photograph.

Bid for Bono’s Build a Well

It’s that time of the year again! The U2 Live Photo Auction in support of The African Well Fund has begun. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Build a Well for Bono’s Birthday which aims to raise $50,000 to fund a clean water and sanitation project in Zimbabwe in honor of Bono’s 50th birthday.

The auction features over 30 photos taken by fans and professionals. It is the third auction of U2 concert photos that the African Well Fund has hosted. The first, held in 2006, raised over $11,000; the second, held in 2007, raised over $7,000.

Go check out the photos and place your bids. You have until next Sunday, April 25th to decide.

Bono: “Make ‘aid’ history”

NTV Kenya host Smriti Vidyarthi talks to Bono during the Pan African Media conference in Nairobi, tracking back his involvement in Africa to the anti-Apartheid movement in Ireland in the 80s and going into how to deal with aid when you cannot trust the (Kenyan) government to spend the money well.

Video: Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono, The Edge perform Stranded

Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour) as performed at the ‘Hope for Haiti Now’ telethon. Donate at www.hopeforhaitinow.org, buy the live album including ‘Stranded’ from itunes.com/haiti,

Call to action: U2-fans support Haiti

On January 12, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the island of Haiti, devasting the capital and largest city, Port-au-Prince. The International Red Cross estimated that about three million people were affected by the quake. At least tens of thousands of people were killed, many are still missing.

Support the people of Haiti by joining the ‘U2 fans support Haiti’-team at betterplace.org, an initiative of German fansite U2tour.de. All donations will be transferred 100% to reliable organisations such as CARE, Save the Children and action medeor. You can donate by credit card, direct debit or PayPal. Go here and click the Support Team button to join and donate.

The following U2 fansites support the action:

www.atU2.com
www.U2log.com
www.U2tour.de
www.U2tours.com

Bono busks on Grafton Street

Bono joined Glen Hansard, Bono, Mundy and Damien Rice (some reports mention Liam O’Maonlai too) for a busking session on Dublin’s Grafton Street on Christmas Eve, raising money and awareness for the Dublin Simon Community, a voluntary organisation working with people who are homeless. Bono sang along with Stand By Me,” “One,” and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”

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Bono accepts the RFK Ripple of Hope Award

Bono’s acceptance speach at the RFK Center For Justice & Human Rights 2009 Gala in New York City after receiving the organization’s Ripple of Hope Award.