ed by artists who said the line-up of stars for the original five concerts planned in Europe and the United States ignored African artists. In his home town of Dublin to receive an honorary doctorate, Geldof said additional concerts would be held also in Tokyo and Toronto, meaning the event would now cover the world's seven wealthiest countries as well as its poorest continent, Africa. "I'll ... announce Johannesburg, which will be Live 8 Africa. Mandela, if he's well
enough, will bring (it) to the world with an announcement from Johannesburg," he said of friend and former South African president Nelson Mandela. Both men have campaigned for the alleviation of poverty in Africa and Geldof hopes to pressure Group of Eight (G8) leaders meeting in Scotland on July 6-8 into tackling the problem.
The musician, dressed in a red and blue academic gown, told journalists at University College Dublin that the concerts were
about more than just raising awareness about African hardship. Describing as a "fantastic victory" last week's G8 decision to wipe out $40 billion of impoverished nations' debt, the rock campaigner said he now wanted politicians to deal with aid and trade. "How do we create domestic heat to pressure them into doing something they don't particularly want to do?" he asked. "We will not get there if we don't do ludicrous circuses like giant concerts."
Geldof had originally coordinated five main concerts to be held on July 2 at venues in London, Berlin, Paris and Rome, as well as Philadelphia in the United States -- twenty years after his original Live Aid shows. Asked about rumours Michael Jackson might be taking part in the concerts, Geldof told Reuters the issue had not come up. Geldof said if he was asked: "I'd say 'Dude, there's plenty of time. I don't think you should really put yourself through something as strenuous as Live 8 at such a fragile stage in your life'."
Reuters
