Poverty Inspires Bono for New Song

Recent poverty campaigns did inspire Bono to write a new song for U2.

Bono said the Stand Up and Take Action campaign in 131 countries had moved him to start creating a song called "Stand Up".

"It's not finished yet but it's inspired by this concept of stand up. It's a little diamond, though," Bono said, "It's not a 'let's hold hands and the world is a better place sort of song.' It's more kick down the door of your own hypocrisy," he said.
Organizers said the 116 million people who called on global leaders not to forget their promise to reduce world poverty and hunger by 2015, represented nearly two percent of the world's population and was a Guinness World Record "for the biggest mass mobilization on a single issue".
African leaders have already accused rich donor nations of not keeping to their aid commitments, which has become critical to combat the effects of higher world food prices.
"Although they were not a legal contract, and we wish they were, there is a moral contract that was made," Bono said.
"To break a promise to yourself, to your partner, to your family, a politician to his constituents, are all bad things to do -- but it's a heinous crime to make a promise to the poorest most vulnerable people on earth and break it. That's just not acceptable," he said.

For years, Bono has used his celebrity to raise money and draw attention to global poverty and highlight how aid, when used properly, can help prevent and treat diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS.
"It is dreadful to think that we could take the foot off the pedal at our end and they run out of road on theirs," he said of concerns that less aid will slow Africa's progress.

Still, Bono said the region had demonstrated significant economic potential after several years of strong economic growth, led by a new generation of leaders.

"I have faith in Africans who are becoming very adept at this balancing act between necessary aid flows and realizing that business, commerce and investment can take you out of catastrophe," said Bono.

source:http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/