Funds from Lennon`s song to go for UN peacekeeping mission
United Nations: Four decades after Beatle legend John Lennon recorded his famous anti-war anthem `Give Peace A Chance`, the song will help generate funds for UN peacebuilding efforts in war-torn countries.Lennon`s widow Yoko Ono and his sons, Sean and Julian Lennon have pledged the proceeds from the song to go to the UN Peacebuilding Fund on its 40th anniversary.

The track was written in 1969 during Lennon and Yoko Ono`s famous week-long "bed-in" protest against the Vietnam War, in which they lay on their honeymoon bed and courted the world`s media at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel.

Profits from the song will benefit the Peace Building Commission, established in 2005, to assist countries emerging from conflict so that peace can be sustainable.

"I am delighted to see that a song so closely identified with the pursuit of peace, will shine a light on the United Nations` peacebuilding efforts and financially support PBF projects," said UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) Chairperson Ambassador Heraldo Munoz of Chile.

"Generally when TV cameras leave a conflict, when the blue helmets also leave once a peace agreement has been signed, that does not mean peace will be sustainable over time...many of these countries relapse into conflict," Munoz added.

Ono has partnered with music industry giants, EMI and Sony, to give the net profits from the sale of the song to the UN Peacebuilding Fund.

The special anniversary edition digital single will be available to download from iTunes through the end of the year. The money raised will depend on the number of times the song will be downloaded by December 31st.

Munoz approached Ono with the suggestion that she donate to the fund.

"Yoko Ono has been a fundamental moving force in allowing this gift to the United Nations Peacebuilding effort. Beyond words she is proving in concrete action that she is committed for such a long time to the cause of world peace."

Presently, under the peace building commission 14 nations are receiving funding including Nepal, Haiti and Kenya. The main focus is on Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau,
Burundi and Central African Republic.

"We are making an effort to raise funding," said Munoz noting that several middle-income nations had already contributed 300 million dollars to fund.

"The peacebuilding commissions work needs to be better know...sometimes it is a bit more `glamorous` to focus on a ongoing conflict rather than where a country has stopped
suffering the scourge of war and have the tremendous task of rebuilding," he added.

Bureau Report