The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF yesterday announced a donation of $4,50,000 for relief and recovery efforts for the victims of Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh.

George Harrison had a long association with Bangladesh and UNICEF. The landmark benefit concert held on August 1st 1971, which aside from George himself featured Ravi Shankar, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell and Billy Preston, was the first of it's kind and is recognized as the inspiration behind more recent humanitarian fundraising ventures like 'Band Aid' and 'Live Aid'.

"I am pleased that the commitment that George and Ravi Shankar made to the crisis in Bangladesh more than three decades ago is once again reaching out to assist the victims of Cyclone Sidr. Children are at their most vulnerable during natural disasters and it is incumbent upon all of us to act fast to save as many lives as possible," said Olivia Harrison.

"With such a large number of children affected in Bangladesh, UNICEF is playing a key role in ensuring their survival in the coming weeks and months," said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the US Fund for UNICEF. "This contribution keeps alive George Harrison's longstanding tradition of goodwill towards Bangladesh, but shows that children need our assistance, regardless of the borders they are born between."

In 2005, Mrs. Harrison launched the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF in her late husband's name with an initial donation of $1 million. It specifically targets UNICEF programs in Bangladesh but also provides lifesaving assistance to children suffering from civil conflict, natural disasters and poverty elsewhere.

Meanwhile, French oil company TOTAL, through its subsidiaries TOTAL E&P Bangladesh and TOTALGAS Bangladesh, has announced donation of US$100,000 to the Friendship organization for immediate humanitarian assistance for cyclone Sidr victims. This contribution will support the local relief efforts the organization is implementing in remote and inaccessible places of the affected area, said Olivier Wattez, Managing Director of TOTAL E&P Bangladesh. The donation will be mainly dedicated to water wells, ponds cleaning and house reconstruction works.

New Zealand Cricket is holding a Twenty20 festival in Hamilton two days before Christmas to raise funds for cyclone stricken Bangladesh, who were scheduled to start their tour on Boxing Day with the first of three one dayers.

An invitational Masters XI including past international players will play New Zealand Under-19 side before a New Zealand XI takes on the tourists..

The former Black Caps skipper Stephen Fleming will captain the New Zealand XI and says after playing in Bangladesh he has a better appreciation of how long it will take the low-lying country to get over the cyclone's impact.

Meanwhile, International Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA has provided a $10,000 disaster relief grant to help with relief and recovery in Bangladesh after Cyclone Sidr struck two weeks ago.

The grant, funded by One Great Hour of Sharing, was requested by Rev. Stan Murray, area director for Southeast Asia, and global consultant Walt White.

"We are very grateful for the relief funds being provided by several agencies, including American Baptist through their One Great Hour of Sharing," said White, who is the U.S. representative of Symbiosis. White, who had served jointly for International Ministries and the Australian Baptists in Bangladesh, helped start Symbiosis 12 years ago. The development agency focuses on integrated rural development, health, women and children, and vocational training.