Grammy®-Winning Artists, Rock Stars and composers join forces in
first US-Produced benefit album for Gaza Relief
2 Unite All album cover
2 Unite All Proceeds will fund medical, psychological support in Middle East
A diverse group of famed musicians including Peter Gabriel, The Police’s Stewart Copeland, Rick Allen of Def Leppard, System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian and Grammy® Award-winning opera singer Sasha Cooke, have come together for a first-of-its-kind benefit album to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. Produced by Project Peace On Earth (PPOE), the album features 26 powerful musical tracks of healing and peace.
Peter Gabriel says of his decision to participate: “Although I am sure both the Palestinian and Israeli people would benefit enormously from a just and fair two-state agreement based around the ’67 borders, we have watched the Palestinians subjected to more and more suffering for far too long, especially in Gaza. Meanwhile their long held land is repeatedly stolen by force for illegal settlements. I am not and have never been anti-Israeli or anti-Semitic; I am anti-Israeli government policy, anti-injustice, anti-oppression and anti-occupation.
“There is clearly a growing movement around the world willing to speak out, including my own country’s Parliament. I am happy to be one of these voices now asking the Israeli government, ‘Where is that two state solution you have so long said you wanted?’ and more simply, saying, ‘Enough.’”
Serj Tankian adds that “helping to rebuild the lives of Palestinians in Gaza is a necessary and noble worldwide humanitarian prerogative that we must not shy away from. It’s the least we can do for a people that have suffered under an occupation, embargo, and invasion.”
Steve Robertson, PPOE founder and Executive Producer of the album, has conducted several awareness-raising peace projects in Palestine. He says that 2 Unite All was inspired by a report he saw about a young Palestinian girl who was in a coma from the bombing. “The doctors weren’t sure if she would survive, but said if she did regain consciousness, she would learn that her mother, father and sister had all been killed,” says Robertson. “My tears wouldn’t stop and I said to myself, ‘That’s enough. I have to do something now and offer some sort of healing support to the people of Gaza and this Middle East crisis.’”
Robertson called on acclaimed Indian composer Ricky Kej to produce the album, and he immediately accepted. “I just knew how important it was for me, and all people, to help bring awareness and an end to the suffering of the people of the Holy Land,” Kej says.
With over 2,100 people dead, more than 3,000 children injured, and over 370,000 Palestinian children in Gaza left traumatized after this summer’s assault, 2 Unite All proceeds will go directly to support the surgical and medical teams of Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) and the vital psychological counseling supported by UNRWA USA. PPOE will also lead a PTSD therapy effort with renowned psychotherapist Dr. Edward Tick and continue its peace initiatives in the Holy Land.
“Our music may not be able to rebuild homes nor bring back victims of violence, but at least it can soften hearts,” says Stewart Copeland. “Hard hearts allow violence in the Holy Land and softening up allows persuasion. Even the most flinty realpolitik analysis shows that ‘Kumbaya’ is more credible than ‘They Must Go.’”
Rick Allen of Def Leppard says, “Our world is finally focusing on resolving this conflict. Too many lives have been lost and too many innocent children and families remain perilously injured.” Lauren Monroe, Allen’s wife and songwriting partner, adds, “The beautiful people of Palestine require the world’s immediate medical support. Contributing a song to help bring necessary healing and resources to Gaza was the least Rick and I could do.” Allen concludes, “I’m encouraging all Def Leppard fans to buy a copy of 2 Unite All and support this cause.”
The 2 Unite All album, which features cover art from renowned illustrator Greg Spalenka and was made possible with the assistance of TuneCore distribution, is available for purchase at: www.2UniteAll.com
26 Powerful Musical Tracks from:
Peter Gabriel
Stewart Copeland and Serj Tankian, with Omar Fadel
Rick Allen of Def Leppard, with songwriter Lauren Monroe
Pearl Thompson, with Finbar O’Hanlon
Sasha Cooke (Grammy® Winner, Opera)
Gary Nicholson (Grammy® Winner, Country)
Joanne Shenandoah, with Leah and Diane (Grammy® Winner, Native American)
Richard Gannaway, Jay Oliver & Miriam Stockley of AOMusic
David Arkenstone and Charlee Brooks
Rickie Byars Beckwith
Christoph Bull
Beth Nielsen Chapman
Sussan Deyhim and Richard Horowitz
The GuruGanesha Band
Lili Haydn
Fritz Heede
Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman
Fox Lima of the Enigma MMX Social Media Song
Ray Lynch
Maetar with Itai and Hagai Disraeli
Gary Malkin with Thich Nhat Hanh and Phap Niem
Hani Naser Band
Elijah Ray and the Band of Light
Riddle the Sphinx with Christiane Cargill Kinney, Burgundy Morgan and Christo Pellani
SEAY
Kenji Williams of Bella Gaia
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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Peace on Earth?
“Aren’t humans amazing? They kill wildlife – birds, deer, all kinds of cats, coyotes, beavers, groundhogs, mice and foxes by the million in order to protect their domestic animals and their feed.
Then they kill domestic animals by the billion and eat them. This in turn kills people by the million, because eating all those animals leads to degenerative – and fatal – health conditions like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and cancer.
So then humans spend billions of dollars torturing and killing millions more animals to look for cures for these diseases.
Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are being killed by hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten domestic animals.
Meanwhile, few people recognize the absurdity of humans, who kill so easily and violently, and then plead for ‘Peace on Earth.'” C. David Coates
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The good news is that anyone can break this cycle of violence. I did and you can too. Each of us has the power to choose compassion. Peace really does begin in the kitchen. Please visit these websites to align your core values with life affirming choices: http://veganvideo.org & http://tryveg.com