U2

U2 not known to a lesser extent in charity work. How do together and individually, members of the group since the early 80's working with musicians, artists, celebrities and politicians in matters relating to disease, poverty and injustice in Africa, Asia and Europe.

In 1984, Bono and Adam Clayton participated in the action of Band Aid, organized by Bob Geldof, then lead singer of Boomtown Rats. This collaborative project created to raise money for famine-stricken Ethiopia, spawned hit single Do They Know It's Christmas? ("They know that this Christmas?") And became the first for U2 and Geldof. In July 1985 U2 performed at Live Aid - a concert similar to Band Aid and with the same goals.

In 1986, at the invitation of World Vision Bono and his wife, Ali, visited Ethiopia, where he could see the human tragedy of famine and local decline. This visit will be the basis for a few songs and Bono's campaign to help Africa. After this trip, Bono participated in A Conspiracy of Hope Tour in support of Amnesty International and Self Aid, to draw attention to unemployment in Ireland. Around the same time, Bono and his wife visited Nicaragua and El Salvador at the invitation of the movement "Refuge."

In 1992, U2 concert and spent the Stop Sellafield («Stop Sellafield") in support of Greenpeace. A few years later the events in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war inspired a group to write the song Miss Sarajevo («Miss Sarajevo"), which was first performed at the show "Pavarotti and Friends" where Bono and The Edge were made in support of War Child.

The promise before, and ending the war in Bosnia forced to U2 during the Popmart concert in Sarajevo. In 1992, U2 performed in Belfast for a few days before the conclusion of the Good Friday Agreement, inviting scene of politicians David Trimble and John Hume, contributed to the adoption of the agreement. Later that same year, all proceeds from the sale of the single The Sweetest Thing («The Sweetest Thing") had been allocated to support the project "Children of Chernobyl".

In 2001, U2 offered to help Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, creating and dedicating her song Walk On («Go"), for her activism and the struggle for freedom. Bono and The Edge took part in the concert series "46664", which organized the Nelson Mandela to draw attention to the problem of HIV / AIDS in South Africa. In 2005 the group participated in the Live 8 concert (again, with Bob Geldof), which runs parallel with the campaign Make Poverty History. The primary objective of Live 8 to draw attention and put pressure on the participants of the Group of Eight to provide further assistance to Africa.

In 2005, U2 and producer Paul McGuinness were awarded the prize "Ambassador of Conscience" by Amnesty International "for their work in the field of human rights.

However, social work U2 and Bono has not been surpassed by criticism: the political newsletter Counterpunch often blames them for their closeness to power and their attempts to help that cause harm rather than benefit.

In January 2010 the official organ of the Vatican published an article in which the creativity of U2 recognized as "pious". According to representatives of the Pope, Song iralndskih rockers filled with spirituality and in one form or another - "turned to God."