LOS ANGELES, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a keynote speech
delivered today at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to the Committee of 100's 17th
Annual Conference, a yearly gathering of influential United States Citizens
of Chinese descent, music impresario and long-time humanitarian Quincy
Jones commented for the first time publicly about his positions as they
relate to China's role in the Darfur crisis and his role as an artistic
advisor to the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
During the approximately hour-long presentation, Jones, who over the
past 6 months has been meeting and having discussions with key Chinese
dignitaries and experts on the crisis in Darfur including former UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan, former United States Secretary of State Colin
Powell and Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Wang
Guangya, among others; commented on the urgency of bringing an end to the
crisis in Darfur, the opportunity that China has to help bring an end to
the crisis in Darfur, his history using the arts and entertainment to build
bridges and bring people of differing opinions together, and his intention
to stay involved with the 2008 Olympic Games as an artistic advisor to the
opening ceremonies with the hope that a continued dialog with all the
parties involved will effect immediate change in the conditions in Darfur.
Key excerpts from Quincy Jones' April 19th keynote speech
to the Committee of 100: "The arts and entertainment bring people together. They allow the ties
between us to flourish and grow, even during times when differences between
governments arise. The creative expressions of artists like my good friend
and brother, Yo-Yo Ma, help build bridges between cultures, giving us a
better and more peaceful understanding and appreciation of each other."
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" ... I'm sure you know that China is at a crucial crossroads. There
are complex and polarizing issues surrounding the Olympics that affects and
touches the entire world community... and stirs up emotions and inflames
passions. I'm talking, of course, about the situation in Tibet and in
Darfur."
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"I don't think anyone would want the burden of Tibet & the Dalai Lama
and Darfur on their lap. But China's leadership took on the challenge of
the Beijing Olympics knowing that the spotlight and focus would be on them,
warts and all. Because the spotlight is on them, they now have the chance
to show leadership and wisdom to change the world for the better.
I'm deeply concerned about Tibet, but on a human scale... and my own
experiences with the African continent... Darfur is screaming out at me the
loudest."
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"China is part of an international community of nations - all of whose
responsibility it is to stop the genocide in Darfur, as well as coming to
the aid of the over 2.5 million people who have been displaced."
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"The more we can make things right in the world, the better the world
is going to be. That's why I stay engaged... because together we can do a
lot of things we can never do alone.
Over the past couple of months, I've received dozens of protest letters
from various groups, here and abroad, begging me to boycott the Beijing
Olympics. The pressure from all directions has been extremely intense. But
it's not my intention to withdraw from the Olympics. It's just not my
style... because I care too much about Darfur and China and if I can stay
in the game with others like us, I feel we can make a difference."
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"I also believe that boycotting the Olympics could isolate China and
the United States, and make the situation worse. The world will be safer if
we address human rights as part of the world community.
It's been my experience that you can never expect a difficult situation
to change by demanding it... nor can the United States or any other nation
be self-righteous and tell people what to do when they have not always been
a responsible player on human rights, nor walked the talk."
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"I had the privilege of meeting with Ambassador Wang yesterday in New
York, and I applauded him from a front row seat for his role in attempting
to obtain consent from the Sudanese government for the hybrid UN African
peace enforcers -- UNAMID to be allowed into the country.
After consulting with many of my close Chinese friends before our
meeting, I told the Ambassador that I do believe China has significant sway
over the Sudanese government in Khartoum... and that influence gives China
the chance to be a hero in the eyes of the world by exerting its moral
authority to help halt the genocide by achieving one or more of the
following:
First -- take a formal Government stance that reiterates the Special
Representative of China on Darfur Liu Guijin's call for helicopters... and
immediately for China and Sudan to publicly support the efforts to speed up
the deployment of UNAMID troops on the ground and humanitarian workers to
the region.
Second -- Make a public appeal to Khartoum to get a handle on the
Janjaweed militia and halt all attacks on civilian populations. In
addition, publicly call on Khartoum to end all bombings immediately and
pursue a real political solution with the rebels.
And third -- in spite of the Special Envoy's claim that China only
provides 8% of Sudan's total arms imports, and that the United States deals
arms to Sudan as well, take the lead and publicly pledge that going
forward... not a single weapon will be sold to anyone on any side of the
conflict by any country in the world."
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"After meeting with the Ambassador, I'm more hopeful that progress can
be made to showcase the best of China through the Olympics... rather than
it being shrouded in controversy and potential violence and boycotts all
the way through."
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"But China cannot do alone what the United States and Europe have not
been willing to do for five years. By pointing the finger mainly at China,
those who passionately want peace in Darfur wind up helping Western
governments evade responsibility on a humanitarian crisis they could do far
more to stop. A great state seizes the opening to be a peacemaker as China
did in the difficult Six-Party Talks, which lessened the tension between
the United States and North Korea... and moved things in a more positive
direction.
China has been extraordinary in its economic growth for more than a
decade... though history has shown that a state becomes a leader not only
by its economic, technological and military advantages, but also by helping
the disadvantaged. It gives voice to the voiceless and cares about all
human beings."
Quincy Jones first saw the power of the arts to effect social change
beyond entertainment in 1956 when he toured as musical director, trumpeter
and arranger of the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra's State Department Tour.
His long history of humanitarian work began in earnest in the 1960's
and 70's, as one of the key supporters of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s
Operation Breadbasket. In 1985, he helped pioneer the model of using
celebrity to raise money and awareness for a cause with "We Are the World."
The song raised more than $63 Million for Ethiopian famine relief and more
importantly shined a spotlight on the Ethiopian drought, prompting the U.S.
Government responded with over $800 million in aid.
In 1999 Quincy Jones joined Bono and Bob Geldof during a meeting with
Pope John Paul II as a part of the Jubilee 2000 delegation to end third
world debt. The delegation's visit resulted in $27 billion in third world
debt relief for Bolivia, Mozambique, and the Ivory Coast.
In 2004, in front of a live audience of more than a half-million
spectators, Jones launched the We Are the Future initiative with a concert
featuring Carlos Santana, Alicia Keyes, Josh Groban, Oprah Winfrey, Norah
Jones and a host of other entertainers from around the world.
The initiative has established Municipal Child Centers in the cities of
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Asmara (Eritrea), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Kigali
(Rwanda) and Nablus (Palestine) where youth are being trained to run child-
based programs in health, nutrition, Information and Communication
Technology (ICT), Sports and Arts.
In 2007, Jones and the Harvard School of Public Health joined forces to
advance the health and well-being of children worldwide through Project Q,
a strategic initiative of School's Center for Health Communication. Through
the strategic use of media, Project Q challenges leaders and citizens of
the world to provide essential resources to enable young people to achieve
their full potential.
A centerpiece of Project Q is the Q Prize, which recognizes
extraordinary leadership by public figures and social entrepreneurs who are
championing the needs of children. The inaugural Q Prize was awarded in
January 2007 to Scott Neeson, founder of the Cambodian Children's Fund, and
over $600,000 was raised in support of Neeson's work.
Through his personal foundation, The Quincy Jones Foundation, Jones
raises awareness and financial resources for initiatives that support
global children's issues in areas of conflict, malaria eradication, clean
water and efforts to restore the Gulf Coast (post-Katrina). Philanthropic
partners include Malaria No More, Millennium Promise, and R&B singer
Usher's New Look Foundation.
Contact: Arnold Robinson
Rogers & Cowan
310/854-8193
arobinson@rogersandcowan.com
