world economic forum

Join the queue like everybody else

The BBC is blogging from the World Economic Forum in Davos. Their reporter Tim Weber mentions tight security on site:

‘Without a badge, you won’t get far here. For some, though, the staff might be tempted to make an exception. But they don’t. As I rush out of the conference centre to go to a briefing, Bono walks up and as he is without a bag or other accessories, he tries to jump the queue at the x-ray machine. But he is turned back firmly by a security guard. Just as she does so, she hesitates. “Bono?”, she asks. He nods. She smiles – but points him to the badge reader regardless.’

Bono receives German media award


(image © media control GmbH)

Bono touched down in Baden-Baden on Tuesday to receive the Media Control 2005 German Media Award . He took to the stage accompanied by the Arcade Fire’s Wake up and was presented with the award by former German foreign affairs minister Joschka Fischer. Nikki Lauda, Boris Becker, Peter Maffay and other celebrities attended the event.

Media Control-chef Karlheinz Kögel said: ‘Bono is a crusader for Africa, who uses his fame and success to help people on that continent. He has made commitment his life goal, engages politicians and economists, pulls strings his own way and thus deserves to receive the German Media Award.’

Joschka Fischer ended his speech with a heartfelt: ‘Never stop, the world needs men like you.’

Award winners are chosen by a jury of German editors-in-chief who in their reasoning stated: ‘Bono talks about the emergency in Africa in a language that is loud and easy for alll to understand. In his speech for the World’s most powerful economic leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Bono lashed out at the inhumanity of capitalism and the complicity of those in power to the death of thousands of children, who die from hunger in Africa each day.’

Previous Media Award winners are former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Nelson Mandela, Francois Mitterrand and Boris Jelzin, Yitzhak Rabin, Yassir Arafat, Shimon Peres, Queen Rania of Jordanien und Queen Silvia of Schweden, Bill Clinton, Gerhard Schröder, Rudolph Guiliani, Kofi Annan and Hillary Clinton.