The 8 Goals for Africa music video, the main UN theme song for the World Cup to be held in South Africa starting next month, will be screened across all the fan parks and public viewing areas in South Africa.
Helen Clark, the chair of the UN Development Group which brings together all UN agencies working in development, on Monday 17 May, launched 8 Goals for Africa, a campaign song by eight of Africa’s best known musicians. The song calls for commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals – a set of eight internationally-agreed goals designed to reduce poverty, hunger, disease, and maternal and child deaths by 2015.
8 Goals for Africa is available free of charge at www.8goalsforafrica.org, and features Yvonne Chaka Chaka from South Africa, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Angelique Kidjo from Benin, Oliver Mtukudzi from Zimbabwe, Eric Wainaina from Kenya, Baba Maal from Senegal, and the Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa. World renowned jazz musicians Hugh Masekela and Jimmy Dludlu from South Africa are instrumentalists on the track, produced by Arthur Baker from the United States of America.
“The World Cup brings people together, as teams and nations cheering on their players. The same can be true for the Millennium Development Goals,’ said Clark at the launch. “Everyone has a role in scoring the MDGs, and the artists who have given their time for free to this song also prove that there can be no spectators in the fight against poverty. We cannot let this chance pass us by to improve the quality of life for millions of people across Africa.’
Music composer Jimmy Dludlu added: “I was inspired by this initiative. We want to help promote the Millennium Development Goals and I am optimistic that the song will convey a message of peace, hope and promise of a better future,’ said Dludlu, who attended the launch along with Masekela and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
8 Goals for Africa is copyrighted to the United Nations, and is free of charge. The song and all related materials, including music video, ring tone, logo and wallpaper, is available for download at www.8goalsforafrica.org. The music video of the song will also be available on YouTube and on Vimeo.com.
Broadcast quality of both the song track and the video should be available on ftp.un.org/8goalsforafrica.
8 Goals for Africa will also be available for download worldwide on iTunes throughout the World Cup from 11 June to 11 July 2010.
The song was produced by Arthur Baker. The music was composed by Jimmy Dludlu (South Africa), and the lyrics written by Eric Wainaina (Kenya). The full list of participating artists is:
– Yvonne Chaka Chaka (South Africa)
– HHP (South Africa)
– Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
– Baba Maal (Senegal)
– Mingas (Mozambique)
– Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbabwe)
– Soweto Gospel Choir (South Africa)
– Eric Wainaina (Kenya)
Instrumentalists: Hugh Masekela (South Africa) and Jimmy Dludlu (South Africa)
