Akon Debuts In Inspired Song “Blood Into Gold” at Special Commemoration Event

In observance of the 2009
Commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of
Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on the 25th of March,
Emmy-award winning musician and philanthropist Peter Buffett, and
R&B/pop star Akon will publicly debut an issue-inspired song,
“Blood Into Gold”, with a live performance at a star-studded cultural
evening and concert in the United Nation’s General Assembly Hall.

Peter
Buffett was asked by non-profit organization, the Culture Project, to
write the song specifically for this commemoration. Akon, who has
previously collaborated with Peter, loaned his voice and production
expertise on “Blood Into Gold”. All proceeds from the download of the
single will go to an organization whose purpose is to educate and bring
an end to human trafficking worldwide. A poignant video to accompany
the song is currently in production.

For the first time at the
United Nations, the evening concert, will bring together: Akon
(Senegal/USA) & Peter Buffett (USA); Mezzo-Soprano Audrey Babcock
(USA); Soprano Angela Brown (USA); The Blind Boys of Alabama (USA);
Izaline Calister (Curacao/The Netherlands); Toumani Diabaté (Mali);
Danny Glover (USA); Gilberto Gil (Brazil); Bill T. Jones (USA); Sarah
Jones (USA); Salif Keita (Mali) and his Band; Ladysmith Black Mambazo
(South Africa); Emeline Michel (Haiti); The Marley Brothers (Jamaica);
CCH Pounder (Guyana/USA/Senegal); Stephanie Benson (Ghana); Phylicia
Rashad (USA); Tenor Noah Stewart (USA); Randy Weston (USA) and his
Quintet; Choreographer Gabri Christa (Curacao/The Netherlands) and
others. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly President
Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann will deliver testimonies at the concert and
pre-taped testimonials from Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali will be
broadcasted.

The concert is being produced by the Culture
Project. Legendary music producer, Nile Rodgers, will be the concert’s
music director.

Organized around the theme “Breaking the
Silence, Beating the Drum”, the concert is part of a series of events
celebrating the triumph of the spirit over slavery and human
trafficking. This year’s theme was chosen because drums are
traditionally used throughout the world, especially in Africa, to send
a loud message. In this case, drums will serve to remind all of the
causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and
of the dangers of racism and prejudice. (www.un.org/en/slavery).

A
press conference is scheduled for March 25 at 1pm in Room 226 of the UN
Secretariat with Kiyo Akasaka, UN Under Secretary-General for the
Department of Public Information, Peter Buffett, Akon, Salif Keita,
Gilberto Gil and Emeline Michel [for more information, contact Paulina
Kubiak at [email protected]].