40 Years Later: Remembering Live Aid and the famine in Ethiopia.

The famine was “the closest thing to hell on Earth.”

The iconic relief concerts took place on July 13, 1985.

Prologue

Many of us remember seeing the horrific scenes on our televisions in late 1984 and early 1985. Starting in 1983, after years of civil war and an unprecedented drought, a widespread famine affected Ethiopia, ultimately taking the lives of over 500,000 people (some say as many as 1,200,000). Another 2,500,000 people were internally displaced and almost 200,000 children were orphaned. These events would affect our collective outlook and culture.

Music has the power to bring people together. It has the power to make a difference…

Live Aid was a two-venue benefit concert and music-based fundraising initiative. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia, a movement that started with the release of the successful charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in December 1984.  Billed as the "global jukebox", Live Aid was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. *

Live Aid fans cheer during Queen’s performance.

The charity event was raising money for Ethiopia, which was in the midst of famine.

Image: Norbert Foersterling / DPA / ZUMA Press.

Witnessing history…

Crowd in the sun during Live Aid at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia.

Image: Associated Press (AP)

While I watched many of the legendary performances on MTV that memorable day, as an 11 y/o, there wasn’t a way for me to make an impact in eliminating world hunger.  However, Live Aid, as well as “We Are the World”, further opened my young eyes to the horrors and iniquities that sometimes inflict humanity.  Said differently, I became “sentient”; aware of current events and geopolitics.

Live Aid, along with “We Are the World”, demonstrated that rock music had become more than entertainment, but a political and social movement.  Bob Geldof once said, "We took an issue that was nowhere on the political agenda and, through the lingua franca of the planet – which is not English but rock 'n' roll – we were able to address the intellectual absurdity and the moral repulsion of people dying of want in a world of surplus." *

Such events sometimes bring forth both philosophical and practical questions; Why? What is life? When does hope become acceptance? How can we help someone who is suffering?  It can start with each of us; be there for someone…

* Source: Wikipedia.org