Bob Geldof: the Pied Piper of celebrity activists

The Irish rocker helped spark celebrity interest in Africa in the 1980s.

from the August 22, 2007 edition

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"I believe this phenomenon is infectious," says John Prendergast of ENOUGH, a nonprofit group with a mission to "prevent genocide and mass atrocities" in Africa. "Bono, Angelina, and others have done so much to make these efforts seem useful and worthwhile. So once the ice was broken, lots of others dove into the water."

Tonya Nyagiro, associate vice president for HIV/AIDS at Save the Children, agrees: "There has been a lot of renewed energy and awareness-raising ... over the last five years. Africa has become more accessible for travel and there has been greater attention at global levels on issues of HIV/AIDS, children in conflict, and broader health issues."

The fact that people such as Mr. Gates and others have made huge investments in these issues, she adds, has raised the profile of Africa and brought other celebrities on board. "Africa represents a cause that they can support – with an infrastructure of the UN, donors, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and governments that are happy to work with them to advance their mission," says Ms. Nyagiro.

Brad Pitt has visited Save the Children's programs in Ethiopia, for example, while Bono has seen firsthand the NGO's projects in South Africa and Malawi. "Africa has been overlooked for so long – and for celebrities, it still represents a 'novel' cause. The attraction of a star in a war-torn, poverty-ridden area attracts attention to the celebrity, [but also] ... to the issue," she says.

Rock singer Peter Gabriel says, "You get asked to do things, you get opportunities, and it's crazy not to take them." He was in South Africa last month with British billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson, launching "The Elders," a conflict resolution initiative.

"It's a mixed activity in terms of the reviews it gets ... but I think if you feel inspired, you should go ahead."

Mr. Gabriel recalls the time he was writing "Biko," a protest song about Steve Biko, an anti-apartheid activist who died in police custody in South Africa. "I remember thinking, 'I'm a guy from a middle-class, privileged white background in England – is this going to have credibility?' " Gabriel recounts. "And a friend of mine said, 'If it gets attention and money, who cares?' "

[Editor's note: The original version of the sub-headline misstated Bob Geldof's nationality.]

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