ADOPT-A-MINEFIELDR ANNOUNCES FOURTH ANNUAL BENEFIT GALA TO SPOTLIGHT GLOBAL LANDMINE CRISIS
Humanitarian Fundraising Event Hosted by Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney Draws Celebrities and Ordinary Citizens Together for an Evening of Music and Meaning
LOS ANGELES, SEPTEMBER 02, 2004-Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney, Goodwill Ambassadors for Adopt-A-MinefieldR (www.landmines.org), one of the world's leading mine action organizations, announced today it will host the Fourth Annual Adopt-A-Minefield Benefit Gala here at the Century Plaza Hotel on Friday, October 15, 2004. The Gala is hosted each year by the McCartneys to raise awareness of the landmine problem, a crisis that affects over one-third of the world's nations. During its first three years, the gala raised over $2.3 million, and has attracted the staunch support of celebrities and concerned citizens worldwide.
The annual event, which will once again be emceed by Jay Leno, will feature a special performance by McCartney and singer/songwriter Neil Young. Together, these legendary musicians will raise their voices in support of Adopt-A-Minefield's mission to clear landmines, save lives and help mine-affected areas rebuild their communities. Previous Adopt-A-Minefield Benefit Galas have showcased performances by McCartney with talents such as James Taylor, Brian Williams of The Beach Boys, and Paul Simon. A myriad of celebrities are expected to attend this year's festivities. Among those who were present at previous dinners are Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones, Pierce Brosnan, Owen Wilson, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Whoopi Goldberg, David Spade, Rob Reiner, Julia Ormond and others.
"We're proud of this annual Adopt-A-Minefield event. It helps inform the public about the landmine issue and awakens consciousness of the horrors of landmines and the unspeakable human suffering caused by these indiscriminate weapons of war," said Paul McCartney. "With Adopt-A-Minefield's efforts to educate and mobilize concerned people to make a difference, we look forward to the day when these deadly weapons are permanently abolished from the face of the earth," added Heather Mills McCartney.
Adopt-A-Minefield will also honor those who have made a significant contribution to the landmine cause. This year's honorees will be announced in October. Previous honorees include Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who donated funds to clear a minefield in Cambodia and raised nearly $450,000 to support emergency demining in Afghanistan.
Other previous honorees include Bobby Muller, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, who has championed the ban of landmines around the world, as well as International Baccalaureate Students, who have raised over $140,000 in the past two years to clear two minefields in Cambodia and support survivor assistance programs.
Earlier galas have contributed significantly to Adopt-A-Minefield's outreach and education programs as well as provided the resources needed to clear over 200,000 square meters of land and provide aid to survivors in the organization's program countries: Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Croatia, Mozambique and Vietnam. These six countries are among the most heavily mined in the world.
For tickets, table packages and more information about the Fourth Annual Adopt-A-Minefield Benefit Gala, please contact Levy, Pazanti & Associates at 310-201-5033.
>From A Star-Studded Gala to a Night of a Thousand Dinners This year's gala will launch AAM's annual Night of a Thousand DinnersT (N1KD), which will be held on November 4, 2004. Night of a Thousand Dinners is an international event that urges people across the country and around the world to come together on a single night to enjoy a fundraising dinner or other gathering to help end the global landmine crisis. On this special evening, tens of thousands of individuals will join with their friends and families in their homes, restaurants, community centers and other venues to share food and drink, while raising funds for mine clearance and survivor assistance. Launched in 2001, N1KD events have been held in over 50 countries with tens of thousands of participants, raising over $3.3 million for mine action. Individuals interested in hosting a dinner in conjunction with N1KD 2004 can register online at www.1000dinners.com.
"Both the Benefit Gala and the Night of a Thousand Dinners are models for citizen action, serving as evidence that individuals can make a difference - - people of all backgrounds can come together to solve the landmine problem," said Nahela Hadi, Executive Director of the Adopt-A-Minefield Campaign.
About Adopt-A-Minefield: Adopt-A-Minefield is a program of the United Nations Association of the USA in partnership with the United Nations, Ted Turner's Better World Fund, and the U.S. Department of Statement. The Campaign engages individuals, community groups, and businesses in the international effort to resolve the global landmine crisis. Since its launch in 1999, the Campaign has raised over $ 11 million for mine action and has cleared over 18 million square meters of land. Visit www.landmines.org to learn more.
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